Saturday morning dawned cold but bright – perfect conditions for a long trail run! I parked up in Otley and navigated my way to the Scout Hut for registration. I had opted for the 20 mile version of the event, although there was a half marathon, 34 mile and 50 mile option available too, all starting from Otley at varying times that morning. The routes all followed sections of The Welcome Way, a circular walking route through a lovely part of Yorkshire.
We set off out of town up the first hill, enjoying lovely views across the valley for around 10km before dropping down to the first checkpoint. Loaded up with snacks, we continued along some undulating sections before another tough climb up the other side of the valley. We were rewarded with lovely views again, from Otley Chevin, which reminded me of some of the Peak District’s edges!
20 miles and 800m of elevation later, we arrived back at the scout hut to plenty of snacks and hot food! Luna especially enjoyed some cheese toastie.
A well organised event, with super friendly marshals and the added bonus of allowing dogs to run! They organise lots of longer races around Yorkshire so are definitely worth checking out.