This weekend gone saw the third Mary Townley Challenge ride – Sounds like a wet suit and aqualung rather than a bike would have been more useful with the deluge we’ve been having in the valley…
The Rossendale and Pendle mountain rescue team held their 3rd fundraising mountain bike challenge, around the Mary Townley loop, a 47 mile circular section of the Pennine bridleway. The Rain did not stop all day but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the riders taking part in the challenge. Rossendale and Pendle mountain rescue relies on donation, fundraising events and grants to run their team. They were aiming to raise £3.000 to £4.000 from the mountain bike challenge. It costs around £35.000 a year to run the rescue team, they have recently been successful in procuring land in Haslingden for their new base. The team covers an area of 350 square miles. The challenge is not a race but it’s good to see how quick you can get around, and with approx 6300 feet of assent the time of just over 4 hours for the first person back is quick. The Rossendale and Pendle mountain rescue also cover mountain bike events in Lee Quarry to assist in the event of any injuries.
For more information on Rossendale and Pendle mountain rescue have a look here.
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Was out myself on Sunday and met some of the guys doing this loop. Is a definite challenge at the best of times and especially so in those conditions. Mucho respecto to all.
Well done to all who took part and completed it.
We took 2 days to do the loop, with an overnight stop and night out on the lash in Hebden Bridge in between!
The only way to do the loop in my book 🙂
Still trying to work out what they do for the £20 entry fee – think I’ll be keeping the money next year and doing the loop on another day
Was the point of the event not clearly to raise funds as stated?
That’s what I thought- long live the mountain rescue-the guys who get you off the hill when you get lost, break your leg, fracture your skull…etc. Have a look at their website, really good tells you what they do- in their spare time, for you, for free!!
Mountain rescue do an excellent job and £20 contribution for them organising the event is more than reasonable. If you do the loop on another day why not make a donation to them anyway? If you come off and break something you might be very glad you did! I have lost count of the number of mountain bikers MR have helped out over the years we have a habit of falling off in hard to reach places.
Mountain rescue do an excellent job and £20 contribution for them organising the event is more than reasonable
There wasn’t any organising
WTF?? Did the event just magically happen? Do the marshals just turn up? Flukily there’s food on at the College, which just happens to be open?
I’d like to do this next year as I heard nothing about it this year. Does anyone know if there is a date planned for the next one?
Cutgaterocks – WTF is wrong with you? The entry fee isn’t for organizing anything, it’s a donation to (a very worth and under funded) charitable cause!
In these cost conscious times I forsee a future whereby we carry loyalty cards a la coffee shops. For each race entry / donation / money in pot you get a stamp.
When the mountain/moorland rescue teams, EMS helicopter, etc. come to rescue you you show your loyalty card. Not enough stamps and you get left to make your own way home, or show that you have insurance to cover costs.
bedrock
it’ll be about the same time next year (has been for the last 3, contrary to the article above it used to be run in June by the Rossendale Harriers). The mountain rescue usually publicise the event through their website.
http://www.rpmrt.org.uk/events.php
It’s well worth the cash, just for the MR organising the event alone and getting (usually) several hundred riders out on the same, mgic feeling taking part.
Book me in for next year too- be good to see it advertised on here though as there is more chance of seeing it.
thanks.