Hodgson Brothers Fell Relays

Saltwell Harriers have been competing in the Hodgson Brothers relay since 1988.

The History

This mountain relay covering 25 miles of Lake District fells was inaugurated by the Hodgson family in 1986 as a memorial to their son and brother Ian, who was killed in a cycling accident, aged 25 the day after competing in the 1985 Karrimor International Mountain Marathon. Ian, his father and brothers all competed in that event. Ian would win the score class but was killed not knowing he had done so.

The family decided that a unique tribute to Ian would be a 4-leg fell relay, run in pairs like the KIMM (now OMM) using as far as possible controls from the 1985 KIMM.

Held on the first Sunday in October the relay takes place on the mountain tops between Patterdale and Kirkstone Pass with a total ascent of 8038ft/2450m.

The Hodgson Brothers Mountain Relay is certainly a highlight in the fell running calendar for Saltwell Harriers with keen competition for the eight available slots in the team. This year will continue the clubs sequence of competing in every Hodgson (that was held not withstanding foot and mouth, cancellations for weather, covid etc.) since 1988 so a great tradition and a difficult event to gain entry to!

2024 Saltwell Team

In 2024 we had quite a few old, experienced hands running and several newbies so good for the future of Saltwell in this event.

Leg runners are below and are chosen by the team captain based on experience of the event, navigational skills and obviously fitness for such an event. There is also the dreaded injuries list to contend with which always change the team plans. Therefore, this year we had the following pairs –

Leg 1 – Iain Armstrong and Graham Stephenson
Leg 2 – Simon Long and Sam Harrison
Leg 3 – Jim Thompson and Dave Hewer
Leg 4 – Rob Brook and Andy Armin

2024 Event Photos

EDITOR’S NOTE: Details of particular challenges for the Saltwell team this year included: A life-threatening sniffle for Graham on Leg 1; A genuinely nasty sprained ankle for Simon on Leg 2; Aging hamstrings for Jim on Leg 3; Andy’s shoe disintegrating before the final descent on Leg 4 (see last two photos above).

The Route

The event starts and finishes in Patterdale on the King George V playing fields and this year is being held on a Saturday for the first time in many years.

Leg 1 route is as ever up and over Angle Tarn with the treacherous grassy/bracken bound descent into Hartsop Fold. This is the fast leg where keeping your rivals in sight or getting a gap can make the team’s day.

Leg 2 then takes the runners up onto High Street, around Thorthwaite Crag (picking the right line to contour around can save minutes if right) and up to Stoneycove Pike, then the trickery of finding the pond which often sees teams running around in circles in the mist trying to find it! The route then has the long descent down to the next changeover at the carpark at the Kirkstone Pass.

Leg 3 is the usual long grind up Red Screes to the tarn at the top then the trick of finding the right trod to cut the corner down to Scandale Pass. After the ascent up and around Dove Crag, making sure to bear left around it and not over it, there is the issue of finding the descriptively named ‘Pile of Stones’ checkpoint – easy in the clear but very tricky in the clag. Then we have the long slippy, rocky descent down to the crossover which is changing this year to descending on the right of the stream to allow betting over-taking chances!

Leg 4 is then the glory leg with the long climb up to Hart Crag and up and over the mighty Fairfield. The next part can make or break the leg if you get the right descent down the scree and contour around to the foot of St Sunday Crag. Once over that fine summit there is what is arguably the finest fell race descent in the whole of the lake district down the Coast to Coast path route to Thornhow End and along the road to the finish line on the playing fields.

It really is a great event, to both run in and watch and the club need to keep this long tradition going and encourage new club runners to compete in the fells, eventually becoming part of this team and event.

Jim Thompson