Summer’s cracking on, we’re into August and it’s race 15 in the club’s Summer championship already! “Man/Woman versus Barge” What is it all about – well it is exactly what it says (Are you faster than a canal barge from Marsden to Diggle?) At the same time that the barge enters the tunnel at Marsden, runners participants set off across the moors following a very well marked route running or walking to beat the barge and earn themselves a chip butty and a beer or a cider at the Diggle Hotel.
Three Eccleshill Road Runners took a shine to this novel race hosted by Run Able which gave them a chance to experience the beautiful panoramic scenery that makes up the challenging, largely moorland course. A fabulous Summer breeze made it a little more tolerable getting up those hills in the Summer sunshine. Once up there though, the views are absolutely stunning, a plethora of reservoirs can be viewed from above as well as down below. It is though, difficult to negotiate the course and as a result a large percentage of the field found themselves lost on the moors, following each other around like the resident sheep trying to work out the correct route adding on extra (unwanted) mileage! All returned safely though to the welcome sight of the pub and refreshments!
Interesting facts: Diggle is a village in the civil parish of Saddleworth which is situated on the moorlands of the pennine hills. It is located at one end of the restored Standedge canal tunnel.
The Standedge tunnels are four parallel tunnels beneath the Pennines in West Riding of Yorkshire. Three are railway tunnels and the other a canal tunnel. They are located at the Standedge (pronounced Stannige) crossing point between Marsden and Diggle. The canal tunnel is on the Huddersfield canal. It opened in 1811 and is the longest and highest canal tunnel in the United Kingdom!
First home for Eccleshill was Gill Jago followed by Garry Ellison & Julie Steele. Brilliant run/walking Team and well earned points on the table! Well done!
