# Eccles Pike Fell Race

Eccles Pike Fell Race is a fell race run from Buxworth, Derbyshire to the top of Eccles Pike, then back again. The course is 3.4 mi (5.5 km) long and includes 1,001 ft (305 m) ascent, and is renowned for being short and demanding. It has been run intermittently since 1910, and perhaps earlier.

## History

   This race is reputed to be one of the oldest established fell races in the country, which probably accounts for the fact that it is short and sharp, basically a run straight to the top of a hill and back down.
Eccles Pike is one of the oldest fell races in the country, and has a history going back over 100 years. Its start date is not known, but from 1910 a small cup was awarded to the winner, and the race venue would alternate between the nearby villages of Chinley and Buxworth each year. In the 1920s, the race became part of the Summer Garden Fete each June, and a larger silver cup was presented to the winner. The cup was first won in 1928 by Pat Campbell, the international steeplechaser from nearby Chapel-en-le-Frith; he went on to win the race three years in succession.
The original race series ended in 1937, but was revived in 1969 by the local church committee, and has been held most years since. The 1980 race saw John Wild set the course record of 18:14. Over the years the race has attracted several great names of fell running, with other winners including Ron Hill and Ricky Wilde.
There used to be separate ladies and junior races held on the same day, but now all athletes run together. The winner of the race is still presented with the 1928 cup, whilst the best junior receives the smaller 1910 cup. Since 1995, the race has been organised by local running club Goyt Valley Striders, and it takes place in Buxworth on the second Wednesday evening in August.

## Results

Since the course was last changed in 2009, the best men's time is 21:28 by William Longden in 2024. The best women's time is 23:32 by Martha Tibbot in 2024. The fastest recorded time on any version of the course is 18:14 by John Wild in 1980.
| Year | Men | Time | Women | Time |
| 2024 | William Longden | 21:28 | Martha Tibbot | 23:32 |
| 2023 | William Longden | 22:11 | Harriet Wingfield | 25:29 |
| 2022 | William Longden | 22:38 | Lucy Bednall | 28:03 |
| 2021 | Andrew Heyes | 21:58 | Lucy Bednall | 28:33 |
| 2020 | COVID-19 pandemic | COVID-19 pandemic | COVID-19 pandemic | COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2019 | William Longden | 23:41 | Lucy Bednall | 28:17 |
| 2018 | Nicholas Barber | 23:30 | Caitlin Rice | 26:36 |
| 2017 | Alasdair Campbell | 23:28 | Lauren McNeil | 27:24 |
| 2016 | Matt Elkington | 22:40 | Gwyneth Parry | 27:29 |
| 2015 | Robert Little | 23:14 | Hannah Brown | 26:38 |
| 2014 | Robert Little | 23:08 | Caitlin Rice | 26:16 |
| 2013 | Tom Bush | 24:06 | Caitlin Rice | 26:55 |
| 2012 | Jack Ross | 22:43 | Sandra Lewis | 29:09 |
| 2011 | Jack Ross | 22:32 | Olivia Bush | 24:53 |
| 2010 | Simon Coldrick | 23:11 | Emma Wilson | 25:50 |
| 2009 | Lloyd Taggart | 22:38 | Liz Batt | 28:08 |
| 2008 | Danny Hope | 21:17 | Clare Parker | 26:47 |
| 2007 | Phil Winskill | 21:42 | Lisa Lacon | 26:21 |
| 2006 | Lloyd Taggart | 20:31 | Jackie Lee | 25:54 |
| 2005 | Andi Jones | 19:59 | Estelle Maguire | 27:34 |
| 2004 | Andrew Jack Ellis | 23:11 | Jenny Caddick | 31:54 |
| 2003 | Lloyd Taggart | 20:11 | Naomi Greaves | 26:15 |
| 2002 | Malcolm Fowler | 21:23 | Jane Mellor | 28:00 |
| 2001 | Malcolm Fowler | 21:16 | Naomi Greaves | 29:06 |
| 2000 | Malcolm Fowler | 20:44 | Estelle McGuire | 26:06 |
| 1999 | Tim Austin | 21:46 | Elizabeth Batt | 25:28 |
| 1998 | Lloyd Taggart | 20:53 | Sheryl Reason | 26:23 |
| 1997 | Paul Deaville | 22:20 | Michaela Zazzi | 27:38 |
| 1996 | Andy Wilton | 19:26 | Kath Harvey | 27:34 |
| 1995 | Andy Wilton | 19:47 | Kath Harvey | 26:26 |
| 1994 | Andy Trigg | 20:30 | Sally Newman | 25:12 |
| 1991–1993 | not held | not held | not held | not held |
| 1990 | Rob Jackson | 20:41 | S Boam | 24:35 |
| 1989 | Rob Jackson | 20:27 | K Martin | 26:15 |
| 1988 | Rob Jackson | 20:44 | A Jones | 24:31 |
| 1987 | Bashir Hussain | 20:08 | S Reason J Newton | |
| 1986 | Robin Bergstrand | 19:15 | Carol Haigh | 21:30 |
| 1985 | Bashir Hussain | 19:58 | K Whittle | 24:59 |
| 1984 | Paul Roden | 19:56 | Jane Spence | 26:04 |
| 1983 | Jeff Norman | 19:50 | Julie Holland | 23:12 |
| 1982 | Alan Sladen | 20:46 | | |
| 1981 | Alan Sladen | 20:05 | | |
| 1980 | John Wild | 18:14 | Gillian Pile | 25:10 |
| 1979 | Andrew Wilton | 19:14 | Jayne Dransfield | 25:35 |
| 1978 | Andrew Wilton | 19:24 | Miriam Rosen | 29:21 |
| 1977 | Colin Robinson | 20:05 | Brenda Robinson | 26:07 |
| 1976 | Ron Hill | | | |
| 1975 | M. Green | | | |
| 1972–1974 | not held | not held | not held | not held |
| 1971 | Ricky Wilde | | | |
| 1970 | Ricky Wilde | | | |
| 1969 | B. Ellis | | | |
| 1938–1968 | not held | not held | not held | not held |
| 1937 | R. Walton | | | |
| 1934–1936 | results unknown | results unknown | results unknown | results unknown |
| 1933 | D. Mason | | | |
| 1932 | C. Jepson | | | |
| 1931 | E. Barnes | | | |
| 1930 | Pat Campbell | | | |
| 1929 | Pat Campbell | | | |
| 1928 | Pat Campbell | | | |
| 1910–1927 | results unknown | results unknown | results unknown | results unknown |