Wasn’t this clear on the day – many routes around were found
Race 1 – testy mist start
Well what a difference 12 hrs can make- an amazing weather window. The course was a real challenge to set up in Friday’s blowy deluge- but 8 markers did go out to test the navigation. A little challenge in the river below Kitty was impassable unless your wanted some grade 4 slalom canoeing- so a big diversion to essentially run the course twice đ also yours truly should have taken a head torch as was out until 7pm. ( kit lessons!)
A cracking spring day..
We were fully booked with 24 pairs who were due to set off from 8:30 am for a challenging 10miles and 850m of climb. All teams had kit check which mostly was spot on. I can reiterate that it is only for your own safety if stuck or stranded when your petite shorts and skimpy top is not going to keep you warm. We ran staggered starts with slower estimates first and fastest last just to add some edge. Some early dense mist played a few tricks on the navigation with a few extending their course by 2k-4k. As we were tracking we could see some interesting route selection between Arms tor and the foot of Lints. Some great team running though with everyone staying friends.
There was some great running and some interesting and at times humourous navigation. But the post race cameraderie was fab choices of footwear, biggest bum slides, deepest bog dip, and route selection and all were being enthusiastically discussed.
A special thanks to our trio of marshals Helen Perry-Smith; Bev and Iain. plus superb Tim Mockford the tech genius who enabled .tracking the whole way through. hansk to the runners for some superb results and banter.
Coming up
Next race is Mar 15th – still looking for a half way marshal – winter pairs part 2 – starts Ppostbridge.
next race for summer series is Mar30th ( yes march! also Devon seniors selection- can we get a female team this year for intercounties?)- open for entries tonight
Enter the pair details on the Webscorer page as directed. Male pairs choose male as gender, female choose female and mixed choose male / female
Each pair needs to carry at least one phone, switched on, for the tracking and timing to work. The phone will need to have both mobile data and GPS switched on.
On the phone which is going to be carried, go the app store and download the Webscorer app. It is free.
Sign in with the Webscorer account created in step 1.
On the app, you will now be able to go to GPS self -tracking, my upcoming races and see the race there.
It is really important you do not run up and down the track to the moor to warm up before starting with your phone. The GPS timing kicks in from 50m to the moor gate, any time from 8am onwards.
FAQs
Will I be charged for this? No
How much mobile phone data will this use? Less than loading the BBC homepage
Will this drain my phone’s battery? No – we have set the app to send you location once a minute
Do I have to do this? Yes
What happens if I don’t have signal all the way around the course? You won’t have signal all the way around the course. The app will store the location data and transmit it when it can.
Can I see where I’ve been afterwards? Yes, this will be published alongside the results.
We hope to provide a brilliant Dartmoor Series again for 2025, so we have provisionally set the dates for the following races. ( links and details will follow). Remember to get the Dartmoor Series diary dates for 2025 in your planner! More info on general fell running can be found on FRA site https://www.fellrunner.org.uk/faq/frequently-asked-questions
Sun March 30th 10am – Belstone loop and Devon AA senior only Champs – RB R/O
April – Junior only series race and Devon AA champs – Venue TBC R/O CKP/TM.
All other races have juniors and seniors unless stated
Sat May 17th Meldon Race _ ORC R/O
Sat May 24th Langstone Fell race (Peter Tavy) TRP R/O
Weds Even 18th June _ Solstice Fell race Merrivale CKP R/O
Sat 21st June – 27th Burrator Horseshoe Classic – Meavy RB R/O
Sun 6th July – Cosdon fell race and village fair – Belstone ORC R/O
Weds even 6th August – Ivybridge 3 tops – EVH R/O
Weds Even 20th August – Great links tor Flyer- Bridestowe RB R/O
Sat even 6th Sept Haytor Heller _ classic – TT R/O ( seniors only)
Sat 13th Sourton fell race – Sourton series finale – ORC R/O
Presentation and talks evening Fri 26th Sept Meavy village Hall ( TBC)
Check out last years results if you want to compare https://swfellrunners.uk/results/ but remember to get the Dartmoor Series diary dates for 2025 into your planner.
Mini winter pairs series!
Paired running – but in Snowdonia
We are hoping to hold three races as a Mini winter pairs series for limited entries only ie 25 pairs of runners.
These will be longer races , with kit requirement and experience required. Firm dates now set ; Sat 22nd Feb- fox and hounds start , Sun Mar 16th east dart hotel start..
A new format which will offer distance and navigational challenge with defined start times based on handicap start ( based on estimated times) .
Minimum kit will be full body cover plus spare top, plus hat, gloves, full water proofs, survival bag ( each), small first aid kit, whistle ,compass ,map, headtorch , phone ( as we will enable tracking), plus 500ml water and small emergency rations. Same for everyone _ not kit no start – it will be checked.
In a change from the traditional scorching hot day, Erme Valley Harriers had a selected a day a bit more conducive to running this year. The race immediately gets off to fulfilling it’s description, with a steep climb up to Western Beacon. Last year I overcooked it at this point, and paid for it on the biggest climb later in the course, this year I stayed behind Joe Lane – who set a sensible pace up the first climb.
After a brief hello to the marshals on Western Beacon, a speedy decent over grass, rocks and gorse leads to the second checkpoint in the valley. By this point Joe was well ahead of me, and there he remained for the rest of the race, soon disappearing from view.
From here the route climbs before dropping back to the Puffing Billy track for a short while. Normally the Puffing Billy completely fails to inspire any sort of motivation in me, however in this case I had a Cornwall Athletics runner on my heals and I was determined they were not getting past, they did a bit, then they didn’t, then they did and so until the route takes a sharp turn off the Puffing Billy and descends down the Eastern facing slope. At this point I could put in a bit of a gap between myself and the Cornwall Athletics chaser, however I pretty sure that was down to my shoe choice, rather than any fitness or skill.
A short run alongside/through the river leads to the biggest single ascent on the course – a long grassy ascent winding it’s way towards the top of Ugborough Beacon. I made up a couple of places, however these gains were short lived. Huge thanks to the marshals on the top, especially the one which had jelly babies! From there the route dips, with a stream crossing before climbing back up to Western Beacon, followed by. A fast descent to the road and a flat run into the finish at HQ, where in a further positive development since last year, chips were being served in the rugby club.
As per normal for this race, it was brilliantly marked and marshalled, and hats off to race director Chris Prall and Erme Valley Harriers for delivering a excellent race.
Results for the series have been updated, please double check them as entries happen on different platforms, and different race directors choose different categories. Please check that you have the number of races you expect, in the category you expect.
Adults (well U17 upwards) results can be found here.
Juniors (U15s and below) results can be found here.
A brilliant result in what must be our best to date showing at the Fell intercounties held in Rossendale on June 9th. here are a few photos of the brilliant runners and Hayley – the Junior Team managers report.
more great shots available at woodentops photography
Race report
A huge thank you to the parents and an enormous cheer to the nine young athletes who represented Devon at the UK Junior Fell Running Championships in Rossendale on Sunday 9th June.
Getting there..
Many travelled straight from the Exeter Arena Track where they were racing in the Devon Schools Championships, up north to near Manchester where we met at well-known hotel chain with an elitist name for our pre-race dinner. The camaraderie was immense from the very start of organising this team, with many messages offering lifts, kit , room shares etc .so it was great to finally meet the parents and share a drink.
The next day we travelled another 40 minutes further north in a convoy of Devon cars and arrived in Rossendale to be greeted by a cold wind and a quite a bit of rain. Why did we leave sunny Devon behind ?
Tough course
After walking the course and drying out a bit the U15s warmed up, the rain stopped, kit was checked and they were under starters orders. Boys and girls ran together – it was a brutal up and back course. A sharp 180m incline over the first km then a slight reprieve for 500m then another 500m incline up to the trig point at Cowpe Lowe (440m) only to turn around and head back down the incredibly fast decent to the finish. Devon was well represented.
U15 Girls Great team
The U15 girls Devonâs team included Elsie Goodspeed, Scarlett Muscott and Grace Gokhale. They put up a brave battle and finished 18th, 31st and 33rd out of over 50 female runners making then 6th team.
U15 Boys – the national champions!
Leo Dallmeier Cottle and Tim Falle formed our U15 boys team. Leo looked a bit bemused as after 300m he was right up at the front. He continued this form up the first super steep hill and onto the second hill where he turned at the trig point in 2nd place. Despite this being his second ever fell run Leo managed to hold his position down the v slippery treacherous decent and crossed the line in a superb second pace. Tim was on his heels and battled in for to cross the line in 4th place. However, shortly after the race ended it was announced that the winner was disqualified for not carrying  all of the mandatory kit for the whole race – it was later confirmed he had passed kit to a spectator on the way up and collected it on his return. A rookie error for an experienced fellow runner which cost him his victory. This promoted the Devon boys into first place and third place and the maths isnât hard – they also won the team prize. DEVON were FIRST and THIRD U15 BOYS and DEVON WON the U15 BOYS TEAM PRIZE! What an amazing achievement from two young fell runners in their first big fell running championships.Â
U17 Boys Promise
Our U17 Boys did not disappoint either – their race involved the initial 180m climb over 1k followed by an undulating trail for about 2k then a brutal climb to the cross on Scout Moor – 100m ascent over a distance of 500m. Talk about dead legs at the top ! It was then straight back down , along the trail and then down again to the finish. Although the rain had now stopped the down hill sections were pretty tricky underfoot! Luke Hayes finished a superb 7th, Theo Glew (in his first fell run this season ) was 12th and Aiden Spinney (who did the whole event hard core by camping the night before while we all stayed in a hotel ) was 38th. Great running which meant Devon U17 boys were 5th team. All three runners have another year in this age group so we hope we can build on these results next year.
U19 solo runner
Finally, Luke Stannus was our only U19 Devon. His 8.5 km course included was a combination of both U15 and U17 routes so it included all three of the hills. In a highly competitive race, and nursing a foot injury, Luke finished superbly to take 12th place, especially as he still has another year in this age group.
Managers thoughts..
It was a truly wonderful weekend. Iâm so proud of our young runners who have helped put Devon the fell running map. It was great to hear other spectators commenting –Â who is that team in Blue – as our runners took on the course and challenged the best fell runners in the UK.Â
By all accounts it was a particularly tough course even for fell runners – so we can certainly hold our heads high and look forward to the next one. Hopefully we can get a few along to English Schools fell running championships at the end of the summer and keep on building on the successes of this weekend. But for now letâs congratulate our runners (and parents for getting them their) and keep on encouraging and supporting our juniors so we help them develop into the top fell runners I know they have the potential to become.  It was an honour to be part of the weekend. Thank you Hayley RatcliffÂ
SWFellrunners says..
An amazing result. Firstly congrats to the runners for the effort in the race and the determination to train and give up a weekend to represent Devon. I would like to think that the series of races we have created for juniors, 8- races now, is helping build our community of hill runners. Next the parents and families – its a huge commitment not just in time but also in money – you are superb. Lastly Hayley the awesome team manager well done. lots more to be seen form these Devon runners – i wonder if you can spot them in the next series races?
Things are hotting up literally – just wish someone would tell the rain that! Three races now complete in the series with Gt Mis tor; Meldon and Langstone now all complete. Some great results and a few course records . Hope you enjoy John’s race report below and a couple of photos hope to get a report on Langstone.
Meldon – Race report and results
Well this is not the view they got as thunderstorms approached but lets hear the Race report – From Okehampton Running Club
Saturday 18th May, the first fell race of Okehampton Running Club Summer Series and the second race of the SW Fell Runners Series took place. Marilynâs Meldon Madness was held in honour of Marilyn Cooper, former member of the club. Again this year the club was delighted to welcome five-time Olympian Jo Pavey and Marilynâs son Peter who joined the race and presented the awards alongside Marilynâs husband, Paul.
There was a great turnout for the two junior races with 19 competitors across the age groups and this year was run as qualifiers for the Intercounty Championships. The U11âs ran a 2km course up the steep Longstone Hill and back down to the Dam where they started. The U15âs ran a 4km course heading further on to the base of Yes Tor before returning to the finish.
SWFellrunners says – well done to Juniors especially Margot Goodspeed U11 who was a minute clear of the field. The first three U15’s all under 17min 10sec closely followed by another Goodspeed as First U15G . Brilliant running and the future of seniors . A special mention to Hayley Ratcliffe and coaches for all the behind the scenes work to muster a teams for the Intercounties in June. Great prize winner pic with jo Pavey!
Seniors- storm chasers
The Senior race started in a thunderstorm though fortunately it soon cleared! The route heads up to the summits of Yes Tor and High Willhays and returning to Meldon Dam via Black Tor. A challenging and technical course including sections of bogs, boulder fields, tussock grass, hidden holes and sheep trods- type 1 fun! The runners are rewarded with a super fast descent on springy grass to the finish!
Overall winner and ORC runner was Luke Stannus in just 37:52 (MU19). There were 6 Juniors running in the Senior race with 4 finishing in the top 5 spots. After the race the competitors received their prizes from the Cooper family and Jo Pavey and were delighted to have their photos taken with her. New ORC member Sarah Dean was awarded the Marilyn Memorial Bowl as first ORC female home. It was a lovely afternoonâs racing with the post-race cakes going down well!
SWfellrunners says.. Very competitive race with first 8 runners in a gap of less than 2 mins, the lead apparently changing many times but in form U19 Luke Stannus just beating James Baker from Chichester by 12 secs. Only 1 senior man in top 5 with 3 u17’s taking 3rd, 4th and 5th – watch out seniors think you may have to up your game! Great to see Charlotte Walker (TAC) continue her form setting a new ladies record for the course in 41m50 sec. Also a fab spicing up of the V50 ladies with Jo Pavey taking the win in her first race of the series.
Team results out soon , as will be Langstone race report.
Senior results below or go to tab on this site. Enjoy.
After our local selection in March a small but quality team of 3 Devon runners made it up to Keswick on April 21st for the Senior Intercounties fell race champs. The course a much tougher test than the Devon trial had 900m of climb in store for the runners over 16.3 k.
Event report
The main event report is available on link below with overall winning time of 1hr 5mins17secs and first three three runners all in 17 secs. total of 22 county teams. This was also GB selection race for a race in Europe.
Firstly our thanks to the three runners for making the trip the long trip north . A few words from our team.
‘An intrepid trio made the long journey north from Devon to Fitz Park, Keswick for the annual Inter-counties Mountain Race. Amongst the very best of British mountain running, the team from Devon acquitted themselves admirably over 10 miles and 900m of climb and descent over Latrigg, Lonscale Fell, and Skiddaw. It may have been steeper than the home terrain of Dartmoor, but a few dry days and some hard paths made for surprisingly fast running and an interesting variation from the boggy tussocks of the moor. The Devon team, two of whom were making their senior debut for the county , was led home by Jamie Parkinson (17th) followed shortly afterwards by Tom Perry (47th) and Stephen Hughes (52nd). Overall the team placed 12th; just behind the Northern powerhouses whilst ahead of everyone else south of Birmingham.‘
‘Thanks to SWfellrunners for entries, Richard Best for organising team and Angela Mudge ( Scotland ) for organising the race‘
SWfellrunners says…
Brilliant performance by team and well done, really sorry i could not be there. Big well done to Jamie for top 20 place, huge well done for Tom 11th U23, and an awesome first outing in a Devon vest for Stephen. To beat all southern teams again this is a truly great result. ( we have clocked 12th, 13th and 9th) in recent years. This was a very tough and fast course. For those with good knowledge and a canny eye will spot John Yells ex Devon runner now running for Scotland. Hope we can build on our result not just to turn out the minimum 3 runners – we can take 5. We also would love to support a women’s team – so look out for the trial which may be in February next year.
A great start to the Dartmoor Series on Saturday am Mar23rd at Princetown. With kind permission of the brewery we organised the race out of the back of a car- which given the weather was just as well. The conditions were raw with a basic 5deg further chilled by 35-40 knot head wind for the outward leg.
A small but talented field of 40 runners set off at 10am prompt, with kit, straight up North Hessary, already two small groups of 5 were breaking clear at the top with no need to yomp. Thankfully although blowing hard the rain /hail held off for most of the course. The leading packs making short work of the drop to Hollow tor and then up to Little mis. All runners made the cut off time at Little mis. Careful footwork by leading pack now Parkinson, Roberts and Deller puling away from the following pair.
Big ascent
The big climb from the weir head on the Walkham probably made a huge impact on times and positions, the leader Jamie Parkinson pulling away from Luke and Sam. Further down the field, skipping across clitter was costing more time and maintaining pace up to the lookout really challenging (+220m). The marshal at the lookout and dog Ozzy enduring a real battering from the wind was relieved to see last runner and sweeper through.
Descent with following wind
The times for all runners back was remarkable with 3 ascents done, a helpful push on the back of 35 knots was greatly appreciated, down to the road and sweeping them up to Hollow tor and onwards to North Hessary. At last a final short descent , which apparently was very hard to stay on your feet.
Super congrats to winner Jamie Parkinson in an incredible time of 49mins 25sec with both chasing runners in the next 2 mins. First U21 a brilliant 57 mins from James Palmer who had travelled all the way from Somerset to compete. First lady Elizabeth Dyson a very respectable 64mins 7sec. First team, goes to Tavistock Ac but chased hard by a strong ORC team.
Camaraderie
Great banter at the end with most runners staying to clap in the last runner and sweep. Banana fuelled recovery for all. Really great to listen to the comparisons on lines taken, where they had gained or lost position, niggles gained, mini rivalries won and lost. A pretty unanimous appreciation of the course which on map looked simple but had 4 nice but different climbs. A good selection race for Devon intercounties candidates who will be competing in Keswick on April 21st.
A super thank you to all involved runners, spectators and of course our marshals who may have needed thawing out.
