The Fred Whitton Challenge is a charity
cyclosportive event held annually in the English
Lake District
The Lake District, also known as the Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes, forests, and mountains (or ''fells''), and its associations with William Wordswor ...
, in aid of
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support is one of the largest British charities and provides specialist health care, information and financial support to people affected by cancer. It also looks at the social, emotional and practical impact cancer can have, a ...
, Cumbria's air ambulances, the mountain rescue service and various youth cycling projects. It is held in memory of Fred Whitton, racing secretary of the Lakes Road Club, who died of
cancer at the age of 50 in 1998. The event started in 1999 and has been held every year since, except for 2001 and 2020 when it was cancelled due to the
foot-and-mouth epidemic and the
international COVID-19 pandemic respectively.
The event has raised over
£2,000,000 (two million pounds) and is Macmillan's biggest fundraiser in
Cumbria.
Starting and finishing in
Grasmere, the route is long, with elevation gain. 2,500 riders take part in the challenge. The route heads for
Ambleside, before crossing
Kirkstone Pass. It descends through
Glenridding, on the shore of
Ullswater, before heading for
Keswick. It then crosses
Honister Pass
Honister Pass is a mountain pass in the English Lake District. It is located on the B5289 road, linking Seatoller, in the valley of Borrowdale, to Gatesgarth at the southern end of Buttermere. The pass reaches an altitude of , making it one ...
, before reaching
Buttermere and climbing
Newlands Pass
The Newlands Pass, also known as Newlands Hause, is a mountain pass in the English Lake District. It is located on an unclassified road linking the Newlands Valley, to the west of Keswick and Derwent Water, with the village of Buttermere. Th ...
. From here, the route takes in
Whinlatter Pass
The Whinlatter Pass is a mountain pass in the English Lake District. It is located on the B5292 road linking Braithwaite, to the west of Keswick, with High Lorton to the south of Cockermouth.
To the north the pass is flanked by Whinlatte ...
out of
Braithwaite
Braithwaite is a village in the northern Lake District, in Cumbria, England. Historically in Cumberland, it lies just to the west of Keswick and to the east of the Grisedale Pike ridge, in the Borough of Allerdale. It forms part of the civ ...
. Riders then head south down the Western Lake District, including climbing
Cold Fell out of
Ennerdale Bridge
Ennerdale Bridge is a hamlet in the county of Cumbria, England. It is in the civil parish of Ennerdale and Kinniside. It had a total population taken at the 2011 census of 220.
Description
Ennerdale Bridge lies at the confluence of Croasdal ...
. Finally, the route turns eastward towards the finish, taking riders through
Eskdale, crossing the famous
Hardknott
Hard Knott is a fell in the English Lake District, at the head of Eskdale.
Geology
Rhyolitic lava-like tuff of the Bad Step Tuff forms the summit rocks with the dacitic lapilli-tuffs of the Lincomb Tarns Formation to the north west. Border en ...
and
Wrynose Passes (after almost of riding) and then past Blea Tarn, down through Langdale to the finish in Grasmere.
See also
*
Cyclosportive
*
Challenge riding
External links
The Fred Whitton ChallengeOfficial Website
MacMillan Cancer Support
References
{{reflist
Sport in Cumbria
Cyclosportives in the United Kingdom
Charity events in the United Kingdom
Lake District