Trail
running is seeing a huge growth of people
getting into this amazing sport. We
have been offering Alpine trail running
camps for several years in the summer
months, and are now delighted to offer
these UK based introductory fell running
weekends too.
These
weekends are based in the English Lake
District in Cumbria, as there are hundreds
of kilometers of trails to choose from,
and a huge variety of terrain to run
on. We offer a great balance of running,
coaching, and trail running advice,
preparation and top tips.
These
weekends are open to anyone, but we
suggest that you will get the most out
of them if you are happy running up
to 10km, or even a half marathon. If
you are in any doubt as to if they will
suit, then get in touch to get advice
from one of the coaches.
As
well as enjoying a great weekend of
fell and trail running, we aim to teach
you the key safety skills for route
planning and Alpine running, with a
focus put on the selection of appropriate
equipment and how to develop your training
plans for trail running.
Don't
worry if you have never run on mountain
trails before, as you will pick up the
skills quickly with expert coaching
and guidance. All you need is to be
fit for regular running, to have a sense
of humour, and to love the outdoors.
We will teach you all the skills you
need.
On
the weekends you are coached by a leader
who is qualified a UIMLA International
Mountain Leader or MTUK
Mountain Leader.
Many leaders are also Personal Trainers
too. The mountain qualifications are
only one aspect, as the leaders are
all experienced ultra-trail and mountain
runners.
During
the weekend you will run on prepared
trails, and also on untracked terrain,
to experience the best of mountain fell
running. Our aim is to introduce you
to as wide a range of ground to run
on, so that you build up your skills
and confidence on all mountain terrain.
We
also offer the possibility of joining
just one of the days of the weekend,
if you do not want to commit to the
two days. These spaces are subject to
availability, but for more details then
please click
here.
Dates: these
are listed in the column on the right,
and they show the live availability
from our secure online booking system.
When you book online, you receive immediate
confirmation, your Lake District Course
Information Booklet, course specific
kit list and invoice.
We’ve
just returned from a weekend’s
introduction to fell-running and can’t
recommend it enough. Kingsley, our guide,
took time at the beginning to establish
our level of competence and what we
wanted to get out of the weekend. He
then tailored our runs accordingly.
Even though the course was only two
days long, we all improved enormously
and Kingsley struck the perfect balance
of tuition, encouragement, cajoling
and just letting us get on with running
and enjoying the amazing scenery. We
were a bit apprehensive about doing
it in December, but the weather just
made it even more fun. Robert
T , Intro Fell Running
Trip
photo galleries
One
of the delights of fell running is that it can be
done 365 days a year! Obviously this means that
you are going to encounter the full range of weather
that the mountains can throw at you, but for some
that is the reason that they book on a course, so
that they can get the experience of all weather
running. The gallery on the left is of fell running
in the summer months, and the gallery on the right
is of fell running during the winter. We offer dates
all around the year, and as you'll see, our expert
guiding team are more than capable of looking after
you in all conditions.
Kit for mountain running
When you book on this trip you'll be set a detailed equipment list. Have a good read through it, as despite the relatively low altitude of the Lake District fells, the weather and conditions can sometimes be challenging. The best investment you'll make will be a decent pair of fell running shoes (e.g. Inov8 Mudclaw / Salomon Fellraiser), for good grip and to keep you low to the ground to reduce the risks of turning an ankle. The fells generally provide good cushioning for your feet, so the priority is traction and stability. Always take a waterproof running jacket, as even on the good days, it can be useful against any wind, and as a warm layer. Taking any running poles is completely optional, but if you do take some, the instructor will teach you how to use them efficiently. We've produced a whole page specifically about mountain running kit, so to view it click here.
Brief
Course Itinerary The
Lake District is blessed with hundreds of kilometers
of trails over all types of terrain, from forest
tracks to high fells and mountain passes, and so
the itinerary can be flexed on any day to take account
of weather conditions, to ensure that you sample
the best on offer. The itinerary below is to provide
you with a taster of what you could achieve, and
isn't fixed in stone. After each day in the itinerary
is an outline of the key teaching focus points for
every day, so you get a real idea of what you can
learn about.
Saturday
Meet in the Icicle office at 09:00, and get
a short equipment, weather and safety briefing,
before setting off on your fell run. Locations
and objectives may include running the Fairfield
horseshoe, the Coniston fells, or a circuit
of Langdale. You are coached on pacing techniques
for fell running, techniques for moving on
different terrain, descent skills, and running
navigation. Typically you descend around mid
afternoon, after a good day in the hills,
and have a debrief and discuss options for
the following day, so you get the maximum
out of your weekend. Accommodation isn't included
in the course price, to give you a choice
of budgets and styles of where to stay, but
upon booking we will send you a list of several
recommended B&B's and hotels. In the evening
the group often goes out for a meal together.
Sunday
After
breakfast in your accommodation, you meet
again in the office at 09:00, then after checking
the weather and conditions, you set off for
your second day of fell running. We normally
aim to focus on a shorter but more technical
route, so that you can finish running by 15:00
on the Sunday, to give you a bit more time
to travel home before it gets too late. Your running coach will again teach you as
many fell running skills as possible, and
give you lots of tips to improve your style,
speed and efficiency in moving fast and smoothly
over rough mountain terrain.
ITINERARY NOTES: Where possible we follow
itineraries. Mountain adventures are weather
and conditions dependant, so occasionaly we
are forced to alter the plans. Please use
this outline itinerary as a guide to the types
of route / activity that you will attempt.
Course
Prices
Standard
course
2 full days running guiding, 1:8 max ratio
2 days holiday in total, Sunday-Saturday
£99
Live
availability
Click
on the planner logo to the right to
see the real time live course availability
Inclusions:
1) Qualified guide for two days running, 2)
Lake District course hosts for logistics &
briefings, 3) Pre course information booklet,
4) Equipment discount voucher for UK shops,
5) Road transport in Lake District to running
venues each day, 6) Provision of group safety
equipment by the leader.
Exclusions: 1)
Travel to & from the national park for
the weekend, 2) Equipment hire such as poles
or waterproofs, 3) Bar / food bills &
tips, laundry, telephone calls, 4) Accommodation.
Notes:
The scheduled course requires a minimum number
of 3 people, and there are a maximum of 8
people per guide. If you would like a private
trip on a date of your choice, please get
in contact to pick a date.
What
a weekend! In all the good ways of course.
I really was amazed how much I learned
during the weekend, and I never imagined
how much fun it would be too Tim
O , Intro Fell Running
Thanks
to you all for this weekend. We had
a great time, and our legs are still
tired two days later, so you clearly
gave us exactly what we were after Sally
N , Intro Fell Running
This
weekend was a confidence boost for me
to expand my running into venturing
off road and even into the hills on
my own in the very near future Steve
R , Intro Fell Running
Testimonials
Press
& media
Films
& videos
Photo
gallery
Video
of this trip
Travel
to this trip by train
Minimise
the impact of cars in the Lake District National
Park, and travel by train. Our office is just
300m from Windermere train station, which
is on a branch line from the West Coast main
line.
Location
data for this trip
The
meeting point for these courses is at our office in Windermere
in the Lake District National Park. There is easy access
by car, and the train station is just 150m from the office
door. From here there are a huge variety of trails to
run on and mountain terrain to opt for, so we can cater
for all weather and conditions. We genuinely believe that
the Lake District is second to none with the quality and
quantity of amazing fell and trail running opportunities.
The UK hills are famed for often providing four seasons
in one day, and that is what makes the fell running such
a unique and rewarding challenge. Don't forget that it
helps to have a great selection of pubs in the Lake Dictrict
to enjoy a beer and natter in after the run!
Free
resources
FREE
Podcast
Getting into trail running...
Trail
running is a fastgrowing sport, and
this podcast explains what it involves,
how to get into it, and also goes through
all of the equipment that is required.
FREE
Resource - Fell &
Trail running kit list...
If you are planning on attending one
of our trail running courses, you can
see a kit check list of the clothing
and equipment that we recommend you
take.
The
photo above sums it up. All of these finisher jackets
of the UTMB race series belong to our head running
leader. We genuinely think that there is no other
operator out there who is more credible!
There
are several other operators who also offer trail
running camps, and we aren't afraid to advertise
that fact. Please look at their itineraries to see
how they differ from ours.
We
don't offer talks from 'celebrity' runners, or go
in for the chardonnay in a hot tub 'lifestyle',
or quasi-scientific courses. Ours are run by people
who do it, not talk the talk.
The
effect on our prices is that we can offer you great
value. We genuinely believe that you'll spend more
time actually running and in the mountains on our
courses, than with anyone else.
Many
of those leading you will be a finisher of one of
the world's iconic trail races, such as the Ultra
Trail du Mont Blanc, Tor du Geants or Leadville
or WS100.
