CUMBRIAN runners club travelled over the border to compete in the challenging Carnethy 5 Hill Race, also known as 'one of Scotland’s biggest hill races,' and one South Lakeland fell running team returned home clutching the much-sought Carnethy 5 Hill Race Claymore.

The large sword is given to the top-placed team in the 9.1km race from Penicuik. With nearly 500 runners competing the race starts and finishes on the site of The Battle of Roslin, one of the most important battles of the First War of Scottish Independence.

Ambleside AC runner Matthew Elkington was the first runner from Cumbria to return and came in third place with a time of 51:25. The first female to cross the line was also an Ambleside runner Sarah McCormack with a time of 1:01:37 and hot on her heels were Helm Hill Runners Sharon Taylor (1:01:38) in second and Hannah Russell (1:02:40) in third place.

Helm Hill runners came first overall in the Ladies teams rankings and so were able to take the much-coveted sword back home.

In the men's Ambleside AC just missed out on third place with Helm Hill just behind them in 5th.

In Kendal Winter League the runners took on the notorious difficult race Barbondale- a relentless straight line up the steep fell and back down. Helm Hill runner Rob Jebb was the first man back (20:52) with fellow Helm Hill runner hot on his heels Josh Hardine (21:38) and John Helme from Ambleside was the third to cross the line.

With a time of 26:54 Joanna Rycroft from Helm Hill was the first female back with Catherine Niblock (27:49) also from Helm Hill coming in close second and unattached Kaisleigh Atkinson following suite in third (28:12).