By Shane Ohly

My Personal Experience  

This year, the SILVA Lakes and Northern Traverse was an entirely different event experience for me. Typically, my role is quite hands-off once the event is underway, and I can usually be found in ‘Race Control’, managing incoming information such as GPS tracking data and communications, so that I have an overview of the event. This year, I made the decision to be more hands-on, traveling from one Support Point to the next to witness how the race evolved and how each of the Support Points functioned.  

This was only possible because of the outstanding back-office support from the Race Control team, combined with phone, radio and satellite communications, that allowed me to jump back into a directorial role within minutes, from anywhere, if need be.  

At the last moment, we also had to cover some unexpected gaps in our medical team and, as I was already moving from one Support Point to the next, it made sense for me to fill these gaps. So the night before, I found myself with a specific job to do and three shifts to cover.  

Some of those one-to-one interactions with the participants (whilst fixing blisters mainly!) were incredibly insightful and the time spent witnessing how the Support Points operated and the challenges they overcame throughout the event have all helped me to understand the nuances of the event better than before. It was also not only humbling, but also inspiring, to see the progress of the participants from one Support Point to the next, with growing fatigue but increasing determination to finish. 

It wasn’t until Monday, three days after the start, that I finally arrived in Robin Hood’s Bay, having made my own journey from one coast to the other across Northern England.  

Building for the Future 

Last year was our first Lakes and Northern Traverse, and despite a focused effort to get up to speed and understand the event during the short handover period, there were inevitably some unknowns that only became apparent with the experience of running the event for ourselves.  

I’ve written about the 2022 event in detail here, and acknowledged some of the shortcomings at the time and the commitment we made to improve the next edition of the event. This is neatly summarised as the Runners’ Covenant:  

“We expect our participants to universally abide by the rules, format and ethos of our events, regardless of whether they are first or last. The quid pro quo is that our participants should expect that their race experience and the services offered by Ourea Events should be universal, regardless of whether they are first or last.”  

This year, the Ourea Events team were absolutely determined to ensure that the event was delivered expertly and to our usual very high standards to every participant at the event. We were all ready to go about 10 days before, and there was a period of growing anxiety in the office, as we were keen to get on with our first event of the year and put (what we felt was) a below-average performance behind us from the year before.  

What I am extremely delighted to confirm is that we succeeded!

Back to business as usual for Ourea Events. At the heart of this is a determination to listen to our customers, and carefully consider and reflect on all the feedback we get post-event. What was so satisfying to hear from participants who attended both the 2022 and 2023 editions was that they could also see the changes we had made, the attention to detail, and the extra resources that all combined to make 2023 a resounding success.   

I am confident now that we have a robust operational plan for the SILVA Lakes Traverse and Northern Traverse, and I am excited about how this event will develop and grow in the years ahead.   

Thanks to SILVA 

Having a title sponsor that is super engaged with the event is a rarity, and the attention to detail and support that SILVA provided for this year's event sets a high bar indeed. Whilst SILVA succeeded in activating the SILVA brand in real and tangible ways, they also provided direct benefits to the participants. A win-win for everyone.  

The added support that SILVA brought to the event this year included 5 members of staff attending, a Swedish FIKA van offering free coffee & cake at Patterdale, 24/7 massages at Shap available to both Lakes and Northern Traverse participants, branded SILVA headbands and neck gaiters, a Granger's technical wash kit (for all those filthy clothes) and finally some brilliant SILVA head torches for the podium finishers.   

The SILVA team were also out on the course to support the social media coverage of the event. They worked as hard as we did to make the event a success, and it continues to be an absolute pleasure to work with SILVA. 

Thanks to the Event Team  

The Event Team – a mixture of professional staff and volunteers – are without a doubt the beating heart of an event. Once again, this year they all worked extremely hard to bring the SILVA Northern Traverse and Lakes Traverse event to life, and I am very grateful for the steadfast and tireless support provided to all the participants. What an amazing team!

Often, I am asked by participants how on earth we manage to get such a dedicated group of staff at our events, and how on earth they manage to be so happy and positive throughout the event.

There are many nuances to the answer but I think some of the most important components are: 1) treating the Event Team with great respect for the time and expertise that they are providing; 2) providing accommodation, expenses, and meals so that no one is out of pocket by helping at our events; 3) giving the team the agency and responsibility to deliver the elements of the event they are responsible for without micro-managing; and 4) a shift pattern of working (typically 8 hours on / 8 hours off) so that no one becomes exhausted. We all need to drive home safely once the fun and games are over. Also, we provide a credit equal to the value of the race for anyone volunteering, so we have an amazing roundabout of people volunteering, then racing, and then volunteering again. This means we maintain a critical mass of experienced volunteers who understand our events, and the ethos and values we hold dear as a business.  

Once again, I’d like to express my sincere gratitude to the simply brilliant team that included the following: 

Catering Team 

Emma Hadley 

Fiona Massey 

Fiona Murphy 

Hilary Malyon 

Joe Faulkner 

Laura Smith 

Paul Hadley 

Tammy Ruvino 

Tim Glasby 

 

Medical Team 

Georgina Shepherd 

Lauren Mckenna 

Natalya Kennedy 

Robyn Cassidy 

Soraya Cherry 

 

Media Team 

Christiaan Le Roux 

Harriet D'Alessio 

Stephen Ashworth 

 

Race Control  

Abbi Forsyth 

Matthew Gemmell 

 

Response Team 

Dan Romberg 

Dave Howarth 

Stuart Smith 

Tom Chivers 

  

SILVA Team 

Catherine Magson 

Kiera Baxter 

Marie Cheng 

Miranda Ericsson 

Neil Yoxall 

Susy Kerr 

 

Support Points Team 

Alan Konopka 

Alastair Baillie 

Andrew Norman 

Ben Hobbs 

Colin Harding 

Colin Young 

Daren Piper 

Duncan Anderson 

Gavin Grimsey 

Gill Leng 

Glenn Shreeves 

Ian Cowie 

Ian McFarlane 

Jennifer O'Neill 

Jo Shelmerdine 

Kate Tiernan 

Katie Robertson 

Keith Montgomery 

Leon Fairbrother 

Manouk Bakermans 

Matthew Shimwell 

Mike Hogan 

Peter Huzan 

Rachel Sheldrake 

Rachel Sparkhall 

Robert Campbell 

Robbie Driscoll 

Robert Williams 

Roddie Grant 

Sarah Norman 

Sheena Wilson 

Tina Usherwood 

 

Bag Drop Van Drivers 

Alexander Major 

Dave Havers 

Derek Allison 

Steve Chamberlain 

Ourea Team 

Charlie Williamson 

Eleanor Claringbold 

Graham Gristwood 

Greg Mickelborough 

Janie Oates 

Jen Edson 

Lucy Scrase 

Neil Davies 

Seb Boulton Oliver 

Sue Dowker 

Tom Hecht 

 

SILVA Lakes Traverse and Northern Traverse Reporting 

There are seven excellent blogs covering much of the action at the Lakes Traverse and Northern Traverse listed below, and whilst tempting, I won’t try to replicate this reporting in my Race Director’s Report.  

 

• That’s a wrap: It’s been the journey of a lifetime for the final finishers on the SILVA Northern Traverse 

• Camaraderie, courage and sleep deprivation on Day 4 of the SILVA Northern Traverse 

• A resounding win for Lizzie Faithfull-Davies at the SILVA Northern Traverse 

• Victory for James Nobles after a close race at the SILVA Northern Traverse 

• All to play for at the SILVA Northern Traverse 

• A joint finish as records broken at the SILVA Lakes Traverse 

• Ultra Runners gather for the start of two epic races on the SILVA Lakes & Northern Traverse 

 

However, I would like to highlight a couple of memorable moments and some noteworthy incidents.  

There were lots of comments about the exemplary medical care for participants' feet, with most runners seeming to arrive in Robin Hood’s Bay with a story of how their race had been saved by expert foot care from the Medical Team. If you would like to prepare optimally for your next adventure, please take a moment to read the Footcare Guidance article on either the Montane Dragon’s Back Race® or Cape Wrath Ultra® websites.  

This year, we relocated the iconic, but all too exposed, windswept and battered, Support Point at the Lion Inn to Lordstones. Honestly, I was nervous about this change, because of the reputation that had built up around the Lion Inn. However, it proved to be an excellent decision, with the new, more sheltered location, showers, toilets, and café all being greatly appreciated by staff and participants alike.  

Whilst our Response Team had a quiet event, one moment of silliness occurred when SARDA Search Dog Fern was tasked with finding a participant in some rough ground just off the path. Their tracker had become stationary, and we were unsure whether they were sleeping or collapsed and in need of help. It turned out the participant had taken an emergency nap after hallucinating that they were being chased by werewolves… only to be woken up by a super excited, LED flashing, and loudly barking Fern.  

Unfortunately, we did disqualify one runner on the Northern Traverse for having a support runner between Richmond and Lordstones. In this instance, I’d like to acknowledge that this was not an attempt to cheat by the participant, and whilst the support received was limited, it did represent a clear infringement of the event rules. To their credit, when challenged they immediately accepted responsibility for the error and the disqualification. As regular readers will know, we always enforce the rules of the event, regardless of whether the person in question is first or last, because we strongly believe in fairness, and there is usually a safety reason underpinning the rule. Ignorance is not bliss, and it always remains the participant's responsibility to know and follow the rules of the event. That said, disqualifying anyone is the last thing we want to do, and this incident will prompt an internal review of the rules and how we communicate these to the participants pre-event.

Finally, there were some truly remarkable displays of grit and determination throughout the event. It is hard to pick out just a few, but for me, Richard Beard battling to the finish line despite significant discomfort, Pascale Mathonet, moving through the field from last place at Reeth to a comfortable finish, and Eoin Keith’s remarkable 4th finish (he is the only person to have completed every single edition of the Northern Traverse and has also won the event twice) were highlights. It was also incredible to witness Lizzie Faithfull-Davies’s first big race win, event team stalwart Nikki Sommers’s overwhelming positive attitude, and finally my neighbour Rachael Horner’s brilliant 4th place finish at the Lakes Traverse.  

Minimum Mandatory Kit  

It is clear we’ll need to revisit this again. Time and time again, participants – particularly on the Northern Traverse – arrived at Support Points cold, whilst wearing many additional layers beyond what is required by the minimum mandatory kit. There were a couple of retirements by participants who were unable to stay warm and needed assistance to be evacuated from the course by our Response Team.  

Often at registration kit check, we hear from participants that they can’t carry any additional items or a warmer synthetic layer, because their bag is too small… well there is a simple solution to this! We see much conversation on social media about whether participants will use XY or Z item of kit to save a few grams, whereas, in reality, a few extra grams make no difference. The real gains are to be made with thorough training and preparation.   

Watch this space for an update for the 2024 edition. 

STAKEHOLDER THANKS 

The SILVA Lakes and Northern Traverse would not be possible without the consent and support of various landowners and stakeholders along the route. I would like to extend a sincere thanks on behalf of all the participants to these organisations and individuals. In particular, I would like to thank Forestry England, the National Trust, the Lake District National Park Authority the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, and the North York Moors National Park Authority.

Venues Thanks

We would not have been able to deliver the event without the following venues, which were vital locations for registration, the start/finish lines, and as locations for the Support Points along the route:

St Bees School

Borrowdale Institute

Patterdale Primary School

Shap Memorial Hall

Upper Eden RUFC

Richmondshire RUFC

Lordstones Country Park

Fylingdales Village Hall

TRAVERSE MAIL 

There were over 2,000 Traverse Mail messages sent to participants during the Northern Traverse. It was great to see people receiving these encouraging messages from friends and family, and they definitely gave our runners the courage and motivation they needed to push on.  

RESULTS 

The full results are now available here:

EVENT COVERAGE 

You can view our event photos on Facebook and we will be uploading a selection to the photo gallery in due course. You can also catch up with everything that was posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram during the event and, as mentioned above, you can catch up with the event blogs in the news viewer on our website.

Steve Ashworth has also put together an incredible Event Film - relive your experience, and share with friends and family:

FEEDBACK 

Feedback is very important to us. We are always keen to hear your thoughts. Whilst we don’t promise to incorporate every piece of feedback received, we do promise to read and consider it carefully. Participant feedback has really helped us refine and improve the event and we are always incredibly grateful to those who take the time to send in any thoughts, no matter how big or small. So, please don’t be shy and send any comments you have using our contact form or email us directly.

KEEN TO COME BACK NEXT YEAR? 

Don't forget, entries are already open for the 2024 SILVA Lakes Traverse and SILVA Northern Traverse - taking place from Saturday 6th April to Wednesday 10th April 2024.  

Maybe you’re keen to improve on your time from this year? Or perhaps you’d like to tackle the SILVA Northern Traverse after completing the SILVA Lakes Traverse this year? Whatever your goal, we’d love to see you for another extraordinary journey.

WHAT'S NEXT? 

Looking for some future inspiration? Take a look at some more events from Ourea Events below: 

2023 SILVA GREAT LAKELAND 3DAY™ - LAST FEW ENTRIES REmaining

29th April – 1st May 2023 

Enjoy a relaxed and friendly 3-day mountain journey around the beautiful fells of the Lake District. There are six courses to choose from: Café, Herdwick, Wainwright, Fellrunner, Extreme and Adventure so there is something for everyone! Entries Close Sunday 23rd April.

CAPE WRATH ULTRA® 

21st – 28th May 2023 - LAST FEW PLACES 

19th – 26th May 2024 – ENTRIES OPEN 10TH MAY 

Interested in a multi-day racing experience? Join us for 8 incredible days of running through the stunning Scottish Highlands on the epic Cape Wrath Ultra®. This awe-inspiring expedition race starts in Fort William and winds its way through some iconic Scottish landscapes to finish at the Cape Wrath lighthouse, the most north-westerly tip of the British Isles. 

There are still a few places left for the May 2023 event, taking place this May, or keep an eye out for entries opening for 2024 on 10th May!

 2023 MONTANE DRAGON'S BACK RACE® - LAST FEW PLACES 

4th - 9th September 2023

Looking for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure? Join us for six epic days of mountain running through stunning Wales! The 2023 Montane Dragon’s Back Race® starts from Conwy Castle and runs the length of Wales, linking many of the country’s iconic mountain summits, to finish in Cardiff Castle on the South coast of Wales.

 

2022 SALOMON SKYLINE SCOTLAND® - ENTRIES OPEN 

16th - 17th September 2023

Be part of the UK's biggest weekend of trail running and skyrunning. If you're looking for a skyrunning challenge, why not try the 52km Salomon Ben Nevis Ultra? Or for something a bit longer, why not enter the breath-taking Lochaber 80?