Details for all applicants – both FRCC members and non-members
A warm welcome to everyone who has entered!!
This year’s organising body is the Fell and Rock Climbing Club of the English Lake District (FRCC) – this is why you have been directed to our website.
On this page you will find the following information:
- Important information about the event which you’ll have probably seen already on SiEntries. You’ll also receive information and reminders via SiEntries email right up until the 4 April.
- A PROVISIONAL Route Description as a PDF or Word document. It’s unlikely that there will be any significant changes, but the final version will not be available until the Organisers have completed a final recce of the route. A FINAL Route Description will then be sent via SiEntries email to all entrants in the week prior to 4 April. We have to do this just in case any last minute problems occur eg Footpath Diversions etc
- A downloadable GPX File which is for guidance only. You should not rely on this, the Final Route Description will be the definitive route.
Important information
- 23 miles, from Ambleside Parish Centre. LA22 9DH Grid ref: NY374044
- This is a scenic route with 4400ft of ascent, via Loughrigg Tarn, Skelwith Bridge, High Tilberthwaite, Coniston and Tarn Hows then Cumbria Way back to Ambleside. Runners and walkers are all welcome.
- Start time is 08.00 and registration is from 07.00. All entrants are to finish by 17.30, and for this reason a cut off will apply at Skelwith Bridge at 15.00 (Checkpoint 4).
- All entries are via SiEntries https://www.sientries.co.uk/ and there is no facility for “Entry on the Day.” Refreshments are provided at three checkpoints and a light meal at finish. All finishers will receive an official time, and a downloadable certificate will be sent via SiEntries following the event. Limit of 250 entrants.
- Relevant Maps are OL 6&7. Navigational skills are required. There will be a Sweeper on the course, who will not proceed past each Checkpoint until all entrants are accounted for. Any entrant who retires from the event MUST report to a Checkpoint, otherwise Mountain Rescue will be called out.
- Regrettably no dogs are allowed on this event or in the Parish Centre or other event venues, it is lambing time in the Lakes.
- For environmental reasons we have stopped using single use plastics on our event. All entrants must bring a mug or suitable container. NO MUG – NO DRINK!
- Parking is in public car parks in Ambleside, and car parking charges apply. There is absolutely NO parking in church or Parish Centre grounds.
Event Organisers are:
Richard Tait
Karen Goodyear
All queries or correspondence by email to Richard please at skiddaw@houndgate.co.uk
This event broadly follows the route of an old favourite – the Lakeland LDWA 23 mile “Spring in Lakeland.” This has been put on hold for 2020 in favour of the “Spring in Lakeland 50” event based in Staveley on 21 April, a decision made in response to the need for qualifying events for the LDWA national 100 mile event in May 2020. Lakeland LDWA will revert to organising the 23 mile format from Ambleside in 2021.
The organiser of “April in Ambleside”, FRCC, formed in 1907, is centred in the Lake District. Early in 2019 its oldest and much loved Mountaineering hut, Brackenclose at Wasdale Head, was badly damaged by fire. Proceeds from “April in Ambleside” will go to the hut rebuilding fund. FRCC is equally well known for gifting to the National Trust land covering 12 summits including Great Gable as a memorial to club members who lost their lives in the First World War. The Memorial plaque on Great Gable commemorates this and is the venue for the annual Remembrance Day service on Gable summit.
FRCC acknowledges the utilisation of the route and format of the LDWA-inspired 23 mile “Spring in Lakeland” event for use in our 2020 event.
Richard Tait
Karen Goodyear
11/02/20
Provisional Route
Final route will be sent to all entrants prior to the event:
Check Points
| Checkpoint | Grid Ref | Location | Section Miles | Cumulative Miles | Section Ascent | Cumulative Ascent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start D | 374044 | Parish Centre | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| C/P1 DF | 328047 | Elterwater Car Park | 4.9 | 4.9 | 690 | 690 |
| C/P2 DF | 302977 | Coniston Institute | 7.5 | 12.4 | 1580 | 2270 |
| C/P3 SELF CLIP | 322999 | Glen Mary | 2.5 | 14.9 | 370 | 2640 |
| C/P4 DF | 344031 | Skelwith Community Centre | 5.2 | 20.1 | 990 | 3630 |
| Finish DF | 374044 | Parish Centre | 3.1 | 23.2 | 710 | 4340 |
ALL TO FINISH BY 17.30 — CUT OFF AT C/P4 IS AT 15.00
KEY:
| D = Drinks | TR = Turn | LH =Left hand | L = Left |
| F = Food | TL = Turn Left | RH = Right hand | R = Right |
| C/P = Checkpoint | W/M = Waymark | S/P = sign post | CONT = continue |
• You are reminded that you have agreed to comply with all event rules
• If you need to retire you must do so at roadside C/P’s and await transport
• Sorry no dogs on this event, it’s lambing time in the Lakes
NOTES TO HELP YOU ROUND (available to download as PDF or Word document)
To be used in conjunction with maps OL 6/7 or OS 90/96
TL out of Parish Centre, down steps and TL sharp onto tarmac road and into Rothay Park, then pass Children’s Playground on L. Go straight ahead over small metal bridge then L over narrow stone bridge. TR onto road. Cross cattle grid and immediately TL at S/P.
Uphill on tarmac/concrete path past cottages. CONT ahead on main track through gate, wall on R through
next gate. CONT wall on R round RH bend. Track bears L away from wall.
CONT through next gate. CONT ahead and descend to cross stream. TL on good track, ahead down hill (wall on L).
Ignore track climbing to R, track stays with wall and contours round hill, through bridleway gate and CONT down hill through trees to reach 2 gates on R. Through LH waymarked gate. Ahead over stile (trees on R) to stile, cross track to next stile, which is almost opposite.
Keep same line of travel to reach edge of tarn, directly below houses. Keeping tarn on L, cross ladder stile, ahead up field to reach tarmac road above tarn.
TL on lane for 100yds. TR on track at F/P sign. Pass cottage on R and at next cottage follow W/M up hill on narrow path through small gate (W/M). CONT on track through Neaum Crag (private grounds) pass picnic tables/car park, Join tarmac lane at yellow W/M. CONT down through chalets. Ahead at junction, following yellow W/M, between chalets. Follow path down between wooden fences. Through gate then follow path between wall/metal fence. BEWARE FALLEN TREE! Ahead through field to reach Skelwith Bridge road TR for 50yds, cross road carefully immediately after derelict stone masons yard, climb bank on L after buildings to reach track. TR on track by river, S/P Elterwater. CONT with river on left, to reach gate. Through gate and ahead on well made path all the way to Elterwater. And C/P1 (car park) GR328047 (4.9miles)
From car park TL on road, over bridge then TR. After 400 yds take footpath on R opposite cave/mine entrance at footpath sign. CONT with river on R, (don’t cross footbridge) bear L at S/P to Little Langdale with wall on R. Track leaves river and climbs steadily through quarry area. CONT bearing L when faced with large spoilheap, to emerge on quarry road. TR (footpath sign) behind large sheds and CONT ahead, through metal gate in new wire fence, to join metalled lane. TR for a few yds then L bridleway sign Little Langdale (opposite house) climbing steadily, across track, through trees ancient wall on L. eventually descending to T junction. TR through gate. Stay on main track ignoring paths off to L. Go through metal gate then track becomes metalled near farm buildings. At T-junction TL for a few yds, then TR on F/P. At end of public path, TR through gate (S/P Slater bridge). Down through field wall on L to Slater Bridge.
Cross bridge and ahead to gate. TL on wide track/road. Through gate, ahead (river over on left), ignore track on R, track/road bends R away from river near foot bridge, in 50 yds track forks S/P Coniston, take R. fork through gate, in approx. ½ mile track forks again, take R fork again climbing slightly (quarry spoil heaps on R) for another ½ mile through another gate gradually descending to reach farm at High Tilberthwaite.
CONT down metalled lane past cottages to far end of parking area. TR up steps into and through old quarry area. CONT ahead up track.
Where the track forks take the left-hand path but stay over the R side of path away from quarry edge. CONT on well defined path up the valley, keeping main stream on R climbing steadily to eventually reach Col, then descend on stony track (Coppermines valley on R). Zig zag down to path behind cottages. Keep L to join main track L down to Coniston, keeping river on your R. TL into Institute at Ruskin Museum sign (triangular wooden shelter) C/P2 – GR 302977 (12.4 miles)
TL out of institute, cross road and TR. Bear L at Junction on Hawkshead road. CONT along this road and just before Road Bridge TL on road to Ambleside. Pass sports centre on R then TR at footpath sign over bridge, immediately L through kissing gate at W/M. Ahead up field then through kissing gate next to stone barn. CONT up through field gate, then fork L at W/M and up to next kissing gate. Ahead through woods, ignoring new rising track on R. Through gate keep on main track following woods on R. Through new gate in facing wall, ahead through kissing gate bearing L down track to reach bridge. Do not cross bridge but go through kissing gate next to it. Ahead round LH edge of field to cross next kissing gate and ahead with river on L. Approx. 50yds after stile, track leaves river and heads up hill.
Cross footbridge, ahead on narrow track, ignoring forestry track on R. CONT up stony path to top of hill and keep on main gravel path (ignore marked path L in front of cottages). Through gate and onto cottage access road bearing R uphill on tarmac. Then ahead to gate and road, then immediately L down enclosed track to eventually reach main road and small parking area. TR (Info board “Glen Mary”)
C/P3 SELF CLIP IS AT GR 322999 (14.9 miles) by large wooden foot bridge (route to Tom Ghyll). Cross bridge TR through gate and climb steeply up the side of waterfalls/stream until you reach Tarn Hows.
Turn L on broad track along the L side of Tarn. Track veers away from Tarn slightly to reach a junction shortly before the end of the Tarn. TL here (S/P Skelwith Bridge & Langdales) GR330003 ahead through woods. On reaching kissing gate, TR onto enclosed track.
At top of hill TL through kissing gate on track (S/P Black Crag & Arnside). Ahead up hill (S/P High Arnside) through next kissing gate starting to descend. CONT down through two gates, just after cottage on L, CONT ahead, then fork L to fingerpost TL of bridleway onto footpath. Descend wall on L to reach gate with WM (corner of walls). Go through and descend with wall on R. Path curves L uphill then down through gate to road cross road carefully (it’s a good idea to TL for a few yds first away from corner). Ahead for a few yds then R at Y junction. In another 20 yds TR through gate and follow forest path down to path junction TR, ahead through gate to cross footbridge. Through gate CONT down to road.
TL on road then TR at stile (s/p Skelwith Bridge 1 mile). Follow well used W/M path (Cumbria Way), for next mile, ignoring all farm access roads on R.
On reaching open fields, fork L at large tree, pass through first gate TR at path junction then through gate to reach road at (GR343033) cross road carefully then TL head down road (130yds), TR on narrow lane (S/P Community Centre) head up lane ¼ mile to C/P4 – GR344031 (20.1 miles).
PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THERE IS A CUT OFF IN OPERATION AT C/P4 AT 15.00
From C/P4 TL back down to main road, ahead across road bridge take extra care here stay on R side of road on grass verge, as road curves R cross road carefully next to bus stop and ahead up narrow lane (left of bus shelter) R at T junction, then after 50yds TL (post box in wall) R at footpath sign to Tarn, at junction ahead through R hand gate ahead up hill on stony track, (you are now on the reverse of the morning route out for a while). Through gate. Ahead same direction keep wall on R, after steep climb CONT to cross stream. 200yds after leaving wall, after the top of the climb at GR357043, TR on narrow track down to cross small stream, ahead up hill SE direction at first veering E loosely following wall on your R to eventually pass through a kissing gate. After reaching top of brow head leave the wall and on same line of travel on grassy track stay in same E direction to reach Lily Tarn (do not descend L or R before reaching tarn). Follow L edge of tarn and go to L of bench and, at top of rise (with good views of Ambleside) drop to kissing gate in wall through and descend on wide grassy path aiming for trees and wall ahead. On nearing wall path curves R (wall and stream on your L) to eventually reach a wooden footbridge (W/M). Cross, and head through trees to stile in wall TR to Brow Edge cottage descend on metalled path you climbed in the morning and retrace the morning route back to the Parish Centre (23.2 miles)
Well Done!
If you are driving home please make sure you are rested before you start.
Take care & thank you for entering our event.
Download zip file of route: AinA GPX file