King of the Fells

2024 • Directed by

Seth Whitfield

Documentary

Joss Naylor, the shepherd with an unbeatable running record

Fell running is a demanding endurance sport and Joss Naylor ran with all his heart. Fuelled by apple cake and Guinness, the English sheep farmer from the Lake District, an idyllic part of north-west England, broke multiple long-distance running records. In 1971, he ran the fastest known time on Britain's National Three Peaks, a record that stands today; aged 50, he ran all 214 Wainwrights in seven days; when he turned 60, he ran 60 Lakeland fell tops in 36 hours; and at 70, he ran 70 fells. This short film details his modest approach to an almost unimaginable yet enduring challenge.