Places features

Fancy a challenge? How about running or walking 20 miles on footpaths, sheep paths, tracks and fells with 4,000ft of climbing?

Then the Chevy Chase could be for you. It even includes a stretch called Hell Path.

The classic fell run was held for the 52nd time in 2008. And it is clearly popular - its 300-entry limit was reached weeks before race day on Saturday 5 July 2008 and late applications were put on a waiting list.

The start of the 2007 race. Pic: Rob Stephens

Exhilarating feeling

Claire Bagness, from Wooler Running Club, which organises the event, has done it three times and believes the attraction lies in the challenge and the atmosphere of the event.

She said: "I think one of the attractions is the historical thing, it has been going for so long.

"It's a challenge. You just cover this huge area of land because it takes in Cheviot and Hedgehope. There are people who have done it for 25 years who keep coming back.

"It's just that exhilaration of having overcome the challenge. There are steep uphills and then the exhilaration of coming down and the battle to finish at the end."

Entries are taken from a mixture of walkers and runners with the walkers starting an hour before the runners and there is a fair bit of banter between the two groups.

The views are stunning. Photo: Rob Stephens

The time allowed for the walk is eight hours and six hours for the run. The course records for the run are 2hrs 40mins for men and 3hrs 4mins for women and for the walk 4hrs 3mins for men and 4hrs 53mins for women.

Many of those who take part are from North East clubs but people have also come from further afield including Holland and London.

The event starts and finishes in Wooler and takes in the summits of Cheviot and Hedgehope.

Unique atmosphere

Those taking part have to pass through a series of checkpoints, although there is no set route, and there is a list of equipment they must carry including windproof body cover, whistle, map, compass, food and drink and there are kit checks.

Obviously depending on the weather, the run can be completely different from year to year with the terrain being particularly demanding if it is wet.

Claire said: "I think it has quite a unique atmosphere. There is lots of support and encouragement.

Runners going downhill. Photo: Rob Stephens

"The Chevy is a really grand day out with a friendly relaxed atmosphere."

She said one of the highlights is the tea provided at the end with a huge spread including cakes and buns.

Wooler Running Club took over the organisation of the run about four years ago. Before that it was coordinated by Lawrence Heslop, from the Youth Hostel Association, for many years who did a huge amount to develop it.

The event started life as a walk on a shorter course but was expanded and the course changed when people said they would like to run it.

Claire said the event involved the whole community and was an important annual date in the area's calendar.

Mountain rescue

Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Team has provided cover for the Chevy Chase for many years.

The ground can be wet. Photo: Rob Stephens

Dave Perkins, from the team, said when the run was originally held in April it was not unusual for there to be snow on the ground, which meant a lot of people dropped out in the cold.

The team has members at each checkpoint with some others at a point between Cheviot and Hedgehope. There are also some based at Langleeford in case people drop out and need to be taken back to Wooler.

Dave is usually based at the Youth Hotel at Wooler with a radio from where he keeps track of the progress of the event and any incidents along the route.

Dave said: "On a good day the team might have very little to do. On a bad day or if the weather is grim we can be busy escorting competitors off the hills and searching for competitors who get lost."

He said it was one of the team's favourite events to cover and he had made a lot of friends through it over the years.