Our challenge was to follow up on the Club’s success in 2009 …………….when we completed Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route by means of a 192 mile relay, all within (give or take) 24 hours!

 At 270 miles, the Pennine Way presents an even greater challenge. But by starting at both ends, North and South, and converging on the Clubhouse, we thought we had a fighting chance.

In the event, lack of time, and a slight reduction in participant numbers, meant that we trimmed the Southern section down to a Malham (as opposed to an Edale) start point. But this still resulted in over 200 miles, much of it over some of the toughest terrain in Britain.

Relay organizer Richard had the task of getting the very most out of the daylight hours available - but this still meant many hours of running and biking in the dark.

One of the huge strengths of SOC is our ability to cater for many different outdoor interests (Fell running, Mountain Biking and Cycling being just a few). So the idea of combining Mountain Biking and Cycling sections to help out the runners over the 200 plus miles of the demanding route seemed a “natural.”

So, at 8pm on the Thursday night, in the pitch black, Keith Bell and Dave Thompson were keen to get going from their northern start point – just inside Scotland at the Border Hotel in Kirk Yetholm. Keith and Dave are SOC Relay stalwarts, and haven’t missed one yet…….but this year’s was to prove a true epic. A combination of running and mountain biking saw them move the baton on from the Scottish border to Alston, approaching 80 miles between them, and getting the project off to a flying start!

This proved to be the start of a very demanding Mountain bike section over Cross Fell to Dufton, handing over there to runners Andy Broadley, Chris Sayer and Astrid Saxby.

Meanwhile, around 90 miles further South, Richard Tait had set off from the southern start point at Malham, crossing Fountains Fell and Pen y Ghent to handover to Sue Bell and Charlotte Harper at the world famous Pen y Ghent café at Horton in Ribblesdale.

Sue and Charlotte met up with Anna Broadley and Lorna Mallett “in the middle of nowhere” (in thick mist) near the summit of Cam Fell – to take the baton through to Hawes. Elsewhere in this month’s newsletter Anna recounts their experiences in getting back to their start point (and car!) – a good comment on everyone’s spirits on the day that they remained so positive!

Back in Teesdale, on the northern end of things, Graham Banks and John Hallett ran from Langdon Beck to Middleton in Teesdale, handing over to Paul Brooks who ran the 10 miles to the A66 crossing near Bowes. The final running leg to Keld was completed by Johnny Proud in fine style – Johnny showing true commitment to the relay event, having already competed in the one mile Great North Swim (near Glasgow) earlier the same day!  Does this count as a Duathlon?

Complex logistics by the Cyclists (James and Barbara Gravenor, Paul Smith and Anth Quinn) then linked Hawes, Keld and Richmond thus picking up both the northern and southern batons and safely delivering them to the Clubhouse at around 8pm.

To round off a successful event, everyone who could make it joined in with a great social evening organised by Liz Blanchard. Thanks also to Steve and Carol Charlton for organising the bar.