I was up early on Sunday morning for the drive south through the Northumbrian Hills from Edinburgh, where we had spent the evening with friends after leaving Islay. There was no traffic on the roads, the sun was out and the scenery stunning along the A68. The event was based in the tiny village of Stonehaugh which is in the middle of nowhere near Wark. Close to Hadrians wall the event map covered mainly the surrounding working forests but did take in some of the surrounding high moorland giving fantastic views.
I practically bathed in factor 40 sunscreen before venturing out into the heat with 2 litres of fluid on my back for the 4 hour event.
The area was great with very little road riding but some of the control placing and descriptions could hav
e been a bit better causing me to lose time on a few controls. I kept it going though and left a few controls surrounding the village for mopping up at the end and got in comfortably before the 4 hour time limit.
At present results are not available and I had to shoot straight off to pick up the family from Carlisle railway station so didn’t get to stay and chat or see any preliminary results.
Edit – results now out 3rd =
Stats – 4 Hours – 75km ridden – 380 points