The ultimate guide to Knaresborough Bed Race 2023 and everything you need to know to have a great day

A full race field of 90 teams from across the Harrogate district and beyond – which adds up to 630 runners and passengers – are gearing up for this year’s Great Knaresborough Bed Race round the town’s cobblestones and narrow streets this Saturday, June 10.

The 2023 theme is ‘That’s Entertainment’ and the event promises to be at its entertaining best with weather forecasts looking good so far for a dry, sunny day.

Knaresborough Bed Race Course and Timetable

The day starts in the morning at Knaresborough Castle where the teams gather, decorate their beds and don their fancy dress.

Judging of the Best Dressed Bed starts at 10.30 am and will be announced at around 12.30pm.

From 1pm they parade through the town led by the winner of the Best Dressed Award and follow the route to Conyngham Hall field.

There, the decorations come off and the teams strip down to racing trim for the Race itself which sets off at 3pm.

Teams set off from the start line at roughly ten-second intervals and embark on the arduous course.

This takes them up the grassy bank, through Conyngham parkland, across Bond End and onto Waterside.

They progress through the Nidd Gorge before ascending the very steep Castle Ings.

They do a circuit of the market place before descending High Street and the quickest stretch of the course down Bond End.

This time they cross High Bridge to the Mother Shipton side and enjoy the rustic charms of McIntosh Park.

After a few hundred yards they arrive at the river, but on the far side to where they started the race.

The final act is to swim the 40 yards to the Conyngham bank – runners, passengers, beds and all.

The River Nidd has steep banks and one thing is certain, no matter what the weather, that it is always icy for Bed Race Day.

What is it like for teams in Knaresborough Bed Race?

The fastest teams complete the course in under 13 minutes as a rule, with the slowest coming in at about twice that time.

Course conditions and the depth of water in the river will have a bearing on the final outcome, but fitness and competitiveness will win out on the day.

Speak to anyone who has taken part and they will assure you that this is one of the most gruelling athletic challenges they will have faced.

Who won last year’s Knaresborough Bed Race?

Last year’s fastest team were G H Brooks, followed by Ripon Runners Men, Knaresborough Striders Men, Nidd Valley Men A and Flying Pullman, who were also the fastest mixed team.

The quickest female team were Welly Wheelies; the fastest new team were Harrogate Early Bird Run Crew; the winners of the junior section were Nidd Valley Juniors and the fastest female junior team were Welly Wheelies.

When it came to the keen rivalry of the Best Dressed Bed competition the victorious team were the Rocket Men.

Second was 1st Scriven Scouts and Techbuyer were third.

There were special high commendations for the designs of HENCHshaws, Aspin Avengers, the SFC, Harrogate Symphony Orchestra and It's a COP-out.

Entertainment for families at Knaresborough Bed Race

In Conyngham Hall there are bars, food stalls and attractions for children.

The Big Screen shows live footage from the day, especially the iconic river crossing, plus results and footage from previous years.

Access to Conyngham Hall field where the race starts and finishes, and from where the river crossing can be viewed on the Big Screen or live is £3.00 per adult.

Children 16 and under enter free.

Like other revenues, all proceeds go to pay expenses in putting on the event. Surplus funds go to local charities and good causes.

Your Harrogate DB radio station is Bed Race’s media partner and will count down to the start of the race.

Their DJs will commentate on the day and will relay important community and safety news.

Music will be played for the entertainment of fans from the stage, and the trophies will be presented on the stage.

Located on the route of the race at Henshaw’s Arts & Crafts Centre at Bond End, BedFest offers a day of live music stages, food and drink from noon to 11pm.

Knaresborough Bed Race: What is its history and who organises it?

The Great Knaresborough Bed Race was started in 1966 by the Knaresborough Round Table.

The idea was to raise money for charity while putting on a great event for participants and a superb spectacle for the crowds of people who came to watch.

It has maintained its popularity over the years and has spawned other bed races in the UK, Europe, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. And that’s just the ones we know about.

Media coverage of what is a thoroughly picturesque event spans the globe. China TV aired footage of last year’s race.

The Round Table struggled to attract sufficient members so brought in the Knaresborough Lions Club to organise the event alongside them.

By the end of the 1990s and ever since, the Lions have been the sole manager of Bed Race, but rely on large numbers of volunteers to help.

Lions are a charity, number 1177970, and are comprised of volunteers who give up their time to organise fund raising events and make donations to charities and

worthy causes, mostly local.

It costs about £30,000 for the event to be staged, which involves road closures, traffic management, crowd barriers, licenses, printing, signage, hire of equipment and materials with more than 250 volunteers coming along to help.

Getting to Knaresborough Bed Race and Road Closures

Roads in and around Knaresborough are closed to traffic from 12.30 pm until around 6pm.

The Market, Castlegate and Silver Street, are closed from 10.30 am, and the main roads of the High Street, Bond End, part of Boroughbridge Road and Harrogate Road from 12.30.

There are closures, too, affecting Cheapside, Castlegate, part of Brewerton Street, Fisher Street, High Bond End, Castle Ings and Waterside from Castle Mills to High Bridge.

Parking is suspended all around the course on the Waterside, Castle Ings, Market Place, High Street and Bond End.

Conyngham Hall field parking is closed for the day.

Free park-and-ride services will run on the day of Bed Race between Knaresborough Technology Park on Manse Lane and just around the corner at ALM Manufacturing on Grimbald Crag Close.

Bus stops will be marked.

The parking premises will open in the morning and will close at 6.30 pm in the evening.

It is important that people move their cars before this time as the premises will be locked. Like the bus service, parking is free.

King James School will offer all-day parking for £5.00.

Buses running up York Road and Briggate will continue to operate, and there will be train services all day long from York and Harrogate into Knaresborough station.

More information at: www.bedrace.co.uk