Fred Whitton Challenge
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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 Challenge
Official Website
MacMillan Cancer Support


References

{{reflist Sport in Cumbria Cyclosportives in the United Kingdom Charity events in the United Kingdom Lake District