Most prestigious race?

[that_fjell_guy]

Hang on .... Three Peaks is in April, Ben Nevis is September ..... hardly constitutes a clash.
The Grisedale Horseshoe "clashes" with the Ben, but then it was intended to ..... back in the late 80's when the Ben had got to being twice the price of any other fell race .... notice that the distance and accumulated ascent are the same.

For me it would be the Bens of Jura, not just a tough race over some great terrain but a long weekend hill-runners' get together, with everyone camped on the front lawn of the hotel - just magic.

You spotted my deliberate mistake!? Ben clashes with Bullock Smithy......etc etc. I do like the Grisedale HS! I miss that for BS too. Clashes are so irksome...and confusing! Maybe I should alternate more.

[noel]

In terms of history, it's probably one of the super-shorts. Burnsall has already been mentioned, but Grasmere too. However, if you're travelling from another country, I guess you want to justify a longer outing. So probably Borrowdale - long hard and with a strong entry list (especially this year as it's a champs race).

[Conor74]

Hmmmmmm.

Thanks for all the tips and pointers. Lots to look up! Ben Nevis still up there, but Borrowdale and Wasdale now are in the mix. They look like the types of runs I prefer to the straight up and back, the winning time suggest they are a good bit longer too. And the idea of a fell run in classic fell running country is attractive.

[IanDarkpeak]

Worth mentioning Tanky's following his recent death, a bit of an underground race in the early days, not widely advertised but well know for being a tough race in winter for hardy self reliant souls..

[Fozzy42]

A biggie for me is always Yorkshire 3 Peaks, next year is my 10th on the trot. Some people aren't so keen on it as its more a trail race with 3 hills in it, rather than an out'n out fell race, but I just love it, but there's no getting away from it its a tough bugger, always leaves me bolloxed.
Of the Lakeland classics I've only ever done Wasdale and Langdale, both great tough events. I personally prefer Langdale, but Wasdale probably has more prestige 'cos of how hard it is, it totally wiped me out last year, just to get myself round in one piece was a major achievement for me, I felt way out of my depth to be honest.
Edale Skyline is another classic race to have a go at, this is usually in March so the weather can be a bit iffy to say the least, this is deceptively tough. I remember looking at the distance and feet of ascent thinking "this cant be that hard" How wrong was I.
If youre over for a few days you could take a leaf out of Tindersticks books and do a spot of Fishwicking, trying to cram as many fell races as possible into a few short days, good luck with that. I've yet to have a bash at that, just doing the one fell race every so often is tough enough for me.

[Conor74]

Yeah, thought of 3 Peaks and have been around Yorkshire, like it, know a few there etc...courtesy of a lifetime keeping an eye on Leeds United results...

It seems to attract a good few from here, know 5 or 6 who have travelled over for it in different years. But they describe it as an almost relentless grinding run, not the lung shredding ascents and breakneck descents that I presume characterise the more typical fell race.

[Lefty]

Wasdale.

Agreed

[Graham Breeze]

Agreed

Agreed

It was to ensure that Wasdale (and the also-vulnerable Ennerdale) remained viable that Brian Martin and I started the Lakeland Classics Trophy.

If you haven't finished Wasdale then, in my book, you aren't a serious fell runner.

[Heaning Hobbler]

I've completed Wasdale, but consider myself fairly light hearted and laid back !

[Derby Tup]

When is you booking coming out Graham? Is it on a par with Mr Chilton's oeuvre?