• Contact us
  • About us
  • Digital edition
  • Online archive
Sunday, July 27, 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Arrest following violent disorder in Pooley Bridge

    Arrest following violent disorder in Pooley Bridge

    Work starts on multi-use games area in Penrith

    Work starts on multi-use games area in Penrith

    Penrith businessman bitten by dog

    Penrith businessman bitten by dog

    End of road for Cumbria Classic Coaches after 28 years

    End of road for Cumbria Classic Coaches after 28 years

    Farm diversification project set to blossom

    Farm diversification project set to blossom

    71-year-old cyclist gets on his bike to Rome

    71-year-old cyclist gets on his bike to Rome

    Appleby car park and road to close for flood work

    Appleby car park and road to close for flood work

    Road closure plans for essential bridge repairs

    Road closure plans for essential bridge repairs

    Penrith drug dealer jailed

    Penrith drug dealer jailed

  • Sport
    Teen golfer George Curry lines up with world’s best players

    Teen golfer George Curry lines up with world’s best players

    Ullswater Community College footballers make history

    Ullswater Community College footballers make history

    New management set to lead Appleby Football Club

    New management set to lead Appleby Football Club

    Success for fighting squad

    Success for fighting squad

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
  • News
    Arrest following violent disorder in Pooley Bridge

    Arrest following violent disorder in Pooley Bridge

    Work starts on multi-use games area in Penrith

    Work starts on multi-use games area in Penrith

    Penrith businessman bitten by dog

    Penrith businessman bitten by dog

    End of road for Cumbria Classic Coaches after 28 years

    End of road for Cumbria Classic Coaches after 28 years

    Farm diversification project set to blossom

    Farm diversification project set to blossom

    71-year-old cyclist gets on his bike to Rome

    71-year-old cyclist gets on his bike to Rome

    Appleby car park and road to close for flood work

    Appleby car park and road to close for flood work

    Road closure plans for essential bridge repairs

    Road closure plans for essential bridge repairs

    Penrith drug dealer jailed

    Penrith drug dealer jailed

  • Sport
    Teen golfer George Curry lines up with world’s best players

    Teen golfer George Curry lines up with world’s best players

    Ullswater Community College footballers make history

    Ullswater Community College footballers make history

    New management set to lead Appleby Football Club

    New management set to lead Appleby Football Club

    Success for fighting squad

    Success for fighting squad

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    Penrith skipper Nicky Burns calls on team to keep winning

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    £100,000 target for new changing rooms extension

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Medal success for Upper Eden tug-of-war team

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Eden man competes in Hyrox World Games

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

    Double national triumph for Stuart Robinson

  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • Buy Photos
  • Buy your paper
  • North Lakes Living
No Result
View All Result
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald
No Result
View All Result
Home Latest

Pete Bland, one of Cumbria’s best known sportsmen, dies 21 days after positive test for COVID-19

by CWH
4 December 2020
in Latest, Obituaries
A A
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Pete Bland

One of the Lake District’s best-known sporting personalities, fell runner and former manager of the England fell and mountain running team, Pete Bland, has died 21 days after testing positive for COVID-19.

Family members said Mr Bland, who ran a sports shop in Kirkland, Kendal, for many years, and was a familiar figure at Lakeland races with his van, tested positive on 7th November and was admitted to hospital on the 16th.

“He fought so hard, but the virus showed him no mercy and he passed on the 28th,” said a statement on their behalf.

Pete Bland, who was born in Windermere and lived at nearby Staveley, was a regular on the professional fell racing circuit in his younger days.

He became a guides racer in 1954 at the age of 13 after having done well in cross-country at school.

The following year he was involved in a motorcycle accident which resulted in a double compound fracture of his left leg.

This curtailed his athletics career for a while and was the cause of injury problems for years afterwards.

His earliest success was in 1954 when he was second in the under-14 guide race at Ambleside Sports, and this was also the scene of his most memorable performance as a professional when, in 1968, he won the senior guides race at his ninth attempt.

Pete competed at most of the Lakeland sports events and was recently made a life member of Ambleside Sports in recognition of his contribution to the event.

Ambleside was one of his favourite sports meetings, along with Grasmere, Sedbergh and Alva.

Pete won 21 races in all but was never successful at Grasmere, although he did finish second to Bill Teasdale in 1961 and was always in the first half-dozen finishers from 1960 onwards, including three third placings.

He regularly commentated on the guides races at Grasmere Sports.

When the sport became open and the old professional and amateur distinction was swept away, Pete was a regular competitor.

He enjoyed competing in some of the longer distance events such as the Vaux Mountain Trial and Karrimor Two-Day Marathon.

In 1967 he also became interested in orienteering and joined the Lakeland Orienteering Club.

He also competed in cycling for Kent Valley RC in both road and cyclocross events.

Pete devoted most of his life to family and running. He enjoyed a long running career on the Lake District fells before turning his attention towards helping other runners, and his business sponsored up-and-coming and established athletes.

He organised the Kentmere race for 40 years along with other events, including the Rydal Round. As well as his role as England team manager for 10 years, he served for a long time on the committee of the Fell Runners’ Association.

He is survived by wife Anne, children Louise and Matt, son and daughter-in-law Glen and Tracey, and three grandchildren, and leaves behind a host of friends forged in the running community.

Ross Brewster got to know Pete during his early days as a reporter.

He said: “He always enjoyed chatting about running and usually finished in the first two or three places in the fell races so I must have interviewed him dozens of times.”

Related Posts

Arrest following violent disorder in Pooley Bridge
Latest

Arrest following violent disorder in Pooley Bridge

26 July 2025
Work starts on multi-use games area in Penrith
Latest

Work starts on multi-use games area in Penrith

26 July 2025
Geoff Truckle played pivotal role in village life
Obituaries

Geoff Truckle played pivotal role in village life

25 July 2025
End of road for Cumbria Classic Coaches after 28 years
Latest

End of road for Cumbria Classic Coaches after 28 years

25 July 2025
Penrith drug dealer jailed
Latest

Penrith drug dealer jailed

22 July 2025
Man who damaged Penrith’s Paddington Bear appears in court
Latest

Man who damaged Penrith’s Paddington Bear appears in court

22 July 2025
No Result
View All Result

Stay connected

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Most popular

Penrith businessman bitten by dog

Penrith businessman bitten by dog

25 July 2025
End of road for Cumbria Classic Coaches after 28 years

End of road for Cumbria Classic Coaches after 28 years

25 July 2025
Man who damaged Penrith’s Paddington Bear appears in court

Man who damaged Penrith’s Paddington Bear appears in court

22 July 2025
Penrith drug dealer jailed

Penrith drug dealer jailed

22 July 2025
Arrest following violent disorder in Pooley Bridge

Arrest following violent disorder in Pooley Bridge

26 July 2025
Work starts on multi-use games area in Penrith

Work starts on multi-use games area in Penrith

26 July 2025
Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Logo

33 Middlegate
Penrith
Cumbria
CA11 7SY

Phone: 01768 862313
Email: news@cwherald.com

Registered in England as Barrnon Media Limited. No: 12475190
VAT registration number: 343486488

Explore

  • News
  • Sport
  • Farming
  • Property
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Your view

Useful links

  • Contact us
  • Photosales
  • Online archive
  • Buy your paper
  • Digital edition
  • North Lakes Living
  • Advertise
  • About us

Follow us on

© Barrnon Media Limited 2025

Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy

This website and its associated newspaper are members of the Independent Press Standards Organisation
Review Your Cart
0
Discount
Add Coupon Code
Subtotal
Total Installment Payments
Bundle Discount
Checkout

 
0
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Obituaries
  • Nostalgia
  • Online archive
  • more
    • North Lakes Living
    • Buy Photos
    • Buy your paper
    • About us
    • Contact us

© 2020 Cumberland & Westmorland Herald