Women urged to conquer 'self-doubt' running fells

Mountain rescue groups urge walkers and fell runners to learn navigation with a compass and map

A woman who began fell running two decades ago is urging women to overcome "self-doubt" and take up the challenge.

Fran Blackett, 43, has completed the Lake District Mountain Trail, a navigation race over challenging terrain, six times, but says women make up only a small number of participants.

In 2022, fed up with being one of only four women in her fell running club in County Durham, she completed a running qualification and now organises female-only sessions.

Ms Blackett said: "I want to give women the freedom, independence and confidence to go out into the hills, be it the Pennines, the Lake District or the Cheviots."

Fell runners are expected to possess mountain navigation skills and carry adequate survival equipment

Ms Blackett discovered fell running when she met her husband Andy.

"I'd always walked in the hills but never considered running but I did my first fell race in 2013 and it was so much fun," she said.

"In 1952 the Lake District Mountain Trail admitted women for the first time and in 2024 there were 129 entrants and just 31 were women, so it's still a small proportion.

"The reasons women don't take part are complex, but a lot of women have a lot of self-doubt," she said.

Fran Blackett would like to see more women compete in fell racing

Ms Blackett, who lives near Bishop Auckland, is a member of Durham Fell Runners which has seen female membership increase from 12% to 45% since she began her free, female-only nights.

She has also launched a programme called Run like a Haggis with navigation courses in Hamsterley Forest, County Durham.

"You can't always rely on a phone because you might not have a signal or charge, but if you know how to use a map and a compass you can't go wrong," she said.

"I am so passionate about breaking down barriers and provide women with the knowledge and skills to go out exploring," she added.

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