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  Blackstone Edge Fell Race
Lydgate hamlet, Littleborough, Rochdale 

Picture by Ian Slater

Organised by Kev Shand 

This race is a short, sharp shock of an event, with 1000 ft ascent in the first 1.6 miles.  

Registration is at the farm up the path going left too right (see below).  The course goes along a short stretch of road (the bus kindly waits for you) up a muddy path, through a bog and down, then there is a long, steep climb up to the black rocks you can just about see on the skyline from Rochdale.  Then its rock hopping for a while, down the steep tussocky hill, up through the bog and a fast sprint on the path home.  At the finish line Kev puts on orange squash and provides 3 luxurious foot spas for the fell runners to cleanse, deep into the pores, reaching the parts only a bucket and sponge could possibly reach.  Prize giving is in the barn.

Seriously though, this is a great race. Its steep but not too long so anyone with the right shoes can do it.  Kev Shand puts on plenty of prizes and Brenda and Colin Robinson brave the elements to do the time keeping.   The results in 2006 were available on Tinternet by the next morning, thanks to John Hey. In 2006 the turn out was  lower than normal because the race details didn't make it in time to get into the hardback FRA calendar (and due to awful weather, which apparently is very unusual for this event)

2007 Update

The bus turned up 7:30 sharp and waited for the runners to pass as usual.  The ladies from the church also showed, with a fantastic selection of cakes and lashings of hot tea, helping make a great atmosphere. Colin and Brenda did the time keeping brilliantly and helped set up the barn.  The tops were obscured by mist and this made following those in front more tricky, and despite clear flagging the mid pack started to descend the wrong side of the wall. They had to run back up and descend the correct side, making for some great battles mid field.   The surface was soft but not too bad actually in the right shoes.  There were quite a few muddy folk and the odd bloody knee.  This was a little cracker of a race with 119 finishers.  Bring on Turnslack ! (Kevan's other race in July).

2008 Update

The field was large and of the highest standard as this was a 2008 British and English Fell Racing Championship event.  Results and Pictures and Youtube videos .More details as follows:

View of Blackstone Edge, May 2007 (mist obscures tops)

View of Blackstone Edge, May 2006 (note stones on horizon)

                  Landsat Map of course 

                      Height Profile of Race 

Position relative to Mytholmroyd and Wardle Skyline