Martin Beale has taken another half hour out of the Green Man Challenge record with the aid of another Martin from Team Vasque: Martin Indge.

It was a bit of a cock-up from the Gaveller’s point of view as he had taken up a position away from the bridge to see the challengers off, based on experience of Woodwose XIII’s run. But the two Martin’s snuck past on the path from the Tailor’s Friend (the sliding rock). That meant that those of us who had turned out to see them off were left looking silly and did not feel confident enough to see them in either. More fool us!

The new record is 7 hours 19 minutes and 52 seconds.

Martin wrote:

We did nearly the same splits as last year to Hambrook and then took 10 minutes per leg off the record pace for the last three legs. Conditions were pretty much perfect – cool and that drizzle just kept us at the right temperature.

Martin [Indge] was well impressed with the route – as was I. There were a couple of excellent fields where we were running through the wildflowers – very nice.

Here’s a proposed route for the alternative Three Peaks of Somerset by Tim Down:

On Sunday, 15th February, a group of us are having a go at the Three Peaks Route that starts in Chew Magna. I made the mistake of calling it the Three Peaks of Somerset to differentiate it form other Three Peaks challenges involving Ben Nevis etc. It was promptly pointed out that the Three Peaks of Somerset ought to be Dunkery Beacon on Exmoor, Wills Neck in the Quantocks and Beacon Batch on the Mendips.

Various point of view have been bandied about as to the best way of accomplishing such a challenge.

Originally, I though that it would be best to start at Porlock to attack Dunkery Beacon, but on reflection, it would be easier to start at Exford, in the heart of Exmoor, which has a car park, a hostel and two pubs.

From Exford, you could follow the Samaritans Way Southwest up onto Exford Common and then switch onto the Macmillan Way West to Dunkery Beacon and on to Dunster – why reinvent the wheeel? The Macmillan Way from here to Wills Neck looks very complicated, so I think it would be easier to cut down through Marsh Street to the coast and follow the coast path to Watchet. Then you could follow the road through Doniford and on up to Beacon Hill and Wills Neck.

From Wills Neck, the Samaritan’s Way provides the quickest route through Goathurst and Bridgwater to Chedzoy and the brisge over the King’s Sedgemoor Drain at Parchey

The next obstacles are the Huntspill River and the River Brue. There is rather a lot of tarmac on the next stretch, but I thik the best route goes through Stawell and Chilton Polden then across Chilton Moor to River House Farm, where there is a crossing over the Brue. Then there are roads and paths to take you through Westham and Blackford onto a bridle path that goes round West Stoughton to Ashton, Chapel Allerton and Stone Allerton, where there is a path down to Weare.

From here, the easiest option is the more easterly of the pairs of bridges over the Axe and the Cheddar Yeo. and then Stubbington Drove and Middle Moor will take you into the outsj=kirts of Cheddar. There is then a route through Barrows that leads to the bridle path round Batts Combe Quarry that leads to Warrens Hill Road and Tynings Farm – well known to all who have done the Mendip Muddle.

From Tynings Farm, there is an obvious route to Beacon Batch, from which there are several routes Down to Blagdon.

It’s about 60 miles if anybody’s interested!

Just read the following in Alex James’ Column in yesterday’s Independent:

No distance to run in the country

Run! Run! alone over open fields, all through the wooded hillsides, in secret along the narrowest trails, badger roads and deer tracks, half-dodging wet, scratching brambles, ducking branches. Leaping and swerving over dead tree trunks, with startled squirrels and scattering rabbits springing from nowhere. Dawn, dusk, noon, under the Moon and stars, run as far as you can. Run like the wind, run when it’s raining, run in the sun. Run, run, run – pnanting, blowing, steaming through the cool, soft greys and greens. Run for an hour, run for miles, without seeing anybody, heart pounding, flying weightless downhill, feet crashing through puddles, splattering the fluffy, caressing mud, careless and carefree. Free at last, exhilarated by body whirring at capacity, on limits, singing. There is nothing else: no distractions, just the steady rhythms, absolutes, of breath, heart and hypnotic footfall beating, one two, one, two…

There are no fat bass players of any significance.

Boxing Day, 2008 brought us our thirteenth Woodwose when Tim Down of Bad Tri and TRA completed the Green Man Challenge in 11 hours.

He was seen off by the Gaveller in Clifton beside the Suspension Bridge and was met in Dundry by Pete deBoer, who kept him company until he reached Pensford, when family commitments took him back to Dundry.

At 12-10 he texted in from Shortwood Hill, with 22.9 miles and 5hr 10mins on his Garmin. He reported: “Still some energy tho a little stiff!”

At 13-54 he reported: “Hambrook 29.5m, 6h 54m. In urgent need of zimmer frame.

At 15 04: Patchway C[ommunity] C[ollege] 8h 04mn 34.5m Think I might do it!

16: 51 He reported “Leaving Blaise now.”

The Gaveller met Tim and with Liz who met him at Blaise on Avon way and saw them back to the start .

He looked in good condition after his ordeal.

On New Year’s Eve he emailed:

Managed to pick up a cold somewhere en route but nevertheless I’d like to say how much I have gained from researching and completing the route, in spite of having lived in and around Bristol for most of my life I have learned a great deal about my own environment. I quite fancy giving it another go once the ground is firmer under foot and the days a little longer.

Yesterday, 5 new Woodwoses completed the Green Man Challenge in a group effort organised by Town and Country Harriers (TACH).

First in was Ruth Pitchers – the first female Woodwose – in 9 hours 54 mins, looking as fresh as a daisy. She certainly looks capable of knocking at least half an hour off this time, if she feels the need to try it. (She really wanted the route to be 46 miles to match her age!)

Next in was Mike Bastow in just under 10 hours, accompanied by Emma Oughton, who had guided these two in from Patchway Community School (at 32 miles). Mike had been the strong and eager up until Patchway, but Ruth was looking stronger by the time they reached Blaise car park. Emma found herself torn between guiding Ruth, who was unfamiliar with this section and supporting Mike, who was looking wobbly on his long legs “like a young colt.”

The remaining group came in an hour later. These were: George “Woodbine” Gilham, Jim Plunkett Cole (and his dog Alfie) and Rob Hicks – motto “Service before Self” – the winner of the inaugural Hogweeds Muggle – who had stayed back to help John McDonough guide George and Jim (and Alfie) home. This had become necessary when Gaveller – Chris “Travelog” Bloor had dropped out at Patchway – “I’m cold, my legs ache and I’ve done it before!”

9 of us had started in the Dovecote car Park at 7 am.

Woodwose, Mark “Gypsy” Vogan kept us company till Dundry. Sue Baic joined us from Pensford to the Lockkeeper at Keynsham. Tony “Rebore” Bishop’s legs let him down on the way up to Shortwood Hill (21 miles). Antony “Turtle” Clark was still going strong at Hambrook (27 miles), but he thought he had better drop out because he had not done the training and he had only meant to stay with us for a couple of stages (The boys a natural!).

Nobody would have been able to drop out were it not for the motorised support team, who also supplied food and isotonic drinks made to dietician Sue Baic’s recipe. These were Jason Pitchers, Woodwose Peter de Boer and children (Lisa made the flapjacks), Sue Baic, Libby Bloor (and Jana), Ruth McDonough (and Sylvie), Jan Clark (+Susannah and Catriona) and Jo Hicks.

TACH really seem to be getting the hang of organising these long distance events, which is a good thing as there is a growing body of runners (and walkers) who have unfinished business with the Green Man Challenge.

Saturday 1^st of November 2008 is

Green Man Challenge Day.

TACH will meet at Dawn (7 am) near the Blaise Estate Car Park to attempt to complete the 45-mile circuit of the Community Forest Path before Dusk (4-43 pm).

It is our aim to maintain an average pace of 5 miles per hour

and support will be provided on that basis.

If you would like to run with us for the whole or part of the route – register your intention to run by contacting

The Gaveller on www.closertothecountryside.co.uk

where more details will be found.

Or contribute a comment

On Tuesday, 2^nd July, I needed to go on a run from home in Henleaze, so I decided to go out to Lawrence Weston Moor to see if anything had been done about the blocked paths, which I had last reported to the Rights of Way department on 3^rd June 2008. (Nothing had been done of course!) I found a suitable route around Canford Park and the cemetery to Coombe Dingle and over Kingsweston Hill into Lawrence Weston.

When I went down Aylminton Walk towards Bank Leaze Primary School, I found a bunch of boys, who were playing a game with bikes or scooters rolling down the slope from the school gate. They were curious about me, which well they might have been as I was dressed in ancient orienteering kit in anticipation of nettles. I asked them about the path around the playing field. They did not know it existed, though they were standing next to it, and I suppose it must have been blocked for most of their lives. I noticed someone had used it as convenient spot for fly tipping. One boy thought I might be able to get through, but I knew that there was another route via the local nature reserve, so I headed down Atwood Drive toward Lawrence Weston Road.

On the corner, there was a gaggle of older boys and girls standing around chatting, but I thought nothing of it. A few moments later, I came across a fair haired youth in dark clothes running towards me at a nice even pace. I nodded at him as a fellow “athlete”  and noticed that his clothing was not that of a typical runner, but then not everybody can afford specialist running kit.

It was only then that I noticed a pall of black smoke rolling across the fields. I came across the inevitable red car burning away, just past the entrance to the nature reserve. The horn started to blare as I approached and I noticed a dog walker with a mobile phone in hand calling the police. I thought of adding my voice to his, but it was clear that even if I could have picked out the “athlete” in a police line up, there were ample witnesses to swear that had never left the corner of Atwood Road.

So, I hopped over the huge rock that had been strategically placed to stop young “athletes” from taking motor bikes into the nature reserve. Inside I found the remains of one bike that had managed to get in. It appeared to have been there for some time. Evidently no-one is responsible for removing such things. The whole reserve reeked of neglect. Substantial footbridges and gates showed that money had once been spent here, but there was no sign that the reserve was being managed. The gates were overgrown; but I had no need to use any of them as there were open field gates beside them.

The problem seems to be that every effort is being made to keep “the wrong sort of people” out of the reserve, and no effort at all is being made to get people onto it. It is about as different from other local nature reserves like Troopers Hill as it is possible to imagine. There, my wife and I met children who were in the reserve and were able to tell us which was the best path across it. Teenagers flew kites and talk together in the branches of trees.

On Lawrence Weston Moor, my only companions were a buzzard and a couple of woodpigeons. Unblocking the paths that give access to the moor would certainly help, as it would allow people to circulate through the area, but it is probably more important to find ways to connect the local “athletes” to the moor.

Is there a Woodwosish solution?

Everything seems to have gone quiet regarding the Green Man Challenge. It seems that it may turn into a winter phenomenon.

I have just taken part in the Cotswold Way Relay with Town and Country Harriers, which is in many ways a similar event, but this is definitely a midsummer event. It is tied to the Saturday nearest to the longest day, which is essential as the route is 110 miles long, especially if one is doing it as a solo effort. It is also helpful for a ten stage relay. Our team came 7th out of 24 in the Mixed Category, which we were very pleased with.

The Green Man Challenge is less than half as long, which makes it ideal for a winter event. Town and Country Harriers intend to have a group effort at completing the challenge in the autumn. I think that Saturday 1st November would be an ideal date. That is the nearest Saturday to Halloween, which is the modern form of Samhain, the fire festival that marked the transition between Summer and Winter in the ancient Celtic calender.

The idea is that we will invite other running clubs to join us in the event, either as idividuals trying to complete the whole challenge or as relay teams using a Garmin as a baton.

I took a board covered with information about the Green Man Challenge to the Wrington Woodland Run, one of the Summer pub series put on by TACH. It raised a fair bit of interest. I think there should be at least four more Woodwoses before winter sets in. At least one of them will be the first female Woodwose.

When I was reconnoitring the course up Bull House Lane the night before, it occurred to me that the degree of climb and the conditions underfoot make it are very like a fell run. If I remember correctly, it would be a Medium length grade B fell race if we organised it through the fell runners association.