Wonderland scenes at Mytholmroyd
The Vocation Mytholmroyd Fell Race looked like a Christmas card thanks to the first snows of the year.
Leading the way was Calder Valley Fell Runners’ Martin Howard who won in a time of 44:16, only 13 seconds shy of the record set by Karl Gray in 2016.
Valley clubmates Andy Worster finished second with Shaun Godsman fourth and scooping first MV50.
Charlotte Jackson was third in the women’s race with Suzannah Richardson fourth. Phil Scarf was third in the MV60 ranks.
Calder Valley Fell Runners scooped the team prize. Race organiser Dougie Zinis awarded the mixed team prize to Martin Howard, Andy Worster, Charlotte Jackson and Suzannah Richardson.
The race start is tough as it climbs up through the fields past Hill House Farm to Heights Road then continues on to Wicken Hill.
Here a prehistoric enclosure lies buried under the heather. The route eases slightly as runners cross an open section of Midgley Moor to a wall corner before following the track to the famous boundary marker Churn Milk Joan, which features in a Ted Hughes poem.
Next, climb Crow Hill, site of a stone circle, and descend across rough moorland and past the Nell Nook Lido to Wood Lane.
Competitors follow the track along the beautiful Luddenden Valley to the Gate House at Castle Carr before tackling the steep climb up the steps of doom back onto the moor.
On top of the moor, rough tracks lead to the wall corner and the Calderdale Way where runners head towards Hebden Bridge Golf course to meet the original ascent route just above Wicken Hill Farm.
Steps are retraced along the initial ascent route all the way back to the woods at Mytholmroyd.
CVFR results: 1 Martin Howard 44:16, 2 Andrew Worster 48:54, 4 Shaun Godsman 50:32, 13 Asher Gammon 53:49, 16 James Williams 55:26, 18 George Kettlewell 57:03, 29 Charlotte Jackson 58:30, 30 Bill Johnson 58:36, 33 Suzannah Richardson 59:00, 42 Kieran O’Prey 1:02:10, 60 Alex Deltenre 1:06:59, 66 Phil Scarf 1:08:25, 70 Samantha Hartley 1:09:42, 93 Eric Kenyon 1:21:58, 100 Chris Cockcroft 1:24:33, 102 Dominic Camponi 1:25:30, 103 Tony Moran 1:26:52, 109 Tamsin Cooke 1:29:12.