Houndkirk Trail

A note on race categories here

Houndkirk Trail on Mon 16th Mar 2026

This final race - and the third new route of the series - was, by all accounts, except Keith’s, well received; with the latter’s scribbled ‘YUK!’ on the results sheet suggesting he had not been entirely enamoured of the sloppy slog across from Burbage Rocks to Ox Stones.  Perhaps he should have adopted Simon B’s approach instead, and bashed his way through heather the whole way from the first gas marker (the route description did say ‘after another 250m’, Si …).  Master B’s detour aside, there was rather less in the way of navigational misdemeanours this week, albeit George and Sarah did both occasionally ‘wobble’ from the racing line.  But all of this was a mere side show to the main event (as it subsequently transpired).  The RO was delighted to welcome the tenth series newbie to the fold, recently joined member Andy Mansfield, whom he may even have persuaded to partake of the summer series too, once this swings into view in a few weeks time.  Imagine the RO’s further delight, however, upon establishing in the unseemly delay between race and publication of results that Andy - as the thirty-fourth participant in 25/26 - had achieved for us all collectively the second largest series field in twenty years; only 20/21 saw more people turn out (including thirteen women).  Be that as it may, and to absolutely nobody’s surprise, it was Tom S who tore through the field again to claim a richly deserved series victory, whilst Sarah, by dint of turning up for a second race, and mostly running in the right direction, achieved the highest women’s position in the final league standings.

Huge thanks to everybody who has turned out in every manner of weather over the past seven months to stomp around routes new and old.  We’ll have one final bash around Foulstone Moor on Monday, for the Presentation Night Trial Race.  Hope to see a good number of you there, and then again for the start of the Summer Series on 27th April.