Hebridean Challenge - Day 1

Monday: relaxed and fun start to the race. We’d agreed that Pyro would do Day 1 paddling so that left me having to run around a lot! First stage was to drive along to southern end Vatersay Bay, then a Le Mans style start to the whole event with team carrying kayak and running across to Bagh á Deas to launch Pyro and the boat off on a paddle back round the headland to Vatersay beach to escort swimmer (Gordon) in a swim parallel to and south along the beach to tag runners (Heather, Linda, me) to set off on a tour of the (low) peaks of Vatersay (Am Meall, unnamed and Beinn Ruilibreac). Good fun – I felt slow and we were passed by a few teams but I kept reminding myself that times weren’t too critical – putting three runners out on this section meant a good start to the points-gathering which is an essential part of completing a Heb. Best memory of that leg – running up a potato field behind Friends of Ghengis runner and then freeing his foot when he got stuck trying to clear a barbed wire fence. Slog along dunes almost back to campsite to hand over to Gordon and Heather for next running leg and start to scrutinise the rules and map for that afternoon’s mystery stage (only handed out after starting portage). H and G off to bag Theiseabhal Beag and Theiseabhal Mor on Vatersay while N and L took van round to causeway on to Barra. Meanwhile, Pyro in kayak had a race paddle round to Castlebay (where they stopped for LUNCH!!) then later a long (16k?) paddle right round east of Barra up to Ard Mhor (new ferry terminal).

H and G came spanking across causeway to tag L and me and we set off up a steep scramble to find checkpoint on shoulder of Beinn Tangabhal on Barra, followed by a yomp across the moor to another checkpoint in a Dun (burial mound) on the northern coast of that part of Barra. Good fun – we felt slow but steady – found both checkpoints and made good time back along the coast to the bus and G and H waiting for us at Tangasdal (place we camped at end of event last year). Nervous point at end when we thought we’d ended up wrong side of a large lagoon but we found a way across without getting immersed and it was great to run up to the familiar grassy flower field of 13 months earlier. Also very satisfying to meet other teams who had gone faster but failed to find our 2 checkpoints.

Then began the free stage – get as many marked checkpoints as you can in any order with 4 people and two bikes in any chosen combination (including meeting and swapping partners/ bikes if desired). We opted for simplicity – H and G as faster runners set off on bikes to do all furthest distant checkpoints while L and I did the 3 closest but highest ones. This involved L and me scootering through Castlebay to save our running legs, out the other side, dump scooters in an overgrown ditch and then leg it up Sheabhal (383m) and Grianan (295m), picking up another checkpoint on way back down to Borgh and Tangasdal. It wasn’t exactly running but we scrambled up Sheabhal, on hands and knees at times (I can see how Iain managed to get out of control on way down last year), past the white statue of Madonna and child to the check point on top. Brief stop to put on waterproofs – we could see heavy dark clouds and rain piling in off the sea to the west and I hoped it wasn’t getting squally and rough for Pyro out to the east of Barra. Fabulous views – couldn’t believe I hadn’t taken a camera with us. Off the back of Sheabhal and Grianan, back down to road and slogged along towards Tangasdal picking up another check point on the way. Then out to a fourth by the Burial Ground north of Tangasdal – leaving a red hat on a fence post at the start of the track as we came out to let H and G know we were ahead of them and had done that last checkpoint. It was only on the way down from that run that I realised we should have ditched one or two of the furthest check points – with only a 25 minute penalty we would almost certainly have ended up with a quicker time by taking the penalty and missing some of the furthest away ones. L and I jogged in to the finish of the day (H and G time would count as they were behind us) and Pyro was there waiting having got a lift back with a faster team. H and G arrived soon after – very relieved to have found the red hat in place which saved them going for the last check point. They had had more gruelling afternoon – running across various unsuitable bits of terrain in bike shoes with cleats on. Quick diversion to Castlebay for very welcome showers in the school, collect scooters from ditch and back to Vatersay for a sumptuous meal (laid tables, flowers and candles), briefing, planning and bed.

Go to Day 2.