Bampton Sports

[Jammy]

Thinking of taking my family over to Bampton village sports on Sunday. Anybody got any info about the fell race?

[david]

Other than what's in the races section of the FRA web site?

[Jammy]

I've read the fixtures info; wondering if anybody had done the race!?

[Gazfrapeerith]

I am also taking family on Sunday and not really sure about race route however, on the facebook event page there is a small map. Looks like it goes up Knipe Scar so there is a bit of a climb. Should be good day for family with kids races etc...

[Bobert]

I've read the fixtures info; wondering if anybody had done the race!?

Think river, thistles and gorse. Followed by cake. You'll enjoy the river crossing. River is quite low at the moment so shouldn't be more than waist deep this year Cracking wee race.

[Lost in the clouds]

Fast flat start in a hectic dash to get to the stile by the river path. Splash across river, shortish climb then fairly flat along the top for quite a way, mile and a half?, then back roughly the same way. Based at a nice little fun-day event, good for small children. A good fell race for road runners as it has long flat sections. They may object to getting feet wet however.

[collieflower]

Bampton Sports is on this sunday. Easily accessible, lots of kids races and activities, great cakes, beer tent, oh and a small but perfectly formed fell race up and around Knipe Scar (river crossing included).

[Jammy]

Can't do it this year due to a certain bike race. If you've got kids this a quality day out!

[Tindersticks]

Just before the race I noticed the man behind the drinks stall was wearing a Hawkwind t-shirt....my thoughts are I'll pop over for a chat after the race, us Hawkwind fans have to stick together, we're a dying breed.....the same can't be said for sports days like Bampton Sports. These family days out have been part of Lakeland for years, many years. They nearly all follow the same path: kids races, cake stalls, teas and beers, bouncy castle etc....and a fell race.

Bampton sports fell race sounds like an interesting one. Earlier I'd asked if the course was marked and it's music to my ears to be told, "this is a fell race, so it's not marked and to add interest the river can't be crossed using the bridge, it's compulsory to wade across the river".

The race map at registration shows three checkpoints are to be visited and at checkpoint two each runner has to pick up a ribbon and hand it in at the finish to prove they've visited. It's a reasonably straightforward there and back route but short cuts through thistles and gorse can be attempted....if you don't mind prickling the sh*t out of your legs.

We start off from the show field soon to be running alongside the river Lowther and after a few minutes we're crossing....it's probably easier doing the compulsory wading of the river as the narrow suspension bridge would've been very interesting having runners pounding across it in numbers. The river is pretty shallow and doesn't go above my knees.

Once the river is crossed the climb up towards check point one sees eventual race winner Jim Davies pull away from the chasing pack. A short scramble between limestone rocks brings us out onto Knipe Scar summit. Once on Knipescar common the running is reasonably flat over well defined paths. With the course being an out and back I couldn't wait to get back in the river.....the cold water felt so refreshing on the legs.

After the race I was so engrossed with a lemon drizzle cake I forgot to have a chat with the guy in the Hawkwind t-shirt....he had a lucky escape, if you think I prattle on in my race reports don't get me started on Hawkwind.

Many thanks to all involved.