Three towers route.

[sol]

Hi all,
Does anyone remember this? Its before my time but i recall someone telling me about it, not sure if it was a fell race or a LDWA type event visiting Holcome, Darwen and Rivington towers.
Can anyone give us an idea of the route, i live in the area and would nt mind having a run round it.

Thanks Rick.

[david]

It was organised by Bury Athletic Club starting in the mid 1960s and was in the FRA calendar up to 1990. The start was at Rivington & Blackrod High School and the route (from the late 1970s at least) was Rivington Pike - Great Hill - Tockholes Wood - Darwen Tower - Cadshaw - Strawberry Duck/Entwistle Station - Crowthorn - Maggot Farm - Pilgrim's Cross - Holcombe Tower - finish at the foot of Holcombe Hill. It was classified as a 20 mile BL and the record time was 1:56:22 set by John Wild in 1984.

[sol]

Thanks for the info David, good stuff! Looks like it would make a good long training run. Ill take a look at the maps.
Thats a crackin record time by John Wild. Was it discontinued due to road crossings.

[Graeme78]

Did it finish at the Hare and Hounds or The Shoulder of Mutton?

[david]

Did it finish at the Hare and Hounds or The Shoulder of Mutton?

In the early 80s when I ran it the finish was on the track at the bottom of the hill - it followed the main track down the front of the hill but at the bottom just before where the track meets Cross Lane it turned right and finished a couple of hundred yards along that track. In later years I think the finish was changed to drop off the hill down towards Holcombe Brook to finish by the factory behind the Hare and Hounds.

There's a history of the race up to 1981 in SMOTS starting on page 346.

The person you really need to speak to is Erno who won the race on several occasions.

[wheezing donkey]

I stand to be corrected, but IIRC one of the factors that lead to the death of this race was when certain elements thought that their performance warranted a short cut across a church yard ( leaping over tombstones, running across graves etc ) just as the congregation was emerging from the Sunday morning service. The RO did post warnings that the behaviour was causing him some PR problems, but the practise persisted over subsequent years.

[Stanners]

Thanks for the info David, good stuff! Looks like it would make a good long training run. Ill take a look at the maps.
Thats a crackin record time by John Wild. Was it discontinued due to road crossings.

You going for the long stuff this year pal?
Let me know if you want some company

[sol]

You going for the long stuff this year pal?
Let me know if you want some company

Nothing too crazy this year mate haha. But i would n't mind a few longer days out now and again and maybe do a few longer races in summer, need to stop being soft!
Some company would be good. Fancy ago at this route though and helping out on a BGR.

[Stanners]

I wouldn't mind having a go at this route. Ronnie needs help on his BG and i'm looking at having a go at the Paddy Buckley round, so you can give us a lift with that if your free

[Paul T]

As far as I remember the race wasn't cancelled due to crossing the cemetary (no church or congregation there). Course did have a checkpoint added in its last couple of years to avoid that choice of route though. Think police made some demands re road crossings which were impractical but I may be wrong. I live on route (near the cemetary which I still run through regularly) and did it as a loop crossing back from holcombe to winter hill and rivi pike via turton and egerton before Xmas with couple of guys from our club. Good route @ 28 miles. Point 2 point was listed at 20 but closer to 18.