the Map Shop (www.themapshop.co.uk) as well as in outdoor stores and other places throughout the Lake District.
Never, ever consider relying solely on the mapping provided on a smartphone, due to the lack of phone signal in the fells, the effect on battery life, and the effects of inclement weather. If you have downloaded offline mapping, ensure that your device battery strength is sufficient. Always take a paper map with you when running; it’s not there just in case of an emergency, but will help you explore the fells, learn about the region and learn that navigation is quite simple and not the black art it is often perceived to be.
Micro navigation skills will enhance your experience of fell running
Safety and mountain rescue
Always carry the safety equipment outlined in the checklist below (see ‘Trail and fell running kit‘). In the event of an accident you’re not guaranteed a phone signal, so a good level of autonomy and experience is required for the more remote mountain runs. Where you can make a call, the emergency phone number is 999. Ask to speak to the Police, then inform them that you need Mountain Rescue. You can register your phone at www.emergencysms.org.uk; this will enable you to contact the emergency services by text when signal strength is weak in the fells.
If you’re out of phone signal and you can’t move, use your whistle to blow six times in succession each minute. This is the international signal for rescue. If a rescue is likely to be made by helicopter, secure all loose clothing and try to get into an open area free of obstacles, and turn your back to the prevailing wind. When a helicopter approaches, raise both arms above your head in a Y-shape to indicate you’re in need of assistance.
If you’re running alone, it’s always worth letting people know where you’re going and what time you plan to return. Many people use social media or email to enable their friends to raise an alarm if they haven’t checked back in by a certain time. Remember that in the UK the Mountain Rescue teams are all staffed by unpaid volunteers, and so you should always turn back if in doubt, if you think the conditions are worsening, and never consider a call-out unless you really need it.
Mountain Rescue teams are frequently using smartphone technology and the SARLOC app to pinpoint callers’ exact locations. In some cases this has been used to remotely monitor casualties off the hill in case their condition worsens.
Passing the intake wall on High Pike (Route 3)
Mountain environment
The fells of the Lake District might seem hardy and able to weather the test of time, but the landscape is exceptionally fragile and prone to damage. Path erosion often leaves huge scars across the mountains, visible from afar, and the upland plants and wildlife exist in a tough and marginal ecozone, where any impact is magnified. In many ways runners are the mountain user group that uses the fells with the lowest impact, carrying the least and wearing the most lightweight footwear. Having said this, fell running often strays from the pitched paths and obvious trails, so we must be careful to try and ‘leave nothing but our stud marks’ on the summits.
When setting out on a mountain run, pack your bag carefully so that no litter can fall out. Ensure that any trash is stashed in a pocket, to be put in litter bins down in the valley floor. There’s nothing more infuriating than seeing used gels or bar wrappers in the fells, as it is obvious which community left them. Having said this, on the whole mountain runners are a most diligent and caring mountain user group, and it’s no bad thing to set the best example. Shut gates, do not climb over dry stone walls, and follow the countryside code (www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code).
Much of the footpath repairs are undertaken by the Fix the Fells teams (www.fixthefells.co.uk), and if you want to help protect the landscape you can consider a donation or even helping as a volunteer. You can also get involved with the initiatives of the Friends of the Lake District (www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk). Many mountain runners develop a strong connection with the Lake District and want to give something back to the fells that have provided them such joy.
If you plan to run with a dog you must be aware that the fells are grazing areas for sheep such as the iconic Herdwick, and you must ensure that your dog is under control at all times. Lambing season (between March and May) is especially delicate, and heavily pregnant ewes, or newborn lambs, must not be disturbed. Ideally keep your dog on a lead near any livestock, although if running through a field with cows in it, if they chase you, let go of the dog’s lead as cattle are more likely to chase your dog than you, and the dog will likely outrun them anyway.
Herdwick sheep on the Lakeland fells
Bio-security is a topic that many trail and fell runners are uneducated on, and some simple steps can be followed to secure the national park from Non-Native Invasive Species (NNIS). Dirty running shoes can transport NNIS to and around the national park without a runner being aware they are doing it. Before travelling to the national park you should wash down your shoes and running kit at home. A quick wash and brushing of your fell shoes only takes a minute, and you should do the same before returning home. Diseases such as ash die back and foot-and-mouth are easily spread, as are seeds from NNIS including American skunk cabbage and Himalayan balsam. You can download free identification guides from CFINNS (www.cfinns.scrt.co.uk/species-indentification/identification-guides) in order to learn more about bio-security and to consider how runners can do their bit. On a practical note, washing your fell shoes also lengthens their life, as most upland mud is acidic and rots the stitching and fabrics over time.
Local economy
As with any national park, the majority of visitors stay during a relatively short period of the year, and while you may get the impression local businesses are booming in season, it’s important to remember that the local economy is fragile too. The region was hit very hard by foot-and-mouth in 2001, and then by the major floods of 2009 and winter 2015/2016. Without tourism there would be far fewer pubs, restaurants and shops, which we all enjoy the benefits of, so when visiting the area please try and buy locally to support the local economy and keep the village high streets vibrant.
On ridge of Side Pike, above Langdale (Route 20)
MOUNTAIN RUNNING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT
What’s difference between trail and fell running?
This discussion has been the source of many a friendly argument over the years, but there is a simple classification that this book has sought to make. Trail running is following evident bridleways, footpaths and tracks for the duration of the run, where navigation is largely a case of turning left or right at the appropriate junction. Fell running is choosing a runner’s line of least resistance across open mountainside, often away from any path, and letting the terrain dictate the best and fastest route.
