Cragg Runner Windy Hill

The course

What you’re in for

Twelve miles and more than 2,000 feet of climb from the Rams Head Inn above Denshaw on the third Sunday in February: fast downhill to Piethorne reservoir, out towards Hollingworth Lake and back at Rakewood, under and then over the M62 to Lydgate, up Blackstone Edge and along the Pennine Way to the layby by the Windy Hill mast, then down to Piethorne and the climb back to the pub. Three checkpoints. Paper map and traditional compass only — no digital navigation — with full waterproof cover, hat, gloves, whistle and spare clothing carried. Seventeen and over, cheap and cheerful in the organiser's words.

Terrain and trail

Moorland track and reservoir road, the gritstone and flagged path of Blackstone Edge, peat along the Pennine Way to the mast, and steep grassy sides between. February on the M62 watershed is as exposed as it sounds. A trail shoe with grip.

Train for it: routes near the start

Routes starting within 20 km of Rams Head Inn, Denshaw, nearest first. Each one has a free GPX file and a TRP grade, so you can rehearse the ground before race day.

HARD

Marsden 10 Mile Challenge

16.4km · 357m climb · Loop · 7.0km away

It is the whole of Marsden Moor in one loop - Wessenden, Standedge and the reservoir chain - on ground that carries centuries of packhorse and canal history, and you can run it door to door from the train.

HARD

Easter Gate, March Haigh and Black Moss Reservoirs

16.8km · 349m climb · Loop · 7.2km away

You string together three reservoirs and a stretch of the Pennine Way on quiet moor tracks, with the whole of Marsden Moor opening out around you and almost nobody else about.

VERY HARD

Rochdale Norden Moors and Watergrove Reservoir

19.5km · 390m climb · Loop · 9.6km away

Raw, atmospheric Pennine scenery at its most uncompromising- Walk a section of the historic Cotton Famine Road, hand-built in the 1860s by unemployed weavers- Big views west into Lancashire and east into Yorkshire from the ridgeline- Quieter than many Pennine routes - you will often have the moor to yourself

Checked Jul 2026

VERY HARD

Holme Moss to Snailsden and Britland Edge Hill

10.4km · 155m climb · Loop · 15km away

It packs a genuine sense of wilderness into ten kilometres - trackless peat, two rarely-visited tops and the huge radio mast of Holme Moss as your landmark all the way round.

HARD

Stairway to Heaven from Wessenden

13.8km · 342m climb · Loop · 15km away

The stepped pull out of Wessenden that gives the route its name delivers you straight onto the roof of the moor, with the whole reservoir valley dropping away behind you in one go.

HARD

Stoodley Pike from Hebden Bridge

12.5km · 300m climb · Loop · 15km away

You climb from a canal in the valley floor to a 37m stone monument on the moor edge, and the view back over Calderdale from the base of the Pike is worth every metre of the climb.

Checked Jul 2026

All South Pennines routes →

How to enter

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Common questions

How far is the Windy Hill?

The Windy Hill is one distance: 12 Mile (19.3 km).

How much climbing is in the Windy Hill?

The 12 Mile has 610 m of ascent.

How hard is the Windy Hill?

Not graded yet. A TRP grade is worked out from distance and climb measured off the course file, and there isn't one for the Windy Hill yet.

Is the Windy Hill course marked?

No. The Windy Hill is not a marked course. You are expected to navigate it yourself.

What kit do I need for the Windy Hill?

We don't hold a compulsory kit list for the Windy Hill. Cragg Runner confirm mandatory kit in their race information, usually in the final instructions.

What are the cut-offs for the Windy Hill?

We don't hold published time limits for the Windy Hill. If Cragg Runner set cut-offs, they'll be in the race information.

What is at the checkpoints on the Windy Hill?

We don't hold a checkpoint list for the Windy Hill. What's on the table varies a lot between races, so check the Cragg Runner race information rather than turning up expecting food.

Can I download the Windy Hill route?

Not yet — we don't hold a course file for the Windy Hill. Some organisers only send the GPX to entrants. If we get one, it goes up free, with no sign-up.

When is the next Windy Hill?

Sun, 21 Feb 2027. Entries open.