Questars Duo Race - Chilterns

Chilly in the Chilterns

Daniel Carrivick (Questars) / 23.07.2012

The fourth race in the 2012 Questars adventure race series, which took place in the Chilterns on Saturday, was another sell out event. People came from all over the country and beyond to take part. Some travelled from as far as the Lake District, Ireland and continental Europe whilst others returned from working even further afield overseas. This race also proved popular once again with those that don’t drive as the event base was within easy walking distance of the mainline railway station.

Unfortunately the weather didn’t do much to welcome everyone. The cool damp conditions made it feel more like the end of October than the middle of July. Scattered showers came and went during the day, though thankfully the event escaped the worst of the torrential downpours that had plagued most of the country over the preceding weeks.

All the recent wet weather had softened the ground considerably, especially since the previous Questars race in Purbeck at the end of May. The paths and bridleways were very wet and muddy, especially for this time of year. Looking at them you would have thought it was the middle of winter, not summer. Participants had been warned about this and were told to expect to encounter ankle deep soft, sticky and wet mud in places. Tyres and shoes with a decent off road tread were therefore definitely recommended.

Participants started from Tring Rugby Club and could choose whether to run or mountain bike first. Many of the top teams elected to start off on foot and cycle later. However, this was perhaps bit of a gamble given the conditions. The bridleways would surely only deteriorate further and get worse as more people cycled along them. Would they regret this decision?

With the run checkpoints spread out in all different directions from the event base, it was difficult to know where to go first. Some decided to tackle the hills and headed out in both directions along the Ridgeway. Others preferred to ease themselves in more gently by running alongside the Grand Union Canal, which cuts through a natural break in the Chiltern Hills used by other transport links; the London mainline and A41 dual carriageway. There was the option of continuing on the towpath along a disused section of canal around the town of Tring but it was a big loop and fairly committing so it certainly wasn’t for tired legs. Those who made it to checkpoint 4 on the top of Pitstone Hill were rewarded with spectacular long distance views along the Chiltern Hills and out across the Vale of Aylesbury.

Participants kayaked on a sheltered stretch of the Grand Union Canal, which in places is cut deeply into the surrounding countryside. The positioning of the kayak checkpoints together with their values meant there were several key decisions to be made as to which way to go along the canal first, how far to go and when to turn around. Only half a dozen people managed to visit all six kayak checkpoints in the permitted time; several more tried but failed and so incurred a penalty for doing so.