A STRONG Keswick Athletic Club team has took on an Ultra relay – running 39 miles over 25 peaks.

Ten lady veterans from the club took on the challenge on the 10th anniversary of what should have been the main 10in10 event in Keswick.

The weather was mixed for the runners, who all donated a minimum of £10 to the MS Society.

It started out cloudy, soggy and overcast but as they upped the miles the weather began to clear, gradually moving into sunshine and clear skies.

The team finished the Ultra 10in10 in the impressive time of 10 hours and 46 seconds.

Five pairs made up the team with leg one, from Swinside to Buttermere, being run by Nicky Butler and Annabel Homes.

Leg two was Buttermere to Honister with Jo Gillyon and Cat Evans, while leg three, from Honister to Rosthwaite, was taken on by Julie Carter and Lyn Thompson.

Leg four was Rosthwaite to Newlands Hause with Trudy Beetham and Rachel Mellor, and leg five was the road section from Newlands Hause back to the Swinside with Sam Ayers and Dilys Riley.

Trudy admitted afterwards that "this fell running malarkey was a bit of a shock after all the time off" but all the runners said transitions had been smooth.

The Keswick AC Ladies Vets team are a bit of a powerhouse having taken on the Abraham’s Tea Round in 2019 and still holding the record of 6 hours 32 minutes.

The Ultra 10in10 is a 39-mile classic fell running challenge over 25 peaks with 17,000 feet of ascent.

This amazing fell running challenge was created in 2015 by Duncan Booth’s brother, top fellrunner Simon Booth.

It weaves together the three 10in10 walking challenge routes to take runners on a circuit from the Swinside Inn up Causey Pike, over Sail, Crag Hill, Wandope and Whiteless Pike, before descending into Buttermere.

There he headed up Dodd, Red Pike, High Stile, High Crag, Seat, Haystacks (the relay team here descended to Honister for a changeover), Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green Gable, Seathwaite Fell, Allen Crags, Glaramara and Thorneythwaite Fell before a descent into Rosthwaite.

Next was a climb up to Castle Crag, Maiden Moor, High Spy, Dale Head, Hindscarth, Robinson, High Snockrigg and down to Newlands Hause, before arriving back at the Swinside Inn.