Uncle Tom Cobley Novelty Race
The annual Uncle Tom Cobley Novelty Race is a downhill scramble over rugged moorland evading brambles, man-high bracken, barbed wire fences and the odd inquisitive pony. Competitors are driven to an undisclosed location somewhere upon the hills overlooking Widecombe village, then required to get back to the fair field as fast as possible without the use of roads, footpaths or bridleways.
Participants can enter on fair day itself by finding us in the Committee tent (near the Main Ring) any time before 2pm. You’ll need to sign a disclaimer, pay the entry fee then you’ll receive your bib ready for the run!
See the starting line-up for the 2026 race, courtesy of Alec Collyer of Dartmoor Search & Rescue:
…and here’s the whole race as filmed with a head-mounted action camera by yours truly…
