Black Combe Fell Race

A counter in the 2026 English Fell Running Championships, PBS Lakes Grand Prix and Bob Grieve trophy.

Black Combe is a tough late-winter race with good long climbs and interesting weather. Full kit is always required and very often worn. The final descent is a classic with its own prizes, and there’s a warm pie afterwards.

The arrangement on the ground will be a bit different this year, but the course is the same. Registration opens at 10am in Silecroft Village Hall as usual. Parking is always difficult: most likely you will have to go through Silecroft and park on the beach road. Please plan to share cars or take the train: Silecroft station is much more convenient than the parking place will be.

*Thanks to support from the GDF community fund, there is a discount for runners from South Copeland (roughly Millom to Eskdale). Just tick the 'local' box if that's you; there will be spot prizes for local runners too.

There is a £100 bounty on Ian Holmes now 29-year-old record:

• Male record: Ian Holmes - 01:05:18 - 1997
• Female record: Hannah Russell - 01:18:21 - 2022

There is often snow and ice on the fell, so please be ready for that. We only cancel the race if the valley is cut off, which has not happened for a long time. Please see the creaky old race website (sorry) for last minute information, and look out for SIEntries emails.