Event
The Lap – Windermere
Location
Windermere sits in the South Eastern Lake District, acting as a 10.5-mile ribbon that separates the rugged volcanic peaks of the north from the gentler, rolling limestone and shale fells of the south. While the lake itself is the focal point, the race rarely hugs the shoreline. Instead, it utilizes the “Windermere Way,” a series of interconnected trails that traverse the elevated rim of the Windermere valley.
The landscape is a patch work of ancient oak woodlands, managed pine plantations, and open fell-top commons. Because it stays below the “extreme” mountain altitudes, the terrain is often softer underfoot—predominantly singletrack, forest roads, and grassy trods—but it is notoriously “un-manicured.”
Landscape & Terrain
The route is defined by several iconic “Lumps” that break your rhythm:
- The Northern Giants (Loughrigg & Wansfell): The northern end near Ambleside is the most vertical. Loughrigg Fell offers technical, rocky steps and sweeping views of the Langdale Pikes, while the climb up Wansfell Pike is a brutal, sustained “stairmaster” ascent from the valley floor. The descent into Troutbeck is notorious for being a “quad-killer.”
- The Southern Forests: The southern half (around Finsthwaite and Newby Bridge) is more enclosed. Here, the terrain shifts to root-filled woodland paths and forestry tracks. It’s faster but can be mentally draining as the lake remains hidden behind dense treelines.
- Gummer’s How: Often the final major hurdle, this steep southern nub provides a spectacular 360-degree vista of the entire “Z” of the lake you’ve just traversed—a bitter-sweet reward for tired legs.
- Claife Heights & Far Sawrey: These sections feature undulating bridleways through mossy forests. In the May clockwise version, this serves as a technical wake-up call; in September’s anti-clockwise version, it’s a stumbling block in the dark.
Features
The race is held twice a year, famously switching directions to offer two distinct experiences:
- May: Clockwise (keep the lake on your right).
- September: Anti-clockwise (keep the lake on your left).
Though billed as an “entry-level” ultra due to its superb waymarking (over 2,500 arrows) and a generous 24-hour cut-off, the stats tell a different story. You will face approximately 2,600m (8,500ft) of ascent. It isn’t one giant mountain climb; it is a “death by a thousand cuts” profile of constant, steep undulations.
The Experience
The Lap is unique because it welcomes both elite racers chasing a sub-8-hour time and “completers” who power-walk the entire 24 hours. The atmosphere is centered around the race HQ, where the sound of a the early morning marks the 6:00 AM start. With high-end aid stations (including the legendary pizza at Troutbeck) and a finisher’s meal waiting at the end, it feels more like a community festival—until you hit that 15th “short, steep” climb and remember exactly why it’s called a challenge.
I took part in September 2024 (anti-clockwise), and it rained, before and during the event. It was wet, slippy and muddy, which added to the adventure and experience. I’ll be back for the May Clockwise experience.
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