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4 Bingley Harriers and friends ran the Hillforts & Headaches fell race (3m, 1020′) on New Year’s day. We were stopping in Wooler with friends walking, cycling and running. I had hunted for a local race and booked it into the timetable for the runners , and only just discovered that it was uphill only but fortunately everyone was still up for it including Mandy and Len who live in the flat lands of Hull and Nottingham. We were blessed with a bright, sunny, but windy day. The race started in Rothbury at the Newcastle Hotel . 83 runners lined up including our group of 4 Harriers being myself (Becky Weight), Gordon Weight, Mary Green, and Gordon Kaye , and friends Mandy Dean (West Hull Ladies) and Len Parker (Nottingham). We dropped down over the river then started to climb on road and track for about half a mile before turning across a short clipped field. A few tall stiles and down a dip across a small stream before starting to climb for real up a rough grass slope and out onto the open moor. This was a good runnable stretch with grassy paths and tracks across the moor to the road crossing and car park but a strong head wind and low winter sun in your eyes made running not quite as free as it might have been. Beyond the car park a stepped and rocky or muddy path climbed consistently steeply another half mile or so through the heather up Beacon Hill and the finish. Alan and Parker were our welcoming party but with the bitter wind Gordon (W) was already sheltering in the walled cairn waiting so we could all run down together. As soon as we had all finished a few celebratory photos were taken and we set off down before we froze.

Read More »Hillforts & Headaches Tue 1 Jan 2013

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