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Why We Run: Tales of Fell & Trail Running in the Lake District
Why do we run?
Why do fell- and trail-runners head into the toughest of landscapes on journeys of adventure, endurance, technical challenge and self-discovery?
In this visual celebration of two iconic mountain sports, photographer Danielle Ledbury talks with 28 athletes, from trailblazers like Joss Naylor and Steve Birkinshaw to those taking their first strides into the Cumbrian hills.
Their answers – often surprising, sometimes challenging, always candid – cover community, love, addiction, bereavement, passion, solitude, trauma, joy... and an abiding love of the Lake District.
Why do fell- and trail-runners head into the toughest of landscapes on journeys of adventure, endurance, technical challenge and self-discovery?
In this visual celebration of two iconic mountain sports, photographer Danielle Ledbury talks with 28 athletes, from trailblazers like Joss Naylor and Steve Birkinshaw to those taking their first strides into the Cumbrian hills.
Their answers – often surprising, sometimes challenging, always candid – cover community, love, addiction, bereavement, passion, solitude, trauma, joy... and an abiding love of the Lake District.
180 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 25, 2024
A beautiful book. Very well curated stories and accounts of fell running in Lakeland from everyday Cumbria-bound runners to legends of the sport. Magnificent photography that really captures both the beauty of the Lake District and the freedom of fell running. Inspiring stuff. I'll certainly re-read this in the months I can't get up to the Lakes to be amongst the fells myself.
June 22, 2026
I really enjoyed this book, the stories in it, the routes, the pictures and advice. Even if the advice wasn’t direct, I took it away as advice. I’m struggling with an injury at the moment and reading this has put into perspective that I will be able to run again, everything will still be there when I’m back. Patience.
It’s interesting to see people’s reasons to why they started running and what’s kept them going. I think overall there’s a common theme that everyone feels free.
I found some things relatable and will probably start asking more runners I know why they got in to it. Everyone’s story is different and it’s beautiful.
I think this was an easy read, everyone in the book has a few pages to tell their stories.
It was inspiring and there were some lovely pictures too.
It’s interesting to see people’s reasons to why they started running and what’s kept them going. I think overall there’s a common theme that everyone feels free.
I found some things relatable and will probably start asking more runners I know why they got in to it. Everyone’s story is different and it’s beautiful.
I think this was an easy read, everyone in the book has a few pages to tell their stories.
It was inspiring and there were some lovely pictures too.
March 16, 2026
A much appreciated birthday gift from my son but this is a nonsense of a book really. It's just total fluff, the sort of stuff that wouldn't make most magazine articles. Each runner is asked about the Fells and their story but there's nothing to it really other than a very surface level, 'I like running and I like the Lake District' vibe.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews