Addingham Gala fell race
Ilkley Harriers and the Addingham Gala Committee reintroduced a fell race at the Addingham Gala in 2010. Before the opening of the bypass in 1989 there was a fell race at the Gala, with a route up on to Addingham Moorside. Now there is a new race, getting better every year!
2012 Provisional Details
- Saturday 13th July, Gala Day! (TBC!!)
- 3.10pm start (subject to other Gala activities)
- The race is run under FRA Rules. It is a category BS fell race, 6 miles in length with 1000' of climb.
The minimum age for entry is 16 on the day.
You will need a reasonable level of fitness as the climb and descent are significant! - The course was slightly changed in 2012 to a 'P-shaped' course, descending by the same route you ascend by, details and map below. And we will stick with that now!
- The race is fully flagged and marshalled.
- Registration: in the Ilkley Harriers tent in the Gala field from 2pm (when Gala field opens) to 2.55pm. Cost £1 for race entry (in addition to Gala entry fees, which are £3.50 (2012) on the gate, or £3.00 if program bought in advance, U16 free)
- The Complete Runner, Ilkley generously provided race numbers and prizes in 2012, hoping they will support us again in 2013
- Fine medals for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, vet, U18, Addingham resident (all male and female) sponsored by Christopher Binns Funeral Directors
- Travel: NB Addingham Main St. will be closed West of the Start/Finish field from 1-2pm for the Gala Parade
- Parking: in St Peter's Church fields, off Church Street (park in the upper field, on the left, as it is drier), 10 minutes walk to the Gala field. NB the rest of Addingham will be very busy so this parking is recommended.
- Route: see (see our Google Map)
- Start with a lap of the Gala field, in front of the cheering crowds
- exit via war memorial gate to Main St, cross over (marshalled), turn right and keep to pavements through the village along Main St., Church St., North St.
- cross North St. with care under marshal's/police direction
- take care on suspension bridge steps at both ends
- left onto lane, take care where it joins road (W Hall Lane)
- right over wall stile and into field, cross field to 2nd stile
- follow flags straight on to the edge of the woods, and left up the hill
- follow flags across field to farm gate and folow track
- turn left on to Hardings Lane (2 miles) (caution, traffic)
- after 150m turn right on to Paul Lane
- cross Badgers Gate lane (caution, occasional traffic)
- follow path, bearing left to base of hill
- ascend stony path passing 3 mile point half way up the climb to the trig point
- around the cairn, and down the track to the right
- rejoin route up and descend by same route, 4 mile point on Hardings Lane, 5 mile point at W Hall Lane
- follow marshals' directions at road crossings and keep to footpaths when back in Addingham
- finish with a final sprint on the Gala field!
- Questions? Email paul@ilkleyharriers.org.uk.
2012 Results
2012 Photos
2011 Results
2011 Photos
2010 Results
2010 Photos
David Hird's photos, wharfedaleharriers.org.uk
Some History
Before the opening of the bypass in 1989 there was a fell race at the Gala, with a route up on to Addingham Moorside. We understand this was continued for a year after the bypass was opened (!), then moved to a route up Beamsley for a short period, then fizzled out to be replaced by a midweek evening race (see BOFRA calendar).
Veteran members of Ilkley Harriers who won medals in the 1986 race recall that the route climbed Addingham Moor, ran along to the Noon Stone, then plunged straight back down. There were about 22 runners, from the photo below, including just one lady Alison Eagle, Runner B in the photo, who finished about half way up the field. Malcolm Pickering, Runner A in the photo, won a fine medal for 3rd place and remembers that there was also a track sprint event after the fell race. Some other runners in the photo .... Jeff Emmett (blue vest, fair hair, to left of runner A); Graham Hawkins (white vest, black stripe, to left of runner A); Kevin Wright (white vest, blue shorts. to right of runner A); Paul Buckley (behind runner B); Paul Judge (2 runners to right of runner B)
And from Mark McGlincy ... the person on the far left in red shorts is Michael Griffin from Skipton, the runner in the yellow vest is Les Storton from Keighley, the runner left of runner A is David Schindler from Thorpe, the runner to the right of Kevin Wright with the blue band across vest is Colin Schofield from Fountains Abbey, and the tall person at the back with bald head in blue vest is John Ademson from Addingham. And if memory serves me right i can remember winning the junior fell race in possibly 1983/4 from Andy Preedy of Burnley.
Mick Hawkins advises
"Roger Ingham was involved in helping organise the first few and thinks it started in 1981.
In '81 and '82 the race was held in the middle of September then I think '83 and definitely '84 the race was in July (same weekend as Alva).
The results I have are as follows:
1981 1st Tommy Sedgwick, 2nd Mick Hawkins, 3rd Steve Carr
1982 1st Tommy Sedgwick, 2nd Steve Carr, 3rd Mick Hawkins
1984 1st Mick Hawkins"
Mick's press cuttings below ...
Have you got any memories/photos/results of earlier races? We'd like to include them here. Contact paul@ilkleyharriers.org.uk
