Highland Trail 550 started this morning. Going to be wet and midgey I guess.
You can do****ch here:
https://do****cher.cc/race/highland-trail-550-2025
Forum autocensor appears to have found its own S****horpe equivalent.
Wondering how many of the people running very light have changed up any plans in light of that weather forecast.
Ah so if you want to call someone a **** you’ll just have to do it in the thread subject.
Watching pals Kerry Macphee, Rich Rothwell, Tom Simpson and Chris Johnstone - all truly inspirational.
And mental.
There's 6 on singlespeed, 2 female. Awesome.
That's one way to avoid mechanicals 🙂
Ooft.
Kerry Macphee took a nasty tumble.
https://www.instagram.com/stories/kerrymacphee/3640119364250873978?igsh=MXJibzQ0M25zdW01Ng==
She's still going though!
Too busy dot-watching the Headstock500 around here. Got several pals doing it as I type. Nutters the lot of em..
Just over 30 hours for the first man home. Just incredible.
https://do****cher.cc/race/headstock-500-2025
Alan's IG form.last night mentioned that everything was a little damp and he'd make a decision this morning on continuing to race. He's posted again this morning but no mention on his race decision ☔
Been wild and wet enough on the east coast - must be absolutely brutal on the route. Nails, the lot of them.
It is reported this morning that Kerry has had a disaster last night, losing her bike in a spate river beside Poolewe. I'll post more details when I get them... She's ok, shell shocked of course, safe and being looked after by a local.
On her IG stories. Sounds terrifying, and yet she’s positive and chirpy. Amazing!
The main thing I took from Kerry's chat this morning is that if you are in a world of shite, and you make the decision to press the big red button on the spot tracker for help, you'll still be in a world of shite 🤣
Amazing efforts as always from the riders out there persevering.
What a shocker! Definitely going to add to the legend around the HT550. Glad she's ok!
Shows how tough this event is, given her ability and experience.
For those unfamiliar with the area, this appears to be the ford in question (I don't use Instagram so can't read/hear it from Kerry). I've crossed it on bike and on foot and never thought twice about it.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/NRDkKqfLDKmR1Qyn7?g_st=ac
Normally, crossing it would be just fine but the water was obviously flowing over the top.
Thanks for sharing, I was trying to find a picture of it this morning. It certainly matches the description, concrete bridge with river in spate over it. She described there being another bridge that went unnoticed till across, but I can't see that on map (unless this is the bridge and she crossed the river without it). Must have been scary to say the least but she's safe and the bikes been found and recovered by someone from the estate. Seems like others managed across safely as well thankfully. I would have imagined with the experience of the route, folk would have known there was a bridge and there wasn't a troublesome river crossing at that point, esp with route veterans behind her at that time. Suppose that's what the dark, exhaustion, weather and all the rest can do to your memory etc.
Enjoyed following the riders adventures a great deal. They really are made of different stuff. All weekend I've been meaning to go for a ride but the rain, feeling a bit iffy kept me in. How they ride that distance in the weather with hardly any sleep I just don't know. Glad to hear Kerry Macphee is ok and bike has been found. Hoping she would get a good result to go with Dales Divide but not to be.
I did help with two cows in difficulty today on my ride this morning so feel I have achieved something worthwhile!
Mate popped in for a chat last night. He looked a bit tired, I asked if he'd been up to much, "yeah just completed the HT 550 in 4daysish." It'd been quicker but he did the old route instead of the cut through on the northern loop.
Apparently that river crossing was thigh deep.
One of the groups that Mike talked of choosing to do it at the same time as the official event causing strain on the limited dry spaces ? Or one of the racers 😉
Not on the start list so must have been a free loader. He was solo but said there were some groups filling bothies. A dozen or so Americans in one group.
It would appear from the general tracker that there are three folk still stuck at Shenaval bothy, presumably unable to cross the river at the loch exit through high water levels. Hopefully not running out of food yet; I think all three have been there since Wednesday. I know Becky from the ultra running community; she isn't tall, making that crossing in high water a challenge.
They've made it to Poolewe. Someone pointed out that Emily is both a qualified summer and winter mountain leader, so she will know exactly what she's doing with dodgy river crossings
I've been silent cheering Chris Johnstone - I don't know him but at 70 what a massive achievement. Only 25 miles to go C'mon Chris.