Calderdale Hike - 12 April 2008 - by Nigel Aston

In 2007 the Calderdale Hike took place amidst glorious clear skies with temperatures in the 20’s. Heaps of sun cream, sun glasses, cap and wearing nothing much. This year it was 6 degrees when we set off, a hail shower had recently finished. The front runners wore shorts (long shorts), most others wore some form of full length protection – including the unfetching Hele-Hansen long johns – or tights. I had swapped bum bag for rucksack with some extra gear when the skies had greyed over and also to keep my back warm.

I think the organiser said ‘off you go’ and we went. This race has a fast start – for a 37 miler, ploughing down hill on a steep road. On reaching the canal towpath we got a foretaste of the likely underfoot conditions -– splashing through mud! Once past the first cp its head off uphill onto the moors. A few familiar faces from last year – with Phil (Hodgson) and Ozzy around. It seemed a number of people knew about Phil’s great route finding ability – it certainly seemed that way as he led a bunch of us through Midgley and the short cut down to Jerusalem farm. My Jazz trail shoes struggled to grip on the grass slopes and not for the last time during the race did I wish that I’d had something with a bit of stud – such as my favoured Walshes. Grabbed a few peanuts, water and then jogged off down the track slurping the water whilst not loosing sight of the route finders ahead.

Up on to the moors and over bleak Halifax golf course with some patches of snow, a cool wind and dark clouds – strangely no golfers in sight. Ogden Reservoir cp has water and nibbles, set on a table – which is nearly overturned as one runner unintentionally ‘skids’ into it (perhaps he needed some studs). Last year I enjoyed the next section along Back Lane over Thornton Moor but this year the task was hard – concentration, mud, snow, cool wind and a little hail thrown in. Many have wind proofs on – plus hats and gloves. The little out and back to Delf Hill has us turning into the significant wind – which stayed more against us than with us for a long time as we now headed generally west. We had dropped our navigator Phil by now and continued on to Oxenhope where Ozzy thought it was left, I couldn’t remember, half a dozen others continued left. Two minutes later, various maps were got out. I had my two bits of map from last year (main part had the Wuthering Hike on it, the extra bit covered the Eastern edge of the Calderdale Hike, with the join going right through Oxenhope - unfortunately). Between us we worked out that we’d gone slightly wrong and best was to carry on west along the A6033 and take a track back down to Shaw Lane; which we did. Boy, did that lose us some time. After about 30 minutes we’d caught up with Phil again. Unfortunately this was to be a recurring nightmare of hare and tortoise – or at least so it seemed.

Top Withins was bleak. Mud, snow, bog, skidding and falling. The walkers must have found this horrible. It was a relief to get on to the hard tarmac of Back Shaw road and eventually reach the Widdop Reservoir cp. There was a group of four including a ginger top who looked to be travelling well and keeping close together. A welcome tent was up for some wind rest bite. I took my time to drink and eat my own fudge, Kendal mint cake and a dose of salt, then settle into a slow plod. Calderdale vest was struggling here and looked like he might not make it. Sometimes the person ahead of you appears to be going ever so slowly, just plodding – and then ominously you realise that you are only just about managing to catch them or even keep up. We look for the path to take us to Reaps Water – there is some doubt and I help someone unfold the full Pennine 25000 map in the damp and wind and check the route. Its even more of a struggle to refold afterwards and the map suffers. By this time many have gone past – including Phil again. So off we chase (plod) over tussocks, bog, snow to intercept the end of the road where Reaps water cp is cleverly positioned - the guys there had water as well as nibbles.

Its up a stream gully – more balancing needed to stay upright on the slippery muddy edge. So there are now about 15 of us within sight of each other as we leave the moor, head down the gravel track turning into tarmac and eventually downhill (in wind) to the far end of the Sportsmans Arms car park. As last year I think why don’t they move that cp to the near end of the car park? Take on water, eat my own KMC and start walking back up the road – wind behind now (great), sun’s out, and its warming up. Easily into a jog and now down the gently sloping Eastwood road. This year, in the cooler climate, my legs are not so stiff and a good pace is set – in fact I’m slightly ahead of our bunch. Soon a Scotsman catches me and we chat – he’s attempting the West highland Way again this year (95 miles) so this event is really only a warm up for him. No studs needed on the road and I’m glad I’ve not got Walshes on now. After Great Rock its time for me to get out my map and I lead the way down the roads and over the fields to Shaw Bottom. There’s a bunch of six of us now and there are some jokes about doing the London Marathon tomorrow – however everyone agrees they’d rather be doing this event than London where there is plenty of space and no/little jostling.

Ozzy takes over, recognising we’re on a reverse Haworth Hobble, takes a quick glance at my map and leads us to the final descent through Hebden wood before reaching New Bridge car park cp. As we descend who should come charging down the muddy bank but Phil - whiz. Although the up hill might be catching up with the 50+ man he’s really enjoying the downs. So yet again we get behind him and bow to his superior knowledge up to Delf Hill. Here he explains that there is a route choice – go round Midgley Moor on the Calderdale Way or over the top on a boggy path. Some go round some go over – where’s Phil gone? After setting off going round I then decide that over looks more direct – but have to plough through heather and bog, then dead heather and bog to get onto the path. Ozzy is also taking this route and we jog on one of the best cross country paths of the day to trig point 401 – only to find we needed to be more east. We see the ginger four group single filing and looking very steady – they beat us to the tented cp using the direct path over the top. Yuk – more route blunders. Now its down and down, picking off Scotland Quarries before plunging through housing down to Luddendenfoot cp. Maybe ten of us are now jogging along the canal where the leaders, including the Scotsman, miss the right turn onto the foot bridge and the rest of us turn to begin the last climb up Styles Lane.

For everyone doing this route – walkers and runners alike, the last 800m up this road must always feel a drag. I thought I’d perk up when I got here, I did, and so did the ‘runners’ around me. So even though we walked the hill I could barely match the others for pace. As the top is reached jogs break out, then trots, then runs and the flat turns into gentle down and the finishing Cricket pavilion comes into sight. A few pass me – including Calderdale vest – a good recovery from him, but with 150m to go my run turned into a sprint as I fought to hold off the Scotsman, who had recovered from his missed-bridge mistake - with 10m to go he found a bit extra and pipped me by 0.1 seconds. However, with timing to the nearest minute it shouldn’t make much difference – although maybe the cameraman enjoyed it?

The winning time was a record – hang on, the course was significantly slower than usual and a record time has been set – Matt Giles must have been superb? That’s bad news for us Vasque series entrants as our points will be lower when the winner’s time is quick. The pavilion is warm so I come outside for a breather. Of course the leaders who finished ages ago are showered, dressed and looking so casual whilst we lie around covered in peat bog. Perhaps these socks will need a rinse before going in the machine? Eventually Phil the navigator appears with a mug of tea – he’d been finished for a while – wow. He obviously found something in the later part of the race – perhaps because it was mainly down – well done to him.

Jacket potato goes down well. I chat with the Scotsman who’s travelled down with a friend for the event and with he was running with up until the last two checkpoints but has not yet finished – its just so easy to slip up even in good visibility. He had hoped to cross the finish line holding hands with his friend!! On events such as this if there is low cloud/mist then many could go astray – a map is essential – using it would also help! Next year I’m keeping my map to hand rather than tucked away.

As last year a superbly manned and well organised event. Thanks to everyone.