This 9.5 mile race took in the summits of Cheviot and Hedgehope in addition to some of Northumberland’s finest peat bogs. The weather closed in just before the race started and the rain quickly turned to snow, making the route even more exciting because then you couldn’t actually see a lot of the bogs until you were thigh deep in them. As I offered a prayer up to the hill running gods and promised faithfully that I would never whinge ever again about the short stretch of slightly squidgy ground between Hare Hill and Black Hill, I wondered what archeologists of the future would make of my leathery pickled corpse, the contents of my backpack (clearly some kind of ceremonial function) and the semi-digested gastric remnants of my ritual final meal (Marks and Spencers Percy pigtail sweeties). Mercifully I survived the experience, and as far as I know so did everyone else. I can’t remember who won but the first three men were all on the tall and lanky side which will have given them a clear advantage in being able to leap over bogs in a single bound, unlike those of us more vertically challenged. Results will be here shortly http://www.northumberlandfellrunners.co.uk and many thanks to the organisers and Northumberland Mountain Rescue (for whom the race raised £285).
Nicola Dunn