Race report by Dan:
Loughrigg-Silverhow
Right, this is my first ever race report so please be gentle.
On Sunday 1st February 2026, 6 brave Lostockers assembled in Ambleside for the Loughrigg Silverhow fell race which was the first race of the Lostock AC Club Fell Championship and my first ever Lakeland fell run.
This race is organised by Ambleside AC and costs a whopping £2 to enter on the day! Cheap as chips.
At 8.7 miles and 2900 ft of ascent it is categorised as an AM fell race and is almost an out and back route calling in at the top of Loughrigg, Silverhow, back to Loughrigg then on to Lilys Tarn. There is 1 cut-off at 35 minutes at the top of Loughrigg, this is quite tight and there should be no hanging around to meet this cut-off. The race starts at the side of Rothay Park on the Under Loughrigg Road and after a 100m or so there is a lefthand turn which goes vertical up a steep windy tarmac road before it changes to a trail and then open fell. Its a tough old start and really gets the blood pumping and lungs gulping. At this point position means nothing and its totally focusing on getting to Loughrigg in under 35 mins. Loughrigg is different in that there is no defined peak, it is a rolling mass that has multiple paths and undulations which in low visibilty would be navigationally challenging.
From CP1 there is a wonderful downhill section all the way to Red Bank Road where runners turn right and head north for 500m before returning to the open fell and the target of Silverhow. This section has several posible routes before ascending to Silverhow then retracing the route back to Red Bank Road and Loughrigg peak. Then wind your way to Lily Tarn again by one of several possible routes and back down to Rothay Park and the finish.
The weather was kind to us with the rain holding off until right near the end. We had some great views of Grasmere from the top (not that we stopped long enough to admire them though!).
I found the race to be challenging both physically and mentally. It was slippery, muddy and even quite boggy in places. I began to question my life choices at the start on the first climb, but looking back now, I am really pleased that I had a go and would like to do more fell races to improve my technique and time.
Big thanks to Mark for guiding a newbie round the course, I think I might need to brush up on my map reading and navigation skills.
60 22 Robert Sharkey M45 Lostock AC 01.35.49
109 32 Tony Marlow M60 Lostock AC 01.55.54
124 18 Mark Shuttleworth M55 Lostock AC 02.03.38
125 81 Daniel Woods M40 Lostock AC 02.03.40
140 87 Josie Greenhalgh F50 Lostock AC 02.17.53
145 127 Mary White F75 Lostock AC
02.25.14
