Mary Towneley Loop

The Mary Towneley Loop is a 47-mile (76 km) circular route that forms part of the Pennine Bridleway National Trail, along the borders of Lancashire and Yorkshire.

[1] 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.

The trail then passes through the town of Waterfoot in the Rossendale Valley and follows new tracks via Lumb before entering the Cliviger Gorge and then climbing up to the Long Causeway.

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.