Anyone planning on running/walking the Calderdale on 14 April?
Printable View
Anyone planning on running/walking the Calderdale on 14 April?
is that the one frey sowerby bridge? if so alledgedly , according to me mate, i would rather do meanwood valley trail but i think my pride won't let me back out,
The furthest i ve ever done in t hills is 15miles (unless the 3 peaks counts) so i m a wee bit scared
A bit too far for me at the moment but Mrs Stagger and a few of the Stainland Lady's are have a potter round as training for the 3 peaks.
I have entered it. Not sure about the route yet!
Link to the route as follows:
http://www.sowerby-bridge.org.uk/sco...ike/route.html
There seems to be a number of route choices between the check points. I will probably still be undecided while going round.Quote:
Originally Posted by safety pin
I'm doing this. It's a counter in the Montrail series. I've got start number 434! I assume that is the 34th entry in the "long runner" class!
I agree that there are some significant route choices to be had. Widdop to Reaps Water seems to be a pair of checkpoints from a mountain marathon. I think the route is totally different to last year's race, so it looks like prior knowledge won't help.
One thing that strikes me as a bit odd about some of the checkpoints is that they are pretty imprecise features (like Scotland Quarries). It is difficult to know where to approach these sorts of checkpoints from when you don't know exactly where they are.
My feeling on route choice for these length events is that to start with you are well on for running on paths off road, but after about 25 miles you are quite happy to be able to get onto a road or good track, switch the brain off and just get on with it.
If it's anywhere near as good as the Wuthering Hike, then it'll be a great event.
Bit confused on distance for this one - Ultra website bills it as 37 but race site has it at 34.
Looking at it, would think it's more towards 37 than 34. Would be interested to know what mileage people clock on the day.:confused:
I've measured it to be just over 35 miles. There's plenty of opportunities of missing turnings and getting lost to add a bit more distance.
The route I've got marked down on Tracklogs is 34.9 miles.
I'm looking forward to this now, but am quite nervous too. It looks like it will be a glorious day. Given that I didn't drink enough on the Wuthering Hike, the temperature there was less than 10 degrees and the WH is 5 miles shorter, I'm going to have to be more disciplined about hydration this time.
It looks like you can enter on the day (from the website).
Does anyone know what the refreshments are at the check points, i.e. is it just drink or is there some food as well?
Thanks
Martin
I phoned the organiser. There is some food at some of the check points.
What a blinder!
Had a grand day out today running my first ultra. Superbly organised event with walkers and runners doing either a shorter 25 miles or the full 34 (calderdale hike figure) or 37 (montrail figure.) Loads of water stations and supportive marshalls so "thanks" to the organisers for making it such a memorable day.:)
There were plenty of route choices! I measured it at about 36 miles (not taking into account of the hills). So it is probably nearer 37. I thought the times would have been a lot quicker but with the heat/sun I think it slowed everyone down!
Mrs Stagger and her team were pleased with the organisation and water stops on the event.
Well done all concerned;)
PS they clocked 38 mile on their Garmin.
I measured 36.5 miles on my Garmin. This included a couple of unplanned "diversions".
I was also a bit surprised at the winning times. Extrapolating the winning times from Wuthering Hike would imply a time of 5 hours (and the winning time at the Calderdale Hike was about 5h53m). The leaders were definitely going for it, but whenever someone made a break for it the other two would catch them up. The heat must have had an effect (it did on me - it was always a battle to drink enough).
It was a great day out. My favourite bit was hanging out in the sun on Sowerby Cricket Club green after the race.
This one is coming on on Saturday 12th April and the detail are on -
http://www.sowerby-bridge.org.uk/sco...ike/index.html
I wondered if anyone has done it, if its on good paths and if anyone has a map of the route they could let me have for a few recces?
Not done it myself but will be doing it this year.
Route tips on here
http://www.runfurther.com/index.php?cPath=544_599
May be up for a recce at some point if you fancy it
If you have the time I would definitely recommend a reconnoitre. I've never had the time for such a luxury, resulting in this always being my most frustrating event. Calderdale is riddled with footpaths (many hidden up apparently private driveways, behind bushes and up secret ginnels), so navigational errors are obligatory - if you haven't reconnoitred. Best of luck, and plan meticulously.
I'll be returning again (don't ask me why - I can't keep away) and hoping to get further than the 26 miles I managed last year.
2 of us are planning on a recci of this a bit later on and just wondered if anyone else up for it?
BitNick, looking on the map and i see what you mean!
Did you (or anyone) get a map/route description when you did it before? Come on someone must have one??
Chris,
I don't think there's a route description as such; we have to find our own way between the grid refs supplied. Also, the route changes every year, so we can never use prior knowledge. However, I believe there are similarities between this year's and last year's routes, with less road and more moors this year.
I'm looking at doing this now, so what shoes do people wear? Looks like there could be plenty of road...is it often quicker to use the roads than the footpaths? I'm new to this long distance stuff so any advice would be a great help.
There were quite a few navigation errors last year.
A large group of us took a wrong turning in the woods shortly after Jerusalem Farm. Some got a bit lost through Oxenhope. I completely lost the path across Heptonstall Moor (definiately worth reccing).
Towards the end while I went along Calderdale Way, a group which I had caught by with took a slightly longer road route. Their route was a few minutes faster, I think it was down to easier navigation.
I would recommend trail shoes.
I'd wear trail shoes. There are some road sections (but less than last year: the route has been changed in the last 5 miles by the looks of things). There were some wet and tussocky bits last year (back of Widdop and towards the Sportsmans Inn: they're still on the route this year), but I think these are localised enough in comparison to the whole route that they shouldn't affect your opinion as to what shoes to wear.
I'm well impressed with the grip you can get in a new pair of trail shoes these days. I'm coming round to the opinion that it needs to be fairly exceptional conditions to merit wearing fell running shoes when trail shoes are as good as they are.
Thanks guys, trail shoes it is then. So am I right in saying that the route isn't marked, you just find your own way to the check points by whatever route you see fit?
That's as I understand it Jimbob. Although the report on the Runfurther site has a few hints. Seems to me, if you don't know the area (like me!), it's best to go for the longer but easier options rather than trying to take shortcuts which could cost you a lot of time.
having looked at the map there is a real array of route choice,some being road or open moor.worth a recce as its such a lovely area and i would imagine a lot of time to be shaved/saved.footwear is a difficult choice subject to the weather.
fancy it but its the day before guisbro which is our club championship race,hmmm,thinking:confused: :confused: :rolleyes:
I'm aiming on doing this and going to do a recce this sunday - from Widdop res to Hebden. Also, 2 of us are doing the last 20/25miles on Sat 5th. Let me know if you would like to join us?Quote:
Originally Posted by jimbob
Forgot to mention - i have a route planned on map if anyone wants it but you will need to pm me
Can't get a pass out this weekend and its Llangynhafel/Border League next weekend but thanks for the offer :(Quote:
Originally Posted by chris brown
Guess I'll have to make do with a Google Earth recce.
The route wasn't marked last year. The most important bit to recce is Widdop to Sportsmans Inn. It seemed to go pretty well last year for me just on map and compass, but I can't have got the best line through the terrain everywhere in that section (i.e. my line was generally right, but not tussock perfect).Quote:
Originally Posted by jimbob
Loads of people got lost near Jerusalem Farm last year. I don't know how they managed that. I got lost in Oxenholme. I don't know how I managed that.
The Scotland Quarries checkpoint is a bit vaguely described (the quarries cover quite a large area). Last year there was a car (checkpoint) just to the right of the "s" of "Quarries" on the 1:25000 map - by a kink in the road. Someone went to the "Q" side of the quarries, couldn't find the checkpoint and got disqualified (which seemed a little harsh to me: I think I found the checkpoint basically by the right toss of the coin).
I think you can go by whatever route you see fit (which for me is the best way of staging these events).
The route this year is not totally as it was last year. There were complaints about the amount of road between New Bridge and Scotland Quarries so this section now goes over Midgeley Moor. Anyone doing a recce would be well advised to go over the route between Delf End and Scotland Quarries if they can find it!!! Most of it is open moorland and the paths on the ground are not necessarily on the map. As an alternative it is possible to use the Calderdale Way which is longer in distance and in time.
Good luck. It is a great event although better for walkers than runners due to the navigation.
I wish I'd looked in here earlier. I've done a few longuns but I've always had the fallback of a route map (whether used or not). Oh well, in for a penny, in for a pound (of pain) - better check that map :confused:
I've recce'd most of it now and found it reasonably straight forward as long as you have map and a few compass bearings as a confidence check. The bits needing these (in my experience) are; just before adn over the Halifax golf course (path disapears but only for half mile) and Heptanstall MOor, before the Sportsman cp but only as a check. Someone suggested Delf End to Scotland quarries (Midgley moor) as a rough no path bit and said not so go for runners. On Google maps you can see a track that appears to be in the right direction, and so i will have a look this week end and let you know.......if interested?Quote:
Originally Posted by Drunkeneuphoria
With the recce's i done, i think it is very runnable and reasonalby straightforwarda (assuming reasonalbe weather), althugh i make it longer than 38miles! -
Delf End to Scotland quarries needs 2/3 compass courses. Climb over the high ridge will see large stone tower ((shaft on map) head for this and then a 2nd one, after this take compass courses (or if clear vis head for Emley Moor transmitter tower) as path is intemitant.Quote:
Originally Posted by chris brown
Reading Nigel Aston's report of last year's Hike, I'm wondering about the location of the Luddendenfoot Car Park checkpoint. Can anyone confirm whether it's the place I've marked with a cross on this Google Earth image?
I can't see your google earth image. We went across a bridge over the river in Luddendenfoot and the car park was tucked away on the left. If you'd planned on running back along the canal towpath to the finish, you'd have naturally run through the checkpoint. [I did run along the towpath before walking up the hill which was a bad move: it's better to run along roads from the Luddenden Foot CP to the finish - if speed's your thing].
I've been told there is a fence you can follow all the way from the Gorples to the Sportsman. I didn't see this fence when I reccied last week. Stanfield Moor looked potentially very boggy on the map so I followed the path along Dukes Cut to the road. Any suggestions for this section?
From what I can tell the area you have marked is the car park to a pub that is now closed down and I am fairly sure that the entrance to the car park has rubble piled up to stop accessQuote:
Originally Posted by Rombald
Thanks for the info. I think I see where it is now from Zlod's description, so if I make it that far round the course, I'll know where to go.
http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/515460414f.jpg