Distance: 54.5km

Elevation: 2365m+

A fun and relatively quick outing that, despite the amount of ground it covers, only visits one top, the famous Skiddaw.

Used as a training route for the ‘Mozart by UTMB’ race, which features a couple of big climbs in the first third followed by some very quick albeit lumpy running for the remainder.

Distance: 33.5km

Elevation: 1845m+

Pretty much as the name suggests, a tour of the ‘big yans’ seen from Keswick.

No trip to the North Lakes is complete without a visit to Skiddaw or Blencathra, so why not do them both in one run?

As is the norm with these two, there’s plenty of quicker running between the two on good tracks and trods.

Distance: 51km

Elevation: 3277m+

A fairly tough route that was used in the build-up to the postponed 2021 WMTRC held in Thailand, hence the name.

Featuring a couple of tough ascents of Skiddaw via ways not often used interspersed with some fun and fast running off the tops in between those big climbs.

Distance: 49.1km

Elevation: 2861m+

Another for the Central Lakes enthusiasts…with a touch of the Eastern fells thrown in to whet your appetite for later efforts.

A good example of the variations to be had in the Lakes with ways up ‘the same old fells’ that we had never done before. Lots of options for shortening the route if the weather or your enthusiasm fails you!

Distance: 39.6km

Elevation: 1885m+

Just two big climbs really. Simple as that.

Heading east and south-east from the primary school in Patterdale makes for a tough but lesser-travelled (though remember, this is the Lakes!) adventure through some both technical and quick terrain. Dropping down to Haweswater gives you the chance to climb right back out again.

Distance: 53.4km

Elevation: 2516m+

Another from the ‘Mozart by UTMB’ training block but in a change of location down in the Central Lakes.

Loosely based on the Lakeland Trails 55k route but with some proper climbs.

Distance: 43.9km

Elevation: 3329m+

A tough cookie packing in a lot of climb in a relatively short amount of running; just squeaking over into ‘ultra’ territory.

A grand tour of Buttermere and the watershed fells with a dip into Ennerdale and Wasdale to boot.

Distance: 18.1km

Elevation: 1113m+

A much more amenable option if time is short or you want a more chilled day.

Starting and finishing at the Whinlatter visitor centre car park (please DON’T park on the verges…it’s not that expensive and there’s a great cafe for afters) you take in some decent elevation for a relatively short run. The plodding on the fire roads are well worth the views from Ladyside Pike and Whinlatter fell.

Distance: 22.8km

Elevation: 1594m+

The Hodgson Brothers Mountain Relay (HBMR) is THE classic fell running relay race. Every year in October fell clubs from around the country compete over four Legs of the HBMR as a pre-cursor to the FRA British Fell Relays.

A win at the HBMR is arguably more prestigious occurring, as it does, on the same course with the same routes each year. To win the HBMR you need to really know how to race on the fells.

You can do all the Legs in one go but for a slightly shorter day the middle two Legs are fantastic in their own right.

Distance: 15.7km

Elevation: 559m

A beautiful and completely ‘runnable’ route, with incredible views down the Ullswater valley. This route is largely on grassy trails and has very little technical difficulty. These hills are the most easily accessible to anyone coming into the Lakes from Junction 40 and there is endless scope to continue on toward High Street and beyond.