RowRunner

Brathay Hall provides a stunning event centre for RowRunner. This Georgian country house, with a backdrop of Lake District fells, has easy access to the lake at our private boathouse in Brathay Bay.

RowRunner participants are inspired by the surrounding landscape to push their boat and team through this distinctive event. The Hall also provides a fantastic setting for a memorable post-event celebration.

After a quick 1 mile row to warm up, the first pair of runners leave Red Knab on their run up Latterbarrow. The views from the summit (and race to get there!) are breathtaking, with Windermere stretching away to the south and a view of Scafell Pike and the central fells to the west.

The runners return along the lake side path to Coatlap Point where they rejoin with their team.

After picking runners up from their first running leg the team row to Fell Foot Park at the southern most point of Windermere. During the second running leg the rowing team are able to enjoy a welcome break and make the most of the National Trust cafe. There is often an ice cream van here to provide more fuel / sports nutrition before thelong rowing leg to come.

Excitement builds as the team await the arrival of their runners descending from Gummer's How.

Leaving Fell Foot Park runners cross the A592 and make the steep climb up Fell Foot Brow before turning left along the fell top path to the summit of Gummer's How. The view from here is stunning with the lake stretching 10 miles to the north and fells from Coniston Old Man round to Scafell Pike and beyond as a backdrop.

However, RowRunner participants won't spend too long looking at the view! They will be focusing on the quick descent back to the team at Fell Foot Park and the next (and longest!) rowing leg.

The rowing leg from Fell Foot Park to Brockhole is 8.7 miles (assuming a straight line is navigated up the lake!). This is the longest RowRunner rowing leg and where the race is often won and lost. Efficient teams are able to pull away from the competition through rotating rowers and sharing rests while continuing to re-fuel.

Storrs Hall is a convenient halfway point and something to aim for. Route finding through the islands at Bowness can also play a significant part in the order teams arrive at Brockhole, with the lead often changing during this leg.

At 6.5 miles Wansfell is the longest running leg, to the highest summit. The race towards the finish, which is now getting close, only adds to the the excitement. The pressure is definitely on the runners at this point!

As the team waits at Brockhole, with only 1.5 miles of rowing left to do, you can cut the tension with a blunt oar! If the runners do have time to breath on the summit, there's a fantastic view of the whole RowRunner course that their team is close to completing.