Windy Hill Fell Race

Event details

Windy Hill is a fell race organised by CraggRunner on Sunday 8 February 2026. The venue and finish are at the Rams Head Inn, Ripponden Road, Denshaw, Oldham OL3 5UN. The course is listed as 12 miles (19 km) with 2100 feet (640 m) of ascent. Entry is limited to 300 participants. Pre-entry fees are £15 (affiliated) and £17 (non affiliated); entries on the day are £20 only if the entry limit has not been reached. The event is run under UKA rules and is licensed with the Trail Running Association and the Fell Runners Association; it holds a permit and associated insurance.

Route, kit and facilities

The route starts and finishes at the Rams Head and follows trails to Piethorne Reservoir, towards Hollingworth Lake then back at Rakewood (CP1), then under and over the motorway towards Lydgate (CP2). The course climbs to Blackstone Edge, traverses the Pennine Way to the layby near the Windy Hill mast (CP3), returns down to Piethorne and climbs back to the Rams Head. As a winter race, competitors must carry full FRA kit including waterproof jacket and trousers, hat and gloves, paper map and traditional compass, whistle, emergency food, and at least 500 ml water. Checkpoints will carry basic supplies of water and sweets. Hot soup is provided for runners at the pub after the race. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.