Sabrina Verjee asks Fell-Runners Association to wipe Wainwrights 'record'

Sabrina Verjee reaching the summit of Catbells, near Keswick. Credit: Chris Lines

A vet who became the first woman to summit all 214 Wainwrights back-to-back has asked for the Fell-Runners Association to wipe her efforts from the record book.

Sabrina Verjee completed the challenge in six days and 17 hours, but says her time would have been slower if supporters hadn't helped her on some of the descents.

Due to a knee injury, the 37-year-old said she had to run backwards down Carl Side to Dodd Wood, near Keswick, and needed two people to guide her.

Credit: Chris Lines

Sabrina wrote to a community of 37,000 fell-runners on Wednesday, she said: "There were a few more descents where I had to lean on my supporters and I think that this allowed me to descend far quicker than I would have on my own.

"I visited every summit and made the entire way on my own efforts with every step taken by myself, but having to lean on supporters to descend is not appropriate for taking a record.

"I certainly would not have tried to claim another’s record by using these methods.

"I completed the Wainwright’s round to my own satisfaction, but I do not wish my attempt to be ratified or acknowledged by the FRA or any other claiming some right to the Wainwrights.

"I do not claim any record for this achievement. However, I do look forward to taking on the challenge again in the future."


The challenge to complete all of Alfred Wainwright's fells become a popular tick list for walkers, but the first recorded continuous run was completed by Alan Heaton in 1985, in nine days and 16 hours.

Two years later, fell running legend Joss Naylor set a new record of seven days, one hour and 25 minutes.

That stood for 27 years, until Berghaus athlete Steve Birkinshaw knocked almost 12 hours off the time in 2014, when he completed his run in six days and 13 hours. Last summer, Paul Tierney, from Windermere, lowered the record by another seven hours.

Speaking to ITV Border on Tuesday, Sabrina said she will attempt to beat her time next May without any support.