The Bowland Dozen                                 The Over The Hill  Challenge Series

The 'Dig the Peat' series of runs by Bowland Fell Runners provided the inspiration for this latest OTH challenge.  It links all 12 trig points of 400+ metres in a tour of the Bowland massif starting from Dunsop Bridge.  Much of Bowland has been, by tradition, a secret, forbidden land. Ironically, perhaps, this has preserved one of England's last great wilderness areas.  On a clear day there are outstanding panoramas in every direction, not least towards Morecambe Bay, to the west, and the Three Peaks country, to the north.  The other main features are close at hand - mile upon mile of peat, heather, bog, tussock and fence. Oh, and the occasional sheep!  As the long traverse from Clougha Pike to Knottend will show, few areas in England can offer such vast tracts of unrelenting, bleak, rugged terrain!

Route

The start and finish point is the village of Dunsop Bridge (the road bridge at GR 659 501).  It provides a continuous circuit of some 50 miles and 6500’ of ascent by linking together the 12 trig points listed below.  Use OS Explorer map OL41 The Forest of Bowland and Ribblesdale.

The eagle-eyed may spot a 13th trig at Burn Moor (402 m, GR 695 646). This is excluded as it is considered to be an outlier to the main Bowland massif.  There is the option of including it to make a Bowland Baker’s Dozen - but be warned, it is a tedious out and back which only detracts from the main circuit!

Time Limits

There is a generous 24 hour limit for all age categories.  First class times for runners are as follows:

v50 - 13 hours   v55 - 16 hours   v60 - 19 hours  v65 - 22 hours  

Registration

Completions must be registered on a registration form (see below).  Previous years completions are listed on this site - see registered completions   

Print or View

Registration form and route details – click icon to view/print pdf file

Time limits

Registration

Print or View

Registration form and route detail - click icon to view/print pdf file