THE LAKELAND BOTHIES CHALLENGE

© Rose Yates

 RULES

  • 4 days running, and 3 nights at the four Mountain Bothies Association bothy-sites in the Lake District, undertaken during the winter months (1st Dec - 29th Feb).

  • Start and finish at the Bridge House in Ambleside.

  • Route must pass over at least these 12 key tops for a 'high route' completion, with free route choice between: Loughrigg, Pike o’ Stickle, Great Gable, Robinson, Grisedale Pike, Skiddaw, Blencathra, Helvellyn, Kidsty Pike, Harter Fell, Red Screes, Fairfield.

  • Any route between bothies for a 'low route' completion.

  • Each bothy should be arrived at before full dark, and not left until first light, whatever time those occur.

  • You must touch both Warnscale Bothy and Dubs Hut, but only need to stay at one.

  • Backup tent carry is recommended, but must only be used if a bothy is full (camping anywhere within 500m of the bothy counts). You must still touch all four bothies.

NOTES

For prospective completers wondering how to think of the Bothies Challenge, the route is roughly comparable to four Super-Long Lakeland Classics races in a row, or two inverse OMM 'A' courses. As a running challenge, I encourage you to do the route it in a running rather than a walking spirit. Of course, this does not mean every step must be run - do what is right for you.

Longer or shorter routes (either ‘high’ or ‘low’) may be construed to adapt the challenge to your level of ability. Inclusion of any additional tops, ridges, rough ground or fell running lines that appeal to you is encouraged. Navigation by map and compass is also highly encouraged.

The company of friends is recommended, both for running and especially at bothies, but you should carry enough of your own equipment and food to complete the challenge regardless of your level of ‘support’. This way you will be self-reliant in a pinch, but also open to the generosity of friends! Carrying your own kit and supplies may slow you down, but that’s ok: this is not a test of raw speed.

Although the route could well be undertaken during the summer months, the game as I present it is explicitly a winter adventure, for a number of reasons. Firstly, and most importantly, to ease the burden on the bothies themselves: they are popular and accessible, and so they receive a lot of visitors, but far less of them in the colder months. Secondly, the concept of a bothy as a refuge is greatly enhanced in winter conditions, when the intended dichotomy of the Challenge between hard running and restful evenings will feel most potent. The severity of the weather and ground conditions will play a large part in determining the overall difficulty of the game, and should be considered when deciding on what level of challenge you are looking for (completions in deep snow will be very difficult). Thirdly, the shorter daylight hours provide an additional element to the game: whether or not you are able to reach the bothies before nightfall. Most capable fell runners will find this comfortable on the first and fourth days, and still very achievable on the second and third. Slower runners should aim to complete in early or late season, to give themselves as much time as possible, while faster runner may wish to complete around midwinter to give themselves a greater time-pressure challenge.

For those who wish to undertake a fast fell route, the 12 key tops and 3 bothies might be linked in an impressive hard day’s run, but the original ethos of the Bothies Challenge is to spend long nights in the bothies, and spend full days in the fells, so there is no additional recognition for faster times on each day, or for completions in less than 4 days.

Please be respectful of the bothies, and if you have not visited any before, do a little research into what is expected regarding firewood, toileting etc. before you go. I encourage people who complete this game to make at least some small donation to the Mountain Bothies Association afterwards, to help with the upkeep of these bothies.

I am happy to answer any questions related to the Challenge, and would love to hear about peoples’ own experiences of it too. Please use the ‘Contact’ form on this website to get in touch in either case.

For some people this game will be quite easy, for others it will be very hard, but in all cases, the Lakeland Bothies Challenge is intended to be undertaken for the joy of the fells, without rumination on ranking or records.