Tanky's trog

[Duncan]

The one part of this event which really detracts from the overall sense of wild and bleak moors is, of course, the run down the Snake Road from Upper North Grain to the checkpoint at the Snake Inn.

Last year the traffic seemed worse than ever, with one or two foolish drivers seeing how close they could get to the runners. It's only a matter of time and the law of averages before our luck here runs out.

I would have thought that there might be a way of forcing the runners to take an off-road route here by relocating the checkpoint from the Snake Inn to somewhere near the confluence of the Ashop and Lady Clough (or maybe a little further north where you might get vehicular access) so that runners could take the opportunity to get onto the path down the East side of the Ashop and cut almost all of the dangerous road running out.

Just a thought.

Whilst recce'ing the second half of the route only last week, I was nearly taken out by a motorbike playing chicken with me on the A57. There's a whole network of paths down in the Lady Clough woods and the "blue" path (there's a few coloured routes down there) would be the ideal one to follow from the Nether North Grain lay-by. That means that runners are on the road for only a few hundred metres and can then disappear off into the woods. The path is good and runnable and follows the river all the way down to the little footbridge that you cross to start up Kinder. It wouldn't detract from any of the major strategic choices which generate much of the pub talk about this race and making the section of road O.O.B. wouldn't detract too much as it's only a few mins faster anyway.

As has been said, supporters could quite easily park up at the much larger Birchen Clough car park (the one with the butty van) and walk the 100 yds down to the footpath.

And running flat-out in studs down the tarmac really really really hurts!

[second to last]

On the topic of route choices, will there be any restriction on the Wild Boar Clough option?

[IanDarkpeak]

On the topic of route choices, will there be any restriction on the Wild Boar Clough option?

we've not heard form Moors for the future ect yet but as it stands routes available are as per last year. No route up rollick stones.

[PaulE]

If the road is not declared OOB, I assume it would still be OK to find an offroad route to the checkpoint? That much tarmac running in fell shoes would kill my legs at the best of times, 15miles in it would be impossible..... Not too fussed about potential placing/time - if I do this race it will purely be to see if I can.

[IanDarkpeak]

If the road is not declared OOB, I assume it would still be OK to find an offroad route to the checkpoint? That much tarmac running in fell shoes would kill my legs at the best of times, 15miles in it would be impossible..... Not too fussed about potential placing/time - if I do this race it will purely be to see if I can.

no problem with that but at the moment the CP is still by the pub.

which reminds me one of the reason it's there is phone coverage is poor in the valley as can be radio comms so the pay phone is a standby back up.

[nikalas]

Just filled out my entry forms.... IDP, any chance of sorting a recce one day?

[Stanners]

Entries in the post. Looking forward to this one again.
The weather was kind last year, fingers crossed

[lantern rouge]

Love the sound of this one IDP... how tough's the navigation?

The chances of me getting there for a recce are slim, but it sounds a cracker and I could do with that sort of event around that time.

[nikalas]

Just realised my wife is stealing our car that weekend... would I be able to grab a lift/support from anyone? I live in Chinley.

[jodg]

Isn't it high time we had a sub-thread about which shoes/waterproof to wear, bumbag to take etc for the race?


Only kidding!