Race Date: 17th September

This race is famous in fell racing history for the longstanding record 29.12 set in the inaugural 1977 race by Billy Wilde. This year, Jack Ross of Staffordshire Moorlands was 1st in 32.56 and first lady was Elizabeth Leason of Glossopdale Harriers in 41.37.

‘Meandering’ around the many stalls and tents at the ‘Little Hayfield’ show each year, there is a ‘rare breed’ amongst the thousands of every day folk enjoying their day out in the autumn sunshine. They will have more on their minds at present than watching the local Wood-carver at work, or queuing for a delicious ‘Hot Dog’ or ‘Burger’, that will come later…For these are the ‘Lantern Pikers’. Nervously pacing up and down the gradual gradient of the show field, trying to conserve as much energy as possible before they tackle the steep slopes of the ‘Lantern Pike’. From the showground, the route can be viewed by those competitors brave enough to glance afar towards the ‘large green mass’ that looms in the distance… http://www.pikeracers.com/page14.htm

There were 152 Lantern Pikers this year including our own rare breed, Michael Slater.