A beautiful setting for a road marathon, including a lap around Lake Windermere, starting and finishing from Brathay Hall, heading off through Outgate, up and down through Hawkshead, alongside Esthwaite Water, past Lakeside to Newby Bridge at the southern point of the lake, then back up past Fell Foot Park.

The route is relentless in that it is up and down nearly all the way, with hardly any flat bits, until running through Bowness, and Ice Cream Mountain. There are many walkers at this point. The heat and that hill taking it’s toll. From the turn at 21 miles, it’s almost easy, past Troutbeck Bridge, and back to Ambleside Waterhead. The final kick is the uphill driveway slog to the finish at Brathay Hall.

The event includes a number of runners who raise money for the Brathay Trust (doing great work for under-priveleged youngsters) by running the route for a consecutive 10 days. This year a record 20 runners completed the 10 in 10, in the warmest conditions known too.’ No rain in the lakes shocker! ‘. Amazing to cheer them off an hour before the main race started and then applaud the presentation when they’d finished, including City of Hull’s Rich Rex, here for his 3rd 10 in 10. Madness.

Five Harriers ran this year. A before pic without David Butt, and results below. Thoroughly recommend this race. I’ll be back for my fourth go next year, I hope!