Steve Chilton - Its a Hill, Get Over It

Praise for Its a Hill, Get Over It

a really good read... A worthy addition to any fell runners bookshelf.

Mud, Sweat and Tears

this exhaustive homage to fell running promises much, and delivers. Written with a real love for the sport

Scotland Outdoors

Chilton clearly loves his subject... I learned much from reading it and I think its a book that many fell runners will really enjoy. Hopefully it will also inspire others who do not yet consider themselves a fell runner to venture out up a hill or two.

Outdoor Times

a detailed history of the sport... a very informative read that will inspire those that read it to get out there

Westmorland Gazette

An all-encompassing history of fell running to thrill and inspire you

Trail Running Magazine

If you are interested in the history of fell running written by a seasoned fell runner then look no further. There are some brilliant photos here, not to mention an entire chapter on Joss Naylor.

TGO (The Great Outdoors)

This story of how the sports foremost athletes developed is a fascinating one

Scottish Memories

(a) must-buy publication for fans of mountain and off-road running

Athletics Weekly

(Steve Chilton) covers the ground admirably, mixing the sports development over the last century and a half, largely in the Lakes, north of England and Scotland, the big races, and interviews and profiles of the big names like Kenny and Pauline Stuart, Rob Jebb, Fred Reeves, Boff Whalley, Sarah Rowell and more. And, of course, the man thats better than Zatopek, Kuts, Coe and Ovett ... Joss Naylor.

Cumbria Magazine

... is sure to please anyone with an interest in the noble sport of fellrunning

Cumberland and Westmorland Herald

I was particularly interested in the references to orienteers who I did not know had fell running pasts The one to one interviews brought the book to life, and generally highlighted the relaxed approach these people have to Fell running. The sections on Womens running was interesting. We do take it for granted that life is much more equal now than in the past.

Compass Sport (Britains national orienteering magazine)

Steve Chilton is a committed runner and qualified athletics coach with considerable experience of fell running, and a marathon PB of 2-34-53. He is a long-time member of the Fell Runners Association (FRA). In a long running career he has run in many of the classic fell races, as well as mountain marathons and has also completed the Cuillin Traverse. He works at Middlesex University, where he is Lead Academic Developer.

Steves work has been published extensively, particularly in his roles as Chair of the Society of Cartographers, and Chair of the ICA Commission in Neocartography. He is heavily involved in the OpenStreetMap project (osm.org), having co-authored OpenStreetMap: Using and Enhancing the Free Map of the World .

First published in 2013 in Great Britain
and the United States of America:

Sandstone Press Ltd

PO Box 5725

One High Street

Dingwall

Ross-shire

IV15 9WJ

Scotland.

www.sandstonepress.com

This edition published 2014.

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form without the express written permission of the publisher.

Steve Chilton 2013

All images as ascribed

Maps Steve Chilton 2013

Editor: Robert Davidson

Copy editor: Kate Blackadder

Index: Jane Angus

The moral right of Steve Chilton to be recognised as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Design and Patent Act, 1988.

The publisher acknowledges subsidy from Creative Scotland towards publication of this volume.

ISBN: 978-1-910124-17-8

ISBNe: 978-1-908737-58-8

Cover design and typesetting by Raspberry Creative Type, Edinburgh

Printed and bound by Ozgraf, Poland

To mum and dad, who made me what I am,
and would be very proud.

In many ways fell running has more in common with cycle racing than it does in other athletic events. The sport tests not only the competitors stamina but also his or her courage and skill as the runners descend at speed across uneven and often slippery surfaces. You might expect that coming down the slope they would pick their way gingerly as if descending stairs. Far from it. The minute they hit any section that is less than perpendicular, they immediately go flat out. At times this is just how they end up flat out. The St John ambulance men are kept busy at fell races.

Harry Pearson in Racing Pigs and Giant Marrows

Lakeland fell runners are not ordinary men. Remarkable fitness and stamina are required to race up a fellside, and tremendous muscle control and judgement are needed to race down. Lakeland breeds such men, and has been doing since long before the days when records began to be kept at the local sports meetings.

Harry Griffin in Inside the Real Lakeland

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