Cotswold Challenge

The Challenge was to complete the either 25 or 26.5 mile route from Birdlip in the beautiful Cotswolds in 10 hours. The longer route was added this year by putting in a short loop at the start specifically for runners who wanted a full marathon distance.

Thanks to you and everyone involved for a great day on Saturday. The route description was very good. On the off chance that it’s useful please find attached the GPS track from my walk (25 miles).

Many thanks to all from Bristol & West who helped organise and run yesterday's event. As usual everyone was helpful, efficient and encouraging.

I was very pleased that the extra loop had been included at the start to create a 26.5 mile route. To my mind, the format worked very well.

Just a quick THANK YOU to you all for a fabulous event
This was my first LDWA Challenge event, and I found it to be a most
welcoming and friendly walk.
I am a club runner and entered this event as a walker as a means to get some
much needed event atmosphere and physical activity after a longish layoff
due to injury.
Your event was very fulfilling and such tremendous value for money compared
to so many running events.
The organisation was superb with great atmosphere, friendly check points
with marvellous catering.
Of course, the superb scenery and weather were a huge bonus.

Thank you again.

Brenda Avery

Hi did the challenge Saturday 1^st time and completed the marathon route, the extra bit at the beginning was the only flat bit! Fantastic scenery friendly and encouraging marshals at checkpoints. Great day out will be back next year.

I thoroughly enjoyed the event yesterday and I would like to thank everyone who helped to make the day so enjoyable.

We found the route instructions pretty good other than the stretch preceding the reservoir crossing where we managed to lose our way !

My wife, her sister and I completed the Cotswold Challenge walk at the weekend and I would like to thank everyone concerned, for organising the event so well, for finding the very interesting and scenic route, for the weather (!), for the numerous very-welcome checkpoints and the en route refreshments, for the even-more-welcome meal at the end, and, especially, for keeping the price down to a minimum. It must have taken a lot of hard work by many volunteers, so thank you all very much.

HISTORY OF THE COTSWOLD CHALLENGE

In 1986 Richard Dixon led a 25 mile group social walk from Painswick, the route being the Cotswold Way to Leckhampton Hill and then via Seven Springs, Coberley, Cowley & Fostons Ash back to Painswick.

Shirley Hume expressed the view that the route would be suitable for a Challenge Walk, presumably because it was the right distance and easy to follow.

At the AGM that year the late Mac McArthur suggested that the Group organise a new Challenge Walk in the Cotswolds. Former member, John Margetts and Richard took on the role of organising the event.

It was the original intention to base the event in Painswick at Gyde House, a former National Children’s Home which was taken over by the Mountbatten Trust. However The Mountbatten Trust went into liquidation and we had to find an alternative venue.

The inaugural event in 1988 was based at Cowley Manor, a residential conference house run by Gloucestershire Council. Cowley Manor were able to offer accommodation, and a number of the participants took advantage of a weekend package, which included a led walk on the Sunday.

Due to the uncertain future of Cowley Manor as a venue we moved our base to Birdlip Village Hall in 1989 which gave us the oportunity to include Coopers Hill. With changes in the personal lives of John Margetts who moved to Cambridge and Richard who had just met his future wife, Pauline, it was decided to put the event on hold in 1990.

Richard Jasper volunteered for the role of Joint Organiser and this partnership continued from 1991 until 2006. In 1999, the route changed going south via Miserden and Sapperton to The Thames Severn Canal and then via Bisley and Painswick back to the village hall via that sting in the tail, Birdlip Hill.

In 2007, Jon Bateman took over from Richard Dixon as Joint Organiser and the route changed again, going via Bisley and Haresfield Beacon.

Since it’s inception in 1988 we have missed just two years, 1990 when Richard Dixon got married and 2001 due to the Foot & Mouth epidemic