Polaris Challenge Spring Race

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Tough Times at Traquair

Haardaarss / 30.03.2007

Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders was the setting for this year’s Spring Polaris Challenge mountain bike orienteering two day event, and Friday 23 May saw a steady influx of those who still know where to find the best excuse for a weekend’s mountain biking. The Traquair Estate – “Scotland’s oldest continually inhabited house� – were our hosts. It also houses the Traquair House Brewery whose delights were sampled immoderately throughout Friday evening and at the Saturday night wilderness campsite.

Course planner Graham Menzies and map man Jens Strain produced a very tough looking course with something for everyone. There was still snow visible up in the hills, and with the weather holding out but still looking decidedly chilly we were all grateful for our Polaris special edition multi purpose Buff head/ neckwear (especially those of us who earned a complimentary one). Fantastic stuff!

With Wilfs once again feeding the hordes it was off to bed – which was either at the temporary Polaris campsite at Traquair or at one of the splendid hostelries up the road in nearby Innerleithen. Our chum Path Finder General thought the “Challenge� was to drink all night in the local bars sporting a large St George’s Cross earring and still get to bed unbruised!

Doing it the Hard Way

Saturday was tough tough tough. This was real mountain biking using adrenalin- pumping downhills, true wilderness moorland trail riding, with the bonus of fantastic views. Ditch those semi-slicks! The day was not without incident. Man-machine John Houlihan tamed the four-sided concrete walled dry reservoir hiding a checkpoint within it by climbing inside using the fixed ladders. He needed his mountaineering skills to dib the control hanging off the bottom of the inside ladder which was four foot short of reaching the ground. He then noticed the army had kindly blown a hole in the opposite wall affording easy access on foot. Doh!See All Event Posts