Monday 28 September 2015

Glossop Fell Race

'Studmarks on the Summits' reported that the original Glossop Fell Race was first held in 1981 and was organised by Dark Peak Fell Runners. The route was thought to be 22 miles with 4200ft of ascent. The first winner was Rob Pearson of the host club with a time of  2 hrs 58 minutes 36 seconds. Our own Bill Buckley, then running for Rochdale Harriers,was 15th in 3.31.28. These are the mandatory checkpoints:-

1. Start - Manor Park SK041946
2. Pond (East side), bottom of Ashton Clough SK079941
3. Trig point, Higher Shelf Stones SK088947
4. Old Mill SK079 990. Now private land, pinched from us.
5. Ruined sheep pen on Crowden Little Brook SE 074022
6. Laddow Rocks SE 057 015.
7. Path Junction SK067 995
8. Stile top of Knarr SK045993
9. A628 Road crossing SK040983
10. Stile on Torside Clough (PW) SK062 975
11. Ruined cabin SK065 967
12. Stile/gate on Doctor's Gate track SK053950
13. Finish - Manor Park SK041946

The race continued through the 1980s and was held during the Glossop Festival Weekend, the Carnival Parade was on the Saturday, the fell race on the Sunday part of 'A Day in the Park' with stalls, sideshows and other events.

The race always clashed with the Tour of Tameside except in 1986 when it was on the day after. I just managed to get round at the back of the field feeling knackered but wanting to complete my local fell race at least on one occasion.  In that year it was won by Glossopdale's Andy Trigg in 2hr 50.52. His clubmate David Ibbetson was 2nd in 2.55.20 and helped secure the team prize. A local firm supplied huge cloth numbers for the race which had to be collected in at the end. No chance of pinning these on your shorts!
 


I'm not sure when the race was last held but Glossopdale Harriers staged a new version of the race in early October from 1994 to 1996. I always thought that the route of the original race was a little convoluted and preferred the new version though I never managed to race it because of marshalling duties. The new route took in Higher Shelf Stones, Alport Trig, Blackden Brook, Seal Stones, Fairbrook Naze, ruined cabin in the Ashop, Snake Summit, back down Doctor's Gate. Similar to some of Al Cowell's long runs in preparation for his Paddy Buckley round but not quite as far! I can't remember the quoted distance and height gain but the winning time of 3.22.35 by Glossopdale's Adi Jones in 1994 clearly indicated that it was a longer, tougher route.

The race was always difficult to stage mainly because of restrictions imposed by the Peak Park authorities and was last held in 1996.

Thanks to Bill Buckley for providing information to help in this blog.

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