Hutton Roof Fell Race and Country Fair would not be possible without the kind permission of Miss Dixon and Margaret and Alan Lambert.
Origins
The origins of Hutton Roof Country Fair lie in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Celebrations which where held on the Old School Field in 1977.
Everyone had such a good time it was decided to make it an annual event. By the early 80s the idea of the Fell Race had started to form and the event became a very successful fund raiser.
At the time the nearest thing to a village hall was known as the Reading Room, situated next to High Rigg, which had been built in the 1890’s to house the Navvies building the Manchester Corporation Aquaduct. A new village hall was required and was built in 1981-87.
The first fell race was conceived by Ian Rooke, Dave Bayliss and Pete Bland as a race for the adults at the country fair, where the children’s sports were already popular. Just a handful of runners took part in the first race, but over the next couple of years, they honed the route and the race emerged in its current form in 1985. This is considered the first Official race and it has been run annually since then. This race helped to raise funds for the new Village Hall, then under construction. Runners were registered in the porch of the new hall – the only part that could be used at the time! The hall was completed during the year following.
Pete Bland was involved in the birth of the race and has supported and sponsored the race ever since. Pete Bland Sports supplies the numbers for all the runners and contributes to the prizes.
The junior races started in 1993 when a national race lost its venue and the Hutton Roof was able to supply a course. This has since continued. with classes for under 8 (Min age 6), under 10, under 12 under 14, under 16 and under 18s now being offered.
Ian Rooke was the race organiser every year up to 2003 when John Dickinson took over to allow Ian and Liz a holiday in May for the first time in almost 20 years!
The winner of the race receives the Sheepskin Warehouse Challenge Trophy, donated by Mark Birkbeck.
The second place runner receives the Will Ramsbotham Memorial Cup. Will was sadly killed in a climbing accident 2 weeks after coming second in the race in 1993. This obituary appeared in the Fellrunner in October 93.
Fell Race archives can be found at the bottom of this page.
2015 was the 30th anniversary race!
To our race sponsors and all others who have helped in any way through organisation, providing marquees, stands, running sideshows, baking and helping on the day. Thank you to you all.
P. Irving & Sons Ltd 
Country Fair Archives