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There is no Map in Hell: The record-breaking run across the Lake District fells
In 1986, the legendary fell runner Joss Naylor completed a continuous circuit of all 214 Wainwright fells in the Lake District, covering a staggering distance of over 300 miles - plus many thousands of metres of ascent - in only seven days and one hour.
Those in the know thought that this record would never be beaten. It is the ultimate British ultramarathon. The person taking on this superhuman challenge would have to be willing to push harder and suffer more than ever before. There is no Map in Hell tells the story of a man willing to do just that.
In 2014, Steve Birkinshaw made an attempt at setting a new record. With a background of nearly forty years of running elite orienteering races and extreme-distance fell running over the toughest terrain, if he couldn't do it, surely no one could. But the Wainwrights challenge is in a different aspirants need to complete two marathons and over 5,000 metres of ascent every day for a week.
With a foreword by Joss Naylor, There is no Map in Hell recounts Birkinshaw's preparation, training and mile-by-mile experience of the extraordinary and sometimes hellish demands he made of his mind and body, and the physiological aftermath of such a feat. His deep love of the fells, phenomenal strength and tenacity are awe inspiring, and testimony to athletes and onlookers alike that 'in order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd'.
Those in the know thought that this record would never be beaten. It is the ultimate British ultramarathon. The person taking on this superhuman challenge would have to be willing to push harder and suffer more than ever before. There is no Map in Hell tells the story of a man willing to do just that.
In 2014, Steve Birkinshaw made an attempt at setting a new record. With a background of nearly forty years of running elite orienteering races and extreme-distance fell running over the toughest terrain, if he couldn't do it, surely no one could. But the Wainwrights challenge is in a different aspirants need to complete two marathons and over 5,000 metres of ascent every day for a week.
With a foreword by Joss Naylor, There is no Map in Hell recounts Birkinshaw's preparation, training and mile-by-mile experience of the extraordinary and sometimes hellish demands he made of his mind and body, and the physiological aftermath of such a feat. His deep love of the fells, phenomenal strength and tenacity are awe inspiring, and testimony to athletes and onlookers alike that 'in order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd'.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2017
53 people are currently reading
288 people want to read
About the author
Steve Birkinshaw
1 book2 followersSteve Birkinshaw is a legend within the fell running and ultrarunning communities, both for the extreme distances he can run in the roughest terrain and his ability to push himself to the absolute limit. Born in 1968, he began orienteering by himself at the age of seven. Since then his enthusiasm for running has never diminished, and over forty years later he is still happiest running with a map and compass through bogs and rocks in the wind and rain. He was won many fell races, adventure races and orienteering events, including over twenty wins in the elite class at mountain marathons and victories at the Lakeland 100 and the Dragon's Back Race - the legendary five-day, 300-kilometre run along the mountainous spine of Wales. Steve works for Newcastle University as a hydrologist and has been married to Emma Moody for the past twenty years. They have three children and live near Keswick in the Lake District.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
April 6, 2018
The record of an achievement that non-runners will marvel at, and runners, particularly Fell Runners will also marvel at (but have at least a grounding as to what he is talking about)...
Fell runners are funny folk and Steve Birkinshaw is no exception, but he is also an athlete of an incredibly high standard in a sport which consciously keeps it's reputation under the radar. Joss Naylor, Billy Bland, Nicky Spinks, Jasmin Paris may not be household names, but they have achieved athletic achievements as impressive as Mo Farrar, Usain Bolt or, even leaving athletics altogether, Chris Froome - or anyone else you care to mention. Add to that list Steve Birkinshaw. who's record Wainwrights run will take some beating.
What you get here is a quick history of how he got to the standard he was at (an impressive list of race wins under his belt), how he decided to take on this challenge, and then a day by day report of the 7 days of running from not just Steve's perspective, but many other support team members, family, supporters and runners. It often concentrates on the rest periods, as these as these would involve the pain and suffering as he stopped and then started off again, his body screaming all the way. The fells he covers with line choices and last minute route changes, but this is where he was happiest and in many ways there is less to say.
The final chapters cover the after effects and how his body and mind have been affected by this run, which again brings home some reality.
Add this to Feet In The Clouds, The Round and It's A Hill Get Over It as an essential Fell Running book...for all runners
Fell runners are funny folk and Steve Birkinshaw is no exception, but he is also an athlete of an incredibly high standard in a sport which consciously keeps it's reputation under the radar. Joss Naylor, Billy Bland, Nicky Spinks, Jasmin Paris may not be household names, but they have achieved athletic achievements as impressive as Mo Farrar, Usain Bolt or, even leaving athletics altogether, Chris Froome - or anyone else you care to mention. Add to that list Steve Birkinshaw. who's record Wainwrights run will take some beating.
What you get here is a quick history of how he got to the standard he was at (an impressive list of race wins under his belt), how he decided to take on this challenge, and then a day by day report of the 7 days of running from not just Steve's perspective, but many other support team members, family, supporters and runners. It often concentrates on the rest periods, as these as these would involve the pain and suffering as he stopped and then started off again, his body screaming all the way. The fells he covers with line choices and last minute route changes, but this is where he was happiest and in many ways there is less to say.
The final chapters cover the after effects and how his body and mind have been affected by this run, which again brings home some reality.
Add this to Feet In The Clouds, The Round and It's A Hill Get Over It as an essential Fell Running book...for all runners
December 23, 2023
2.5 stars
Ow, my feet have multiple pus filled blisters
Ow, my bowels aren't working properly
Oh god, I just vomited up everything I managed to force down
Ow, my knees feel like they're on fire and crumbling
Ow, my hips feel like they've been run over by a truck
Oh god, I need to sleep but I'm wired on caffeine
This is the story of the 214 peaks challenge by fell runner Steve Birkinshaw! I'm not taking away from the story as I have the greatest respect and awe for fell runners, but the writing here was clunky and repetitive. Feet in the Clouds: A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession is probably a superior book in the field of fell running based on its more streamlined and engaging writing style. Big up to Steve for what he accomplished but I'm guessing those outside of the field of running or endurance sports might find this boring after a chapter or two.
Ow, my feet have multiple pus filled blisters
Ow, my bowels aren't working properly
Oh god, I just vomited up everything I managed to force down
Ow, my knees feel like they're on fire and crumbling
Ow, my hips feel like they've been run over by a truck
Oh god, I need to sleep but I'm wired on caffeine
This is the story of the 214 peaks challenge by fell runner Steve Birkinshaw! I'm not taking away from the story as I have the greatest respect and awe for fell runners, but the writing here was clunky and repetitive. Feet in the Clouds: A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession is probably a superior book in the field of fell running based on its more streamlined and engaging writing style. Big up to Steve for what he accomplished but I'm guessing those outside of the field of running or endurance sports might find this boring after a chapter or two.
May 2, 2020
What a book! I felt like I was on Steve’s epic adventure with him. Just wow! I’m feeling very inspired after reading this about just how capable and strong the human body really is.
November 6, 2020
Only quibble is that I would have liked it to have been longer and heard more stories about his orienteering days. But for the majority this would probably be boring and not that relevant to the Wainwright attempt.
July 24, 2021
What an incredible achievement
April 10, 2019
This well written book describes the amazing effort to run all the Wainwrights by Steve Birkinshaw. This involves running up 214 peaks in the Lake District, as described in Alfred Wainwright's seminal guidebooks. Only three other runners have attempted this over continuous days so Steve Birkinshaw was determined to break Joss Naylor's record of just over 7 days. The book describes the author's build up to this event followed by a description of a truly gruelling run, which must be getting close to the limit of human suffering. Beautifully written and a real page turner, I'd recommend this to anyone with an interest in the Lake District.
October 7, 2019
For everyone interested in running
Brilliant story from Steve Birkinshaw that goes from his youth to the months after setting the record.
As a road runner with little experience in trail running and absolutely no experience in fell running, I found this book very inspirational and easy to read. I could feel his pain reading his words and I have a huge amount of respect for him.
I am not even familiar with the Lake District area but I now feel I want to go there and do some hiking on some Wrainwrights. A book for everyone interested in running.
Brilliant story from Steve Birkinshaw that goes from his youth to the months after setting the record.
As a road runner with little experience in trail running and absolutely no experience in fell running, I found this book very inspirational and easy to read. I could feel his pain reading his words and I have a huge amount of respect for him.
I am not even familiar with the Lake District area but I now feel I want to go there and do some hiking on some Wrainwrights. A book for everyone interested in running.
December 16, 2019
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed reading this account and what he achieved was amazing and inspiring...however, I found the writing style rather bland and almost child-like. It felt more like a extended blog. He does mention how difficult he found putting his feelings about the experience into words which for me is a fundemental flaw in the book. I would however recommend it to anyone with an interest in long distance running and specifically fell running.
September 8, 2021
An interesting read regarding the records that the writer did in the Lake District fells, but as others have noticed the writing is a bit stiff and more like a diary (which is what is more or less). The story is there but it requires a little bit better writing, hence the three stars.
February 20, 2019
The build-up to the run was an interesting read; once he started running it was much the same: he's in pain, he can't sleep and he hates midges.
July 12, 2021
it just didn't work for me. this ultra simplistic style, short sentences, stating the obvious again and again. sorry but no
September 30, 2019
This guy is phenomenal and I really enjoyed reading his account of this frankly insane achievement! I dabble in a bit of (road) running and have a couple of London marathons under my belt, plus I’ve (walked!) up Scafell Pike, Catbells and a few others, but this is a different league... next time I complain of sore feet or toes from running I will think of Steve and all he endured to get to the end of his awesome goal and journey over the Wainwrights. I need another trip to Keswick, lol!
May 27, 2025
While useful if you're planning on taking on the Wainwrights as a single FKT, the account feels a bit lifeless and lacks an emotional depth you hope to find in stories like this. Obviously, it goes without saying that Steve's record here is exceptional.
You get a play-by-play of each section here but I have no idea 'who Steve is' from a human standpoint. Would love a future read written by a writer shadowing them for a while.
You get a play-by-play of each section here but I have no idea 'who Steve is' from a human standpoint. Would love a future read written by a writer shadowing them for a while.
September 3, 2019
WOW
It took me five years to complete the Wainwrights (living 5 hours away meant I couldn't just get out in the fells) so to do it in 7 days is ABSOLUTELY amazing. I enjoyed every moment of Steve's run, especially sitting here reading from my armchair! His story took me back to the fells which I also love.
Well done, keep running, an inspiring lovely story.
It took me five years to complete the Wainwrights (living 5 hours away meant I couldn't just get out in the fells) so to do it in 7 days is ABSOLUTELY amazing. I enjoyed every moment of Steve's run, especially sitting here reading from my armchair! His story took me back to the fells which I also love.
Well done, keep running, an inspiring lovely story.
January 5, 2018
A good read that is well written with a balance of aspects from planning to the event itself and post run aspects that kept the interest level high. Highly recommended to both runners and non runners.
November 2, 2019
Inspirational
If you love running and endurance achievements this book is for you. Well written, it captures the joy and pain of endurance running. Steve's achievement is incredible and you get a real insight into how journey.
If you love running and endurance achievements this book is for you. Well written, it captures the joy and pain of endurance running. Steve's achievement is incredible and you get a real insight into how journey.
January 26, 2020
It reminded me of 'The Ascent of Rum Doodle by A W Bowman'. Steve offers an insight into his life and motivation to achieve this run that is honest and appealing.
The Ascent Of Rum Doodle http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16...
The Ascent Of Rum Doodle http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16...
January 12, 2022
I would say inspirational, but the account of this run is so out there that unless you have superhuman mental and physical strength, you just sit and read in awe. A great read with several different perspectives incorporated in to the narrative.
August 9, 2025
I just love this sort of stuff but this one really captures the enormity of the physical, psychological and physiological demands made by the continuous running of the 214 Lakeland Peaks ('Wainwrights').
June 26, 2017
Amazing reading
Steve did amazing what an achievement and raising money for ms it's true if you want to challenge yourself just go out there and do it
Steve did amazing what an achievement and raising money for ms it's true if you want to challenge yourself just go out there and do it
September 2, 2017
Very modest, very raw and above all an excellent achievement.
January 20, 2019
An incredible read of what these athletes achieve. A poignant read just when Yasmin Paris (supported Steve on his run) beat the Spine Race record by 12hrs!
June 8, 2019
The writing is really poor and all I, I, I, really dry and lifeless. No bigger picture. I gave it a pass for the intro but 1/3 of the book in it got no better so I gave up.
October 19, 2019
Really good account of running every Wainwright, amazing achievement, can't help but feel I'd have got more out of the book if I was more familiar with the area though.
October 25, 2019
Not the best written book, but an incredible ultra-runner writing about his biggest running challenge. And no, I'm not even tempted in the slightest to attempt it.
November 10, 2019
Loved it. An achievement beyond words. The book summarized it well.
December 20, 2019
Inspirational stuff! Wish I could do even one tenth of what this guy can do - still very enjoyable read.
Bravo Steve!
Bravo Steve!
October 12, 2020
Absorbing and enjoyable account of Birkenshaw's fell-running progress from young orienteering participant to record breaking ultra-running feats.
October 19, 2020
Absolutely fantastic! Devoured it in one sitting. It just makes you want to get out and run!
October 28, 2020
This book manages to highlight how much of a team sport ultra running can be; and convince me not to try anything on this sort of scale!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews