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Taking Shelter

Rob Howard / 21.06.2006

The dire weather forecast was accurate. Severe gales are still blowing across the West of Scotland and here at the race finish conditions are not improving. The trees are bent over in the wind and gusts shake the buildings from time to time, the roads and ground are flooded, and rain continues to fall. And this is a relatively sheltered spot at the head of enclosed sea loch and surrounded by hills … unlike the open sea or the summit of Ben Nevis.

Ben Nevis is quite invisible, wreathed in the cloud, but fortunately the runners from the 8 teams who have arrived here have all now completed the mountain run and finished. All the other teams remaining in the race are all in port, taking shelter from the severe weather and one by one this morning more have been dropping out.

Still in Whitehaven and officially still in the race are Huckleberry Friend and Multinet, and Indian Summer are in Port Patrick. If the weather abates they plan to leave Thursday morning and reach Fort William before the race closes at 18.00 Saturday. That’s if they can maintain their resolve to set out again after 2 days in port and have good sailing conditions to continue.

The Kithross II saga continued but the Scafell Pike/Ennerdale stage is defeating them. Colin and Neal Ricketts did set out again, but having returned to Ennerdale, and with only the last cycle ride to complete they pulled out and took a lift back to Whitehaven.

Whisky Galore and Amicus both withdrew while in Whitehaven, as did Paget’s Lady who were in Port Patrick in N. Ireland. (Both their runners are Irish so they may have decided it was best to stay on that side of the Irish sea!) Road Runner was in port in Kirkcudbright and they also withdrew.

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