HUGE THANKS TO ALL EVENT PARTICIPANTS!…

…for helping us to raise money for Cancer Research at the Staveley 3 Valleys Challenge on Saturday 1st of July, 2023

 

The event, formally known as the Sam Houghton Challenge is a timed charity mountain bike ride starting and finishing at our Wheelbase Lake District store in the Mill Yard, Staveley in the stunning south Lake District. Despite the event taking place in squally weather, with high winds and intermittent showers, the tricky conditions didn’t dampen our participant’s enthusiasm for this challenging event and the sun came out eventually!

With a laid-back & friendly vibe the 2023 edition of the Wheelbase Staveley 3 Valleys Challenge took place in the picturesque valleys of Longsleddale, Kentmere & Troutbeck with the long course also including the infamous Garburn Pass. Oh, and there was cake; LOTS of cake!

The Wheelbase Staveley 3 Valleys Challenge (formerly named the Sam Haughton Challenge) has already raised over £200,000 for Cancer Research UK over the years and the 2023 event continued to support this important charity.

Click for Results

 

Photos by David Bradshaw – Sportsunday

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Routes

Riders chose between the short 25km course with 700m of ascent or the long 46km course with 1,400m of ascent.

Short Course

Starting just outside Wheelbase in the Mill Yard riders headed north up the Haw Lane, then took the bridleway to the south of Skeggles Water and down into the Longsleddale valley. They then followed the bridleway along the valley to Till’s Hole joining the road and heading north-west to Checkpoint 1 at Sadgill (Grid Ref: SE 484057). Then they took the bridleway south then west over to Brockstones, riding the Low Lane track into Green Quarter and down the road into Kentmere Village to Checkpoint 2 (Grid Ref: SE 457039). Riders followed the road south for a short distance before heading up Green Water to the west of Skeggles Water, onwards to the derelict barn and Checkpoint 5 (Grid Ref: SE 473033), then back to Staveley Head Fell, turning west and descending through HP Plantation. All that remained was the road back to the finish point outside Wheelbase at the Mill Yard (Grid Ref: SE 472983)

Long Course

Riders completed the same route as the short course until they reached Checkpoint 2 at Kentmere Village. From Checkpoint 2 riders took on the infamous Garburn Pass over into Troutbeck Valley to Checkpoint 3 (Grid Ref: SE 413028). Riders then climbed up Moor Howe road then along the tracks up to High House and over Micklemoss, descending back into Kentmere Village to Checkpoint 4 (Grid Ref: SE 457039). From here riders pedaled over Green Quarter via Checkpoint 5 (Grid Ref: SE 473033) and completed the same run back into Staveley as the short course option to the finish point outside Wheelbase at the Mill Yard (Grid Ref: SE 472983)

 

Written by Johnny Dodgin

All Photos by David Bradshaw – Sportsunday

 

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