The second Tuesday in September sees one of Devon’s more unusual sporting traditions take place.
Widecombe Fair is host to the annual Uncle Tom Cobley Downhill Race, a fastest-first scramble set in the Dartmoor village of Widecombe-in-the-Moor.
The competition involves competitors being taken to an unknown starting point at the top of Widecombe Hill and racing to the fair-field in the village, taking the shortest route possible.
Organisers describe the race as “not for the faint-hearted” due to the route often involving participants having to run through dense gorse bushes, bogs and over hedges.
Widecombe Fair started more than 170 years ago, with a cattle show, a sheep sale and an old folk song – telling the story of “Uncle Tom Cobley and all”.
As per the running event rules, racers are not allowed to use roads, footpaths or bridleways during their descent.
Previous participant Jim Thurston, said it was “not quite as dramatic as some of those cheese rolling events” but people had sprained ankles in the past.
“You’re generally taken up in some very uncomfortable Land Rovers, you’re not quite blindfolded but you might as well be.
“They’ll choose a spot up on the top of the hill, throw you out and the object is just to make it back to the fair field as fast as possible.
“I’ve been through fields chased by stallions at the same time as trying to get over a barbed wire fence – that’s always fun.”
Mr Thurston said about 50 people could take part in the event, but anticipated numbers would be fewer for 2025 because the “weather could be a bit nasty”.
“I’m involved in the [Widecombe Fair] website so I’ve had a lot of contact from various people around the world.
“We’ve got people coming from all over the place, it seems mostly to take part in this run, its fame precedes it somewhat.”
