UKA Fell & Hill Relays 2026
Congratulations to all the clubs from Wales and the Borders who had teams competing in this year's UKA Fell & Hill Relays on 17th October in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. Here they share their experiences of taking part.
The Fell & Hill Relays take place annually and are an opportunity for clubs across the UK to come together and compete with hundreds of other fell runners. After being hosted by Clwb Rhedeg Meirionnydd Running Club in Eryri in 2025, the event moved up to West Yorkshire for 2026 and was hosted by Todmorden Harriers.
There were over 200 clubs and more than 1,200 runners in attendance taking part in four relay legs:
- Solo, AS
- Paired, AM
- Paired, navigation
- Solo, AS
Learn about the different race categories here.
On this sunny autumn day, runners tackled woodland, open moorland, bogs, tussocks and streams and were cheered on by crowds at the start and end of each leg. Thank you to Todmorden Harriers for their organisation of the event.
The clubs taking part from Wales and the Borders were Buckley Runners, Eryri Harriers, Rhedwyr Hebog Runners, Helsby Running Club, Clwb Rhedeg Meirionnydd Running Club, Mynydd Du, Mynyddwyr de Cymru (MDC), Mercia Fell Runners, Run Free Fell Runners, and Tattenhall Runners.
Buckley Runners
This is our 8th appearance at the fell relays going back to 2007 (when it came to our home Clwydian hills). Lots of us are 'one club men' with membership going back decades - a couple of us have been at all eight. We had a 'middle of the pack' finish this year! As always, it is a brilliant day out and we recovered with pints at the Summit Inn in Littleborough, a famous fell running pub and the starting point of the 59 year old 'Race you to the summit' fell race.
- Simon Roberts
Results: Vet 40 Men: 28/35
Eryri Harriers
Bethan Billington was our youngest runner and a first-time runner in the Relays. She said she'd never been in such a big start. She did fantastically well finishing 21st woman in her leg. We were pleased with our placings for both our teams.
- Mary Gillie
Results: Open Men: 38/64 | Open Women: 19/51
Helsby Running Club
Helsby 'Felsby' ladies slipped and scrambled up from the bottom of the course and raced with effort and smiles in the sunshine - and had a great day out.
- Rachel Arnold
Results: Open Women: 44/51
Clwb Rhedeg Meirionnydd Running Club
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It was a fantastic day representing Clwb Rhedeg Meirionnydd at the UKA British Fell & Hill Relays. We were really pleased to have two teams competing this year, with our Open team finishing 45th and our V45 team finishing 105th. The relays are always a brilliant event, and it was great to see so many of the best fell runners and clubs from across the country coming together. There’s a real team atmosphere to the relays that you don’t always get at individual races, and it was great to see our runners supporting each other and enjoying the day. For a small club from Meirionnydd, being able to put two teams on the start line at a British Championship is something we’re proud of. Everyone gave it everything on the hills and we couldn’t have asked for more from the teams. A big thank you to everyone involved in organising the event and to all the clubs and runners who made it such a great weekend. Days like this are exactly why we love fell running!
- Tristan Evans
Results: Open Men: 35/64 | Vet 40 Men: 27/35
Mynydd Du
A year after joining the club at last year's Relays, it was a nice full-circle moment to be running Leg 4 in Todmorden this year. Not the hardest route for some, but I found the uphill tough and could have done without the 'steps of doom,' but I loved the bog and downhill! I really enjoyed being part of the team and am grateful to be included despite not being the quickest or most experienced runner. The atmosphere was lovely with everyone staying until the end to cheer on the last runners—even if there weren't many of them behind me! All three of our teams were absolutely fabulous. It was such a great day out, and the free hog roast at the end was pretty good too.
- Lottie Milner, leg 4
What makes a massive group of people get together in a field to race each other up and down hills all day? Trophies, prizes? Maybe for some, but for most it is getting in the outdoors for a little slice of adventure with some like-minded folks. And so it was, at the British fell relays, for 18 intrepid adventurers (and various extra family members and dogs) from this fine club (pronounced "Em-Why-Enn-Dee-Dee-Du" on the race commentary). Fantastic day, would honestly recommend to everyone in the club, onwards to The Lakes next year anyone? (Yes is the correct answer). Thanks to all who participated, spectated, supported and organised!
- Steve Hepton, men's team captain and navigation leg
Results: Open Men: 44/64 | Open Women: 27/51 | Vet 40 Men: 20/35
Mynyddwyr de Cymru (MDC)
It was great to go to the Fell Relays with the Mynyddwyr de Cymru (MDC) men's and women's team and watch them do so well. It was really fun cheering them in and out of each leg! I love that we're such a range of ages on the teams too. It was only my second ever fell race and I had an amazing time. My favourite bit was being in charge of the dibber for the navigation on leg 3, getting to go across the stream and go down into the corner of the field and generally having an awesome time. I was very lucky to be paired up with the indominable Alice Bedwell who got me through the navigational element of the course in style! Huge thank you to everyone who organised the day and all the volunteers on the course.
- Susie Ventris-Field, leg 3
Results: Open Men: 47/64 | Open Women: 26/51
Run Free Fell Runners
This year sees the 5th consecutive year that Run Free Fell Runners have represented the club at the Fell Relays. Newcomer Joe Morris dipped his toe in the water (or was it the bog) starting the team off in leg 1, Dan and Dave (leg 2) followed by Stu and Tom (nav) have all participated over the last 5 years, finishing the team in leg 4 was Chris Palmer, whilst not new to the club he was running the relays for the first time. Whilst the club were successful in being offered a women's team, we sadly struggled to pull together a team by the cut-off date. The club feel the relays are a really well-run event held in some beautiful locations and are humbled to be offered places to enter against some of the more prestige clubs in the UK. Overall, the weekend was thoroughly enjoyed by both the team and the supporters that came along from the club.
- Run Free Fell Runners team
Results: Open Men: 51/64
Tattenhall Runners
Really proud of the whole Tattenhall Runners team that took part in the National Fell Relays. Six runners, Anna taking part in her first fell relays, four tough legs, several thousand feet of climbing, lots of tough tussocky and boggy ground to run over, usual amount of navigational anxiety. Everyone gave everything and nobody left on the fells overnight, even Nick Holmes found his way home. That's what I call a successful Tattenhall Runners day out.
- Simon Duckett, team captain
Results: Open Men: 64/64
Rhedwyr Hebog Runners results: Open Men: 42/64
Mercia Fell Runners results: Open Men: 19/64 | Open Women: 9/51 | Vet 40 Men: 6/35 | Vet 50 Men: 6/10 | Vet 60 Open: 2/9