To enter you must first Log In or Register your Details with SiEntries.

To get a pre-selection list entry just enter as normal. No payment is required at this stage as there is no guarantee of being offered a place. If the Event Organiser is able to offer you a place they will send you an email inviting you to enter. You will then be asked to come back to this site and make your payment to confirm your entry. For more details please see our Pre-Selection List Help.

The Eskdale Mixed Fell Relay is a new, fell running relay team event designed to challenge a club’s strength in depth on the fells. The relay is hosted by Black Combe Runners, and is set in the very beautiful Eskdale valley in the Lake District. The event is not for profit and all proceeds will support children at St Bega’s Primary School, in Eskdale (cakes will be available to buy on the day!).

The relay comprises four legs, each involving sections of rough, steep and/or challenging terrain. All runners must be competent navigators, self-sufficient in the mountains and familiar with the demands and terrain of fell running. GPS is NOT permitted for this event, so please ensure that all team members have the skills to navigate effectively using map and compass, including during poor weather and low visibility. This is NOT a trail race, the courses will NOT be flagged, and this event is NOT suitable for novices. 

Entries are invited from clubs who can field mixed team(s) of runners with the appropriate experience for an event of this nature.

TEAM ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The event is open to mixed teams of 8 people only. Each team MUST comprise:

• 1 x MSEN and 1 x WSEN (aged 18-39 years on race day)
• 1 x MV40 and 1 x WV40 (aged 40-49 years on race day)
• 1 x MV50 and 1 x WV50 (aged 50-59 years on race day)
• 1 x MV60+ and 1 x WV60+ (aged 60 years or older on race day)

Runners must compete in their allocated age category, as described above. For example, a MV60 cannot compete in a MV50 age category. This is to ensure fair representation across all age categories.

Runners must be members of their club (first or second claim), running in their club vest.

Each team must have a nominated captain who will be the designated point of contact for their team. Please note, it is strongly advised that your nominated captain makes the entry for your team, as all race correspondence will be emailed to the individual who has submitted the entry. If this is NOT the team captain, the individual entering the team MUST accept responsibility for cascading ALL information to the nominated captain and runners, as this correspondence will include important safety and race day information. 

Each team of 8 MUST be divided into pairs, one pair to complete each leg. 

There are NO RULES about HOW the runners should be paired. There is NO requirement for runners of the same gender or age category to be paired (for example, a FV40 can be paired with a MV50 if that is the best option for that team). This gives clubs flexibility - and the opportunity to be tactical - in how they configure their team(s) and pair their runners.

There are NO RULES about which pairs should run which leg. This is down to the respective team captains, and again offers clubs flexibility - and the opportunity to be tactical - in how they allocate their team members. 

ROUTE INFORMATION

The legs must be completed in the order: Leg A, Leg B, Leg C, Leg D. All legs start and finish opposite the Woolpack Inn, near Boot (NY19029 00918).

Both runners MUST run together and visit the mandatory checkpoints listed below or you will be disqualified; many checkpoints have marshals. You must use the dibber to prove you have visited each checkpoint; this will also record your time to give detailed splits for each Leg. 

The total route is ~23.8mi/38.3km, with ~7,530ft/2,295m ascent.

Leg A: Northern Short Leg  (Category AS / ER / LK / NS)

Approx. distance 4.0mi/6.4km, Approx. climb 1,200ft/365m

Runners must only cross the road at the designated crossing which will be marshalled (NY19019 00961). Runners must set out and return on the public footpath path west of the Woolpack Inn (you should not need to run on the valley road at all). Runners must NOT climb any walls or fences. You should not encounter any on your route.

• START: Field by Woolpack Inn (NY19029 00918)
• CP1: Stony Tarn (east side) (NY20037 02490)
• CP2: Whinscales summit (NY19721 03315)
• CP3: Eel Tarn (north side) (NY18852 02070)
• FINISH: Field by Woolpack Inn (NY19029 00918)

Leg B: Southern Long Leg  (Category AM / ER / LK / NS)

Approx. distance 7.2mi/11.6km, Approx. climb 2,900ft/880m

Runners will leave the event field through the south west gate. Runners MUST follow the flagged route from the start field to the fell, and follow the same route back. Do NOT run through the Penny Hill Farm yard. Teams cutting through the farmyard will be disqualified. Any unmanned gates must be left as you find them (whether open or closed). Runners must NOT climb any walls or fences, unless using a stile.

• START: Field by Woolpack Inn (NY19029 00918)
• CP1: Green Crag summit (SD20014 98285)
• Mandatory stile (SD21108 99240)
• CP2: Harter Fell summit trig (SD21843 99713)
• CP3: Spothow Gill stile (SD20702 99798)
• CP4: Kepple Crag summit (SD19661 99925)
• FINISH: Field by Woolpack Inn (NY19029 00918)

Leg C: Northern Long Leg  (Category AM / ER / LK / NS)

Approx. distance 7.6mi/12.2km, Approx. climb 2,130ft/650m

Runners must only cross the road at the designated crossing which will be marshalled (NY19019 00961). Runners must set out and return on the public footpath path west of the Woolpack Inn (you should not need to run on the valley road at all). Runners must NOT climb any walls or fences. You should not encounter any on your route.

• START: Field by Woolpack Inn (NY19029 00918)
• CP1: Stone Circles (NY17142 02768)
• CP2: Boat How (NY17724 03416)
• CP3: Oliver Gill (north side) (NY19298 05013)
• CP4: Great How (NY19746 03998)
• CP5: Stony Tarn (east side) (NY20037 02490)
• FINISH: Field by Woolpack Inn (NY19029 00918)

Leg D: Northern Medium Leg  (Category AS / ER / LK / NS)

Approx. dist. 5.0mi/8.0km, Approx. climb 1,300ft/400m

Runners must only cross the road at the designated crossing which will be marshalled (NY19019 00961). Runners must set out and return on the public footpath path west of the Woolpack Inn (you should not need to run on the valley road at all). Runners must NOT climb any walls or fences. You should not encounter any on your route.

• START: Field by Woolpack Inn (NY19029 00918)
• CP1: Goat Crag south west summit (NY20312 01651)
• CP2: Cat Crag (NY20775 02982)
• CP3: Stony Tarn (east side) (NY20037 02490)
• CP4: Eel Tarn (north side) (NY18852 02070)
• FINISH: Field by Woolpack Inn (NY19029 00918)

RECCES

We would kindly ask that you keep recce runs to as few as necessary, and don’t take more runners than you need around the route. We are all responsible for minimising our impact on the landscape and on the local communities where we run. Please park carefully in the valley and do not block customer car parking spaces at the pub. Please do not run through the yard at Penny Hill Farm (take the permissive path around the yard); we are dependent upon the support of local farmers for this event.

ALLOCATING PLACES

There are very limited places available for the Eskdale Mixed Fell Relay. Priority entry will be given to clubs with proven fell experience. Clubs enter via SiEntries. Your entry will then be reviewed on a first come, first served basis. If accepted, you will be issued an invite to the event. You’ll then have seven days to confirm your entry and submit payment of your team(s) entry fee(s). Entries will close on Sunday 1st June, or when all places have been allocated (so don’t hang about!).

The entry fee is £130 per team (£16.25 per person) which enables us to use SiEntries online entry and SPORTident result services and make donations in the community. Please note that once your entry has been accepted and your entry fee taken it is non-refundable; all proceeds will be donated to our village primary school.  

We will maintain a 'Waiting List', so you may be offered a place late in the day if you are still able to get a team ready to run.

In the unlikely event that there are unallocated places, we will open a second wave of entries for teams comprising four men and four women (with no age restrictions). These teams will NOT be eligible for any prizes, but this will enable those who wish to run for fun to join the event and support our fundraising efforts. Entry fees will remain the same, with all proceeds supporting our village primary school. These teams will also receive the full timing service, leg splits etc.

Teams will be required to enter their finalised, individual leg runner names online via SiEntries by 20:00 on Wednesday 16th July 2025.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams, and to the fastest pair of runners on each leg.

Further information about the event will be provided to team captains in due course.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Beth Ripper

Black Combe Runners

View the Event Disclaimer / Terms and Conditions.

View the Event Cancellation / Refund Policy.

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