WHERE CAN FAMILY SPECTATE ON THE COURSE? – IMPORTANT PLEASE READ

Every year we have lots of spectators asking us where to go to support runners. Spend a bit of time with your family planning where to meet them and your anticipated time of arrival. If you don’t know the lakes, it can be extremely stressful and potentially dangerous for family members and children trying to navigate the roads to meet you at checkpoints. Whilst you are enjoying the race, ensure that your family are also enjoying the experience by planning ahead and don’t put them in dangerous situations. 

Here’s some things you need to know:

1. With the exception of the first 4 miles round Dalemain estate, supporters cannot run on the course with you, this is deemed outside assistance. Neither can you have support runners on any section of the course. 

2. Supporters MUST NOT enter the checkpoint buildings, CP staff will ask them to leave as they generally ‘get in the way’ of other competitors and CP staff and may result in your DQ. 

3. VERY IMPORTANT – There are specific points on the course where they can watch you. We have agreed with local councils, National Trust and National Park to avoid key areas. Permissions are very delicate and the future of the event is never guaranteed.

FOR THE 2025 EVENT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU UNDERSTAND – If your supporters go to restricted areas to watch you, it will result in DISQUALIFICATION and there will be no appeals. 

100 Course:

• Coniston (start and finish – please do not support in village centre after midnight as this can upset local residents)
  
• NO SPECTATING AT CP1 SEATHWAITE
• CP2 Boot
• CP3 Wasdale (specifically from Wasdale Inn)
• NO SPECTATING AT CP4 BUTERMERE
• NO SPECTATING AT CP5 BRAITHWAITE
• Keswick – back of Fitz park before climbing Latrigg and on A66 approaching this point
  
• NO SPECTATING AT CP6 BLENCATHRA
• NO SPECTATING AT CP7 DOCKRAY
  

50 & 100 Course

• CP8 Dalemain Estate (parking available and friends / family of 50 competitors may join you for the initial 4 miles loop)
• Pooley Bridge – main village (100 & 50 competitors)
• NO SPECTATING AT CP9/1 HOWTOWN
• NO SPECTATING AT CP10/2 MARDALE
• NO SPECTATING AT CP 11/3 KENTMERE
• CP12/4 Ambleside – main village (100 & 50 competitors) *can spectators please avoid entering the Parish Hall checkpoint. Ambleside is a key location for spectators – BE QUIET IF IT’S LATE.
  
• Skelwith Bridge Hotel – BE QUIET IF IT’S LATE
• Elterwater village – BE QUIET IF IT’S LATE
• NO SPECTATING AT CP 13/5 CHAPEL STILE
  
• NO SPECTATING AT CP 14/6 TILBERTHWAITE

*For those who know the course, there are various point where the route will cross a road and spectators may gather. Those who know the route may also walk out onto the fell at various points to support runners. We have no issue with people finding a quiet spot or heading onto the hill to support, our concern is the checkpoint locations highlighted above, which should be avoided due to agreed local restrictions. 

Getting to Dalemain and spectating the start of the 50 mile event

As part of your entry, you can book a place on the bus ride to Dalemain on Saturday morning. You were asked if you wanted a seat on the coach when you entered the event. These buses depart from Coniston HQ at 7am. Some people prefer to travel by car, especially if friends and relatives are heading to Dalemain to watch the start. 

VERY IMPORTANT – If friends and family are driving to Dalemain, they must arrive before 9:30am, when the car park closes. If you are parked on our camping fields, you will not be allowed to exit the camping field until 7:45am to allow all the buses to leave without unnecessary hindrance.

Once all buses have left for Dalemain, cars can leave the camping & parking fields and you should expect an hour drive to Dalemain. If you leave at 8am from the camping & parking field, it gives you plenty of time to arrive before the 9:30am closure at Dalemain. 

What is our recommended plan?

If you are taking part in the 50, our recommended plan is that your family watch you at Dalemain (if they so wish) then go directly to Ambleside. Driving to Howtown, Mardale and Kentmere is an awful trip, especially if you don’t know the roads and it’s also NOT ALLOWED as a spectator point. Don’t ruin their weekend by asking them to chase you round the course, most likely missing you at each point or being turned away by event staff. There’ s been plenty of past experiences where runners are having a great time on the course, unaware that their family are lost or in difficulty with no mobile reception. More importantly, if they do show up at Howtown, Mardale and Kentmere (or any other restricted areas) the marshals have been asked to notify us of your event number and you’ll be DISQUALIFIED. There’s absolutely no appeals on this decision. 

They should drive to Ambleside via A66 and turn left at St John’s in the vale, to avoid the Kirkstone Pass. If they leave Dalemain at 12:30pm, they will reach Ambleside at 1:30pm, runners arrive from mid/late afternoon onwards, most are arriving in the evening. There’s plenty for them to do in Ambleside and it is also the best atmosphere on the route! From there they could move quickly and drive to Skelwith Bridge Hotel to see you at the road crossing, before moving on to Coniston. If they do spectate at Skelwith Bridge in the evening, they must be quiet and avoid upsetting local residents. 

100 runners, there’s no spectating on the West part of the course (aside from Boot & Wasdale Inn) and it’s a hellishly dangerous drive if they attempt to go over Wrynose and Hardknott in the dark to see you. Keep your family safe, let them watch the start and then Saturday morning, arrange to meet them in Keswick as you pass through on your way to Blencathre CP. They can then head over to Dalemain and there’s plenty of opportunity to see you there. From Dalemain, the same applies as above for the 50 runners. Ambleside via the A66 and St John’s in the vale, quickly to Skelwith Bridge and then to Coniston.

Every year a small number of people think the rules don’t apply to them and send their friends to every checkpoint and every year we have someone being rude to checkpoint staff when they’re told they are not allowed in. We’re not trying to spoil your enjoyment, we’re trying to ensure that you get the best help at each checkpoint without someone else’s family getting in your way. More importantly we’re trying to keep residents and landowners happy to guarantee the future of the event. We also need to ensure that your family are safe and that they don’t attempt a perilous journey. There will be a zero tolerance policy in 2025 with regards to the above. Don’t receive an unnecessary DQ from the event. 

If you’re not already aware, all runners will have a GPS tracker and you’ll be able to follow them live throughout the event. We’ll send full details of this 1 week prior to the event. 

Regards
Montane Lakeland 50 & 100 Team