local traditions - the Whinberry Naze dash

Every Boxing Day at 11.30 a group of fell runners gather at Marl Pits. Many are in fancy dress. They jog down Peel Street over the site of the old Cloughfold Station and reconvene at the bottom of Ash Mount where the fancy dress is judged.

They then proceed to run through the remains of Cloughfold Scrubbing Mill to the top of Cowpe Lowe where they are met by Santa handing out Smarties, after which they return to the start. The course is 4 miles with an elevation gain of 751 feet. It is a Fell Runners’ Association registered race, category BS due to the height gained/gradient (second category of three) and distance (short).

Whinberry Naze Dash thumbnail whinberry naze dash elevation thumbnail


whinberry naze 9 300

This year saw the usual smattering of Santas, a number of fairies (male), Andy Pandy, an Ironman who run the route in his underpants carrying a dumbbell, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, crime scene investigators…

The race was won by James Logue, the chap dressed as a black fairy.


whinberry naze 2 300 whinberry naze 7 300

whinberry naze 4 300 whinberry naze 1 300

whinberry naze 8 300

And thankfully nobody needed these excellent people:

whinberry naze 10 300





Made in RapidWeaver