History
Born on the Moor
Created by Holcombe Harriers and first raced in 2015, the Mountain Trial paired the fells above Ramsbottom with the road circuit that gave the race its name. Five editions were fought out to 2019. Then the moor went quiet — until now.
The first running
Thick early-morning fog cleared into sunshine, and the three leading men finished within 42 seconds. Joe Mercer took the inaugural title on the final climb to Peel Tower; Donna Edmondson Booker's winning 2:15:32 has never been beaten. Adam Robinson's 45:42 bike split still stands as the solo record.
The record run
Former World Duathlon Champion Harry Coates, racing on his birthday, led from the first climb and took nearly four minutes off the course record with 1:54:10. No solo has gone faster since. Forty-six solos and six relay teams raced.
Jackson's day
Mark Jackson paired the fastest bike of the day with a controlled final run to beat 2015 champion Joe Mercer. Donna Edmondson Booker was first woman home for the third consecutive edition.
The fastest day the moor has seen
Karl Gray's solo 1:54:30 missed Coates' record by twenty seconds — and still finished second on the day. Ahead of him, Marcus Preedy and Joshua Whitehead's relay stopped the clock at 1:53:42, the fastest time ever recorded on the course, built on a 43:50 bike leg at 37.0km/h that remains untouched.
The final original edition
Joe Mercer reclaimed the title he won at the first running — the only athlete to win it twice. Fifty-six raced; Karl Gray, Tony Nicholls and Mary White all set age-group records that stand today. Nobody knew it would be the last for seven years.
The Mountain Returns
On Sunday 27 September 2026 the Mountain Trial runs again — same moor, same circuit, same test. The records have waited seven years. Join the priority list to be first to hear when entries open.
Share your memory
Raced it, marshalled it, or watched from the Tower? We are gathering the race's story — photographs, results sheets, programmes and memories from 2015–2019. Submissions are reviewed before anything is published, and nothing is published without permission.