Events

The Grizedale Trail 13 & 26 take place from Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre, near Hawkshead in the Lake District. The half marathon course is the first 13 miles of the marathon route and takes place on good forest tracks. The route is ‘undulating’ but you are rewarded with some great views of Coniston and surrounding areas. Grizedale Visitor Centre is the finish for the half marathon, but the full marathon distance runners will continue to complete an Eastern loop towards Windermere. The terrain is varied, with some road sections, but it’s certainly not flat. The event always fills in advance and is a fantastic way to start the year!

Grizedale Trail

Take on England’s finest countryside at your pace. Challenge basecamp is in Kendal, and it’s a 100km loop taking in a couple of tough hills, the Garburn Pass, historic Ambleside, a half way point by Lake Windermere, forests & nature reserves – with some stunning views en-route, before a huge welcome & celebration back at basecamp after a momentous journey. You’ll get full support & hospitality, optional camping / hostel – and with half, marathon, quarter & 10K distance options also, there’s a Lake District Challenge for everyone!

Lake District Ultra Challenge

Take on one of the most scenic road marathons in the UK, showcasing the natural beauty of the lakes. The stunning Windermere Marathon route heads anticlockwise around Lake Windermere, passing High Wray, Newby Bridge and Bowness-on-Windermere. The route begins on the lakeside at Waterhead and concludes at Brockhole.

Windermere marathon

Ambleside – along with near neighbours Grasmere – has honoured Rushbearing for over 200 years and early records illustrate the importance of the event to the town. A decorated rush harp is displayed at the head of the Rushbearing which follows a traditional route from St Mary’s Church as the procession of bearers carrying decorated rushes is brought up by the rush World and joined by children carrying rush bundles.

The procession halts in Market Place where the time-honoured Rushbearing Song is recounted and rushes raised before returning to a service of thanksgiving and dedication as garlands are displayed in the church. Children receive local gingerbread – often a bribe for their attendance in years gone by – before children’s Rushbearing sports and prized guide race takes place in Rothay Park.

Ambleside Rushbearing

For 50 years, the Cumbria Steam & Vintage Vehicle Society Ltd has been bringing together vintage vehicles from across the world to Cark Airfield in Flookburgh, near Grange-over-Sands, for one massive summer gathering. A huge colourful and noisy weekend event with a variety of entertainments, the Steam Gathering will feature splendid steam engines and vintage commercial vehicles, as well as hundreds of classic transport favourites including cars, motorcycles, bicycles, agricultural and industrial tractors, farm equipment and stationary engines. This year we are pleased to be able to welcome members of the Ford and Fordson Association who will stage their annual Expo display at Flookburgh. The display, which aims to highlight the varied output of the Ford Motor Company, mainly in respect of their contribution to agricultural mechanisation, is now in its tenth year and this will be the first time that this event has been staged in this part of the country. For fans of blue (and green and orange, with possibly a few grey) tractors, this is an occasion not to be missed.

steamgathering