Cumberland Fell Runners

Go! and down the hill they charge,
Within the blink of an eye they are gone,
Tearing down the fell side steep,
Spurring each other on

The wiser runners take a pull,
Leaving the rewards for the crazy ones
While I stand on the hill-top watching,
With the old, young, and lazy ones,

On reaching the valley floor,
Old Latterbarrow looks even steeper,
Regardless, the pacemakers thrash in,
As the river bed gets deeper,

Perched on yonder bank,
A tin horn hangs from a pole
And the leading ladies and gents,
Clamber towards their goal,

Then “honk honk” blares out loudly
From the mouth of the old tin horn
And this years “Riverman” winner
Has certainly earned his corn

The first lady on to the far bank,
Groaned, her legs had “give her hell”
But ample reward will come later
When she’s crowned this years “Riverbelle”

For most folks the race is enough,
Who wants to risk life and limb?
By hurtling down a fell side?
And diving into the swim?

But the attraction of becoming the Riverman,
Or his bride for a day, the Belle,
Means that normally sensible folk
Will rocket down off old Swarth Fell!

The race is on 29th May this year,
Come and join our happy group,
And tell your friends you’ve beaten,
The Latterbarrow loop.