Mini Burn Family Adventure Race

Race Report:19th Mini Burn Family Adventure Race

Press Release / 25.06.2024

The 19th Mini Burn Family Adventure Race took place on June 8, 2024, at the fabulous Penllyn Estate in South Wales. This was the third time the event had been hosted there. With 180 participants, it remains the largest and only run-bike-kayak Family Adventure Race in the UK.

As families arrived, they soon caught a glimpse of some of the special stages of the race, including a long cargo net they had to negotiate during the first hill climb on the run. The 2.8km fully signposted run took competitors across stunning farmland, past truffle fields, solar panel fields, a majestic sheep field, and past the chicken barns home to 26,000 chickens. The final leg took competitors past the alpaca field and pig pens, making it a real wildlife tour.

At the end of the run, competitors faced their second surprise challenge: a 6-meter tall climbing wall, which they had to scale before moving on to Stage 2.

Stage 2 was a short, approximately 3km bike leg, fully signposted and a gentle warm-up with no big hills. At the end of the bike, competitors were greeted by a stunning private wild lake, which we at Mini Burn are fortunate enough to use one day a year during the event. Home to swans, Canadian geese, blue tits, sparrows, and other beautiful songbirds, this created the perfect backdrop for Stage 3: paddling two loops around the lake in single and double kayaks.

With slightly wet bottoms but well-rested legs, competitors moved on to Stage 4, a short foot navigation phase where families had to find five checkpoints hidden around the lake and its islands. Crossing unexplored terrain was a huge treat for many. Using professional timing equipment, even the youngest family members enjoyed the technology and recognition of finding checkpoints.

The final stage, Stage 5, saw competitors back on their bikes. It was delightful to see all but six family teams complete the full course, which involved some steep hill climbing. Motivational signs and sweet treats were placed at the top of the longest climb. A fun and whooshing descent past the newly renovated Penllyn Castle brought competitors back into the event centre to a round of applause, t-shirts, and medals.

Every single family is mentioned at the start and end of the race, and children have the opportunity to share their excitement at the beginning and their experience at the end on the Mini Burn microphone. It really is an event like no other. We were overwhelmed with the feedback and look forward to the next Burn Series Adventure Race on October 12, 2024, at Margam Country Park, a festival-style event that involves the Mini Burn, Burn 2-hour, and Burn 6-hour all on one day. 

Feedback from Participants:

"Thank you so much for hosting such a fun event today. It was our first one, and we will definitely be back ." - Shelly Dowie

"We LOVED the race today. Brilliant. Thank you and thank you so very much for helping us find someone to lend a helmet for Harriet. We were so grateful." - Joanne Peters

"I just wanted to say thank you for organising today's event. My whole family loved it. The organisation was amazing - no queues at the kayak or climbing, and that was so much appreciated. And the compassion and flexibility when we forgot the battery for my son's e-trike - thank you so much for allowing us to start later. My son has a heart condition and cerebral palsy, and for him to be able to participate was great - he was so proud of himself. The venue was great, the burgers and ice cream were great. Well done and thank you." - Helen Rees

"Thanks so much for organising the Mini Burn last weekend at Penllyn Estate, we had a great time and really enjoyed it!" - Tom Waterman

"Thank you for an amazing event." - Rosaline Dawes

"Such a fun-focused and well-organised event, thank you, and looking forward to being back next year!" - Naomi Cooper

"Amazing venue! Thank you ." - Janine Newberry