Lake District Sky Trails - Swirral Grind 850
Patterdale, United Kingdom • 17 Jul 2026
Event overview
The Swirral Grind 850 is an uphill-only mountain race held on 17 July 2026, based in Patterdale. The event starts from the King George Playing Field and is organised by Lake District Sky Trails as part of the Rab Helvellyn Sky Ultra weekend. The course covers 6 km with 850 m of ascent. Entry fee is £30. Entries open 4 October 2025 and close 15 July 2026. Minimum age is 16 on the event date.
Course and services
The route is a continuous ascent that climbs towards Helvellyn, passing the feature known as the "Hole in the Wall" and running across the flats of the Red Tarn Basin before a final climb to the ridge-line of Swirral Edge. The route includes sections of stepped and steep path and some easy scrambling to reach the summit trig point at 950 m. The entry package includes a fully marked course, at least one manned checkpoint, a recycled paper mache wild flower seed bomb medal, and a professional safety officer and supporting safety team provided by Mountain Run. The event is planned and delivered by the Lake District Sky Trails team and takes place within the Lake District UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.