Paul Murray

2007 Lake District Mountain Trial, My Thirtieth
This year’s Mountain Trial on September 9th was my thirtieth. It was held at Brothers Water near to Kirkstone Pass, which was the venue of my first Trial in 1970, so the competition covered the same area of fells, as then. Some of the lines taken this year were similar to my first time and I found myself making similar route choices. This navigation fell race is one of the hardest in the fixtures, and it took me 7 hours 23 minutes to complete the 2007 course. Brendan Bolland finished brilliantly in 2nd place, in 4 hours 17 minutes, and Ian Charters, in his first Trial, was out for 7 hours 1 minute. There was about 9000 feet of climbing in the 20 mile route and more importantly for older competitors another 9000 feet of descent, some of it on rough ground, as on the east side of Dollywagon Pike. The weather was kind, and it was clear. The worst we got was a little cool drizzle.

Attractions of This Event
One big attraction of the Mountain Trial for me is that it is held at a different venue each year, so you get to know new areas of the Lake District. But eventually you return to areas where previous Trials have been held. In fact it is 30 years since we were last at this year’s venue.

Running over Lakeland Fells is my favourite pursuit of my many mountaineering activities. I enjoy choosing my own route and sticking to it despite what other competitors do.

Unlike most fell races there is not a mass start. Competitors are set off at intervals, so there is less “follow my leader” in this event. After running a short distance, you pick up a pre-marked map. The course is kept secret until this moment and even the venue is disclosed only two weeks prior to the race. You then have to find your way to the controls, of which there are usually about seven.

It is the personal choice of route that makes the event so appealing to me, and it is usual to traverse routes that you would not normally use in a “summit to summit” event. Then you have to navigate your route and exercise the different skill of picking the best line for you through the terrain. Again these are challenges that I enjoy.

Practising navigating and picking the line are often neglected by fell runners. In this event they are essential. The weather too can have a huge influence on the race, not only on navigation but also the effect of extreme conditions. I prefer thick mist to very hot sunshine, and although this year’s race was tough I have found the Trials held on very hot days have been the hardest.

Few Changes over the Years
The Mountain Trial has remained one of the premier events in the calendar and was the first race in England to be held on orienteering lines. This year’s event was the 55th and during the years that I have been involved it has remained a remarkably consistent race retaining its unique atmosphere. We even received the complementary pint of beer again this year. In 1970 when I did my first Trial there were no other long distance fell races in the Lake District. Elsewhere in England, there was the Three Peaks Race, and in Scotland there was the Ben Nevis Race but few other long tough challenges, most events were short. These three events became my favourites, and all gave a special award to runners completing 21 races. I am pleased to have received awards from all three, having to date, completed 21 Three Peaks races, 25 Ben Nevis races and 30 Lake District Mountain Trials. Edwin Coope is the only other Horwich runner to complete 21 Mountain Trials. My best position in the Mountain Trial was third on a misty day in 1978 at Buttermere.

There have been some changes to the Trial over the years; there is now a women’s race started in 1977, and a short race. We have electronic punches and we no longer have to mark up the old one Inch O.S. map, since we now have pre-marked bagged up larger scale maps. The control sites have become less obvious and a little harder to find but the emphasis is still on giving choice of route rather searching about for an obscure control. The personalities have changed, there being only a handful of runners who competed along with me in the long race in 1970 who were also taking part in the year’s Trial. But overall it is the same event, with similar organisation and competitors, although I am very much slower I feel a great sense of satisfaction in being able to still take an active part.