Owls of Minerva

Ultra-runner Clare Prosser has created a new route around Bath called the Green Goddess Route after Sulis Minerva – the goddess of the hot spring that made Bath a Romano-British cult centre.

The inaugural Green Goddess Challenge took place on the Winter Solstice of 2014. Twenty runners copleted the 27.6 mile course to qualify as Owls of Minerva – the sacred birds of the Goddess.

The finishers were Clare Prosser, Liz Noakes, David Higenbottam, Laura Darby-Jones, Brian Robb, Paul Clark, John Reynolds, Tim Haysom, Laura Collacott, Lynette Porter, Ross Hale, Ross Parker, Antony Clark, Alex Foster, Bruce Martin, Cathy Fagg, Helen King, Sam Edwards and Courtney Gunn. In addition, Judith Chubb Whittle and Andy Fagg did half each. Another pair dropped out half way due to the Skerrid Fell Race on Saturday. This was not a race and the challengers ran as a group, splitting into about four groups finishing between 5 hours 40 and 6 hours 50.

The Boathouse next to Newbridge Park and Ride proved a welcoming finish with views of the bridge so we could see people in.

According to Hegel – the Owls of Minerva are philosophers – perhaps the opposite of Woodwoses, who are wild woodland creatures. However, over half of the Owls of Minerva are also Woodwoses, so we were wondering what that makes them!

A combined Green Man Green Goddess route was suggested. Hmmm>