jjb21's review
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
1.0
Did not finish. Some inspirational/interesting content. But mostly just a list of names (primarily focused on the men only) and their races won
livlaw's review
adventurous
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
3.75
This was a pretty fun read! I wish there was less data and numbers and more stories. It was super male focused which was frustrating at times, but it did inspire me to look into some fell races for next year!
spav's review against another edition
3.0
This book accomplished what I was looking for. Even though its many inaccuracies, not standing well the pass of time and even the misogynistic twitches (all of them pointed at and apologized for by the author in the 2021 epilogue), the book has driven me more decisively to get (even more) out there, running and being alone in the woods.
If there is something that connects this book with stoic teachings is that it is not but through struggle (physical or emotional) that you can better appreciate beauty.
If there is something that connects this book with stoic teachings is that it is not but through struggle (physical or emotional) that you can better appreciate beauty.
sharondblk's review against another edition
3.0
I'm glad I read this, but it was also very frustrating. At his best Richard Askwith is entertaining and informative. At his worst he is repetitious and some of this book reads like a list. Was is frustrating as that he is not a social commentator. While he touches on issues such as gender, class, incomers, the south / north divide, he doesn't explore these issues. He also presents contradictory fears - that fell running will die out, that it will become too popular, that no one who didn't spend their youths running around the fells can do it despite the fact that he didn't take to the fells until his 30s. It's worth reading anyway for his passion, and the parts that focus on his own fell running experiences.
gmoose's review
4.0
This was a really pleasant read. I knew nothing at all about fell running before this. Particulary interesting were the chapters about individual "legendary" fell runners, descriptions of actual races run by the author, and the chapter about the infuriating former professional vs. amateur distinctions. While the lists of fell running race results and race winners couldn't possibly be interesting to anyone except a niche audience, the rest of the book was quite good. It did convince me that I never want to try fell running though! I am sure I would injure myself and/or get lost quite quickly, if not immediately.
timmetcalfe's review
2.0
The opening chapters are gripping, but unfortunately, unless you are very familiar with the people involved and the places where the runs take place, the book begins to plod and then drag (at least it did for me). What I think Askwith lacks, which McDougall does well, is a central narrative with enough tension to keep the historical diversions interesting. The men and women involved don't bounce off the page as they do with other runner-writers. Perhaps this is because they are not the most interesting characters, focussed as they are on their sport, or because of Askwith's writing, I can't tell.
finallywakingup's review
I was really interested in reading this book as there is fell running around where I live in Northumberland, but that's not really covered in this book as it's mainly about The Lakes. I found the history exhausting, I wanted to read more about the running and challenge and endurance but couldn't keep fighting through the stats and different organisations being formed and combined and on and on so I won't be finishing it sadly, watching the runners coming in from a race is far more inspiring!
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