Race date: Sunday 31 August 2025

Race category: BM – 8 miles/1700ft

Crowden Horseshoe was the 10th counter in the 2025 Fell Race Championships. It’s a great route, that starts and finishes at Crowden campsite. From the start, runners sprint to over the bridge to get a good position at the first stile. This leads everyone on the long steady climb above Laddow Rocks and along the mainly flagged Pennine Way towards Black Hill. From there, is an undulating grassy route back to the campsite on the eastern side of the valley, before a final rocky path drops back into the campsite.

After the exceptionally dry summer, the vast majority of the course was clear of mud and bogs that can often cover this area of moorland. However, several runners, including one Strider, managed to find a chest deep puddle just off the main path near Black Hill. Weather was generally good, but there was a strong headwind following the turnaround.

The race was won by Dan Howarth (Matlock AC) in 1:04:42. First woman (7th overall) was Striders own Abbie Pearse in 1:14:37. There were 130 starters and 128 finishers.

Striders results