Mary Towneley Loop
53°42′14″N 1°13′59″W / 53.704°N 1.233°W
The Mary Towneley Loop is a 47-mile (76 km) circular route that forms part of the
It is named in memory of Mary, Lady Towneley, who drew attention to the poor state of England's bridleways and the need for a long-distance route for horse-riders by riding with two friends in September 1986 from Hexham in Northumberland to Ashbourne in Derbyshire. She died in 2001.
The route joins the main Pennine Bridleway at two points, one near the village of
An annual relay race, organized by Rossendale Harriers, took place in late January or early February until 2011. Teams consisting of five pairs of runners race over five relay legs completed the entire 47 miles and 6,400 feet of ascent of the loop, clockwise from Fearns Sports College in Stacksteads. The last race in 2011 took place on 30 January and hosted 109 teams, 1,090 individual runners from clubs across the north of England, and was won by Salford Harriers.[2]
References
- ^ "Pennine Bridleway. About the Trail: What is the Pennine Bridleway?". National Trails. Retrieved 25 September 2014.
- ^ "2011 Pennine Bridleway Relay Results" (PDF). Fellrunner.org. Retrieved 9 June 2020.
External links
Media related to Mary Towneley Loop at Wikimedia Commons
- National Trails leaflet
- Ian Donohoe: The Mary Towneley Loop - a Mountain Biker's View
- Pennine Bridleway Relay Results on Fellrunner.org
- 2007 Pennine Bridleway Relay Results
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