Last Saturday was the race up Kirkfell at the Wasdale Show, which climbs about 710 metres in 1.7km (ignoring the run across the field at the start). This, the steepest race in England, has got me thinking about where else we might have a brutally steep race. Let’s consider climbs of at least 600m, and start in England and Wales. Much of what I write below is the result of me gazing at maps; I have not done all these ascents myself.

Although there are Skyrunning races which involve serious scrambling, I will not consider such routes as suitable for a fell race; so the north ridge of Tryfan, 610m climbing in about 0.9km, is not considered suitable. But on the other side of the valley, the path up Pen yr Ole Wen has 670m climbing in 1.7km. Back in the Lake District, extending the Gategill race to the 851m spot height on the main Blencathra ridge (to satisfy my 600m+ criterion) would give about 700m climbing in 2.5km. Going up Helvellyn from the nearest point on the A591 by Thirlmere is 770m of climbing in about 2.1km.

Finally, just two examples in Scotland. Going up Ben More from the A85 just east of Crianlarich gives a neat Vertical Kilometre in just 2.4km. But Britain’s greatest slope of all must surely be the 1200m of climbing in just 2.2km from the road end in Glen Nevis to the top of Ben Nevis. Come on, Lochaber AC: it's time to organise The Real Ben Nevis Race.