Well more computer gremlins! Not ours this time though. UK2, who host our email are having a few issues so at the moment I am not able to access any email to the hike address. Hopefully the problems should be sorted soon, but if you have not had a reply to your email this is probably the reason why.

On a completely unrelated subject, please can I put the word out for nominations for this years Mike Wooding award. This is a non-competetive trophy awarded, by the Committee, to a hiker or staff member who embodies the spirit of the Fellsman. So if you know of someone who deserves this honour please send us a few words on why they deserve to be nominated for this award either to the PO box address or by email. Nominations close on the 1st June.

Finally, the results leaflets are now at the printers so within the next couple of weeks we should have your tallies, certificates and offical results leaftets posted to you.

And once again the computer gremlins have struck…

I've had a couple of emails about errors in the results lists which should now have been corrected. If anyone has any issues about their times please can you contact me asap so that I can try to resolve them before the results leaflet goes to print.

Apologies to those who the gremlins affected…we do try but the pesky critters seem to get in every year

Well it's all over bar the blisters! It was an interesting event with challenging weather, checkpoints blowing away and some cracking homemade soup at Park Rash (courtesy of the Catering officers mum). There is a great report on the Grough web site complete with an interview with this years winner Jez Bragg.

We would just like to thank everyone who has emailed the web site with their kind words and thanks. It is great to be reminded exactly why we spend 9 months of the year living and breathing the Fellsman.

For all those people wanting to know how they have done the results are now up on the Results page of the website. The results leaflet will be printed over the next week or so and then we will post out everybodies tallies and certificates out.

If anyone has any photos they are willing to share please contact us as we would love to show them on the site.

Just thought I'd put up the general weather forcast for the route.

Saturday Daytime- Mostly cloudy with patches of broken sunshine with light rain developing during the afternoon. Temperatures are listed as ranging from 5°C on exposed hilltops to 14°in sheltered areas. The wind from the WSW should be less strong than today (12-17mph) dying down over the course of the day.

Saturday night - The skys are forcast to be relatively clear which should help with navigation as there is a full moon! However it also means it will be very chilly especially up on the tops with temperatures listed from 3°C down to zero. Might be wise to pack that extra layer!

Sunday daytime - Much like Saturday but with much less wind.

Not ideal I will admit, with a right mixture going on - but what can you expect from the Fellsman…

Due to the high number of people requiring transport to the start from Threshfield on Saturday morning and the high number of entrants overall we are asking that people who will need their kit checking when they arrive at Ingleton please arrive at Threshfield to catch the early bus leaving at 5.30. We appretiate this is a very early start but we ask you to take pity on us in trying to get everyone checked-in and kit checked by the 9am start

I look forward to seeing everyone bright and early (please…) on Saturday morning

So here we are. Ready for the off. Below are various nuggets of information on the logistics of the event. If there is anything not covered which you need to know feel free to contact me via the Contact page above. I'll be able to access the email right up until Friday evening…

Pre-event Report on Grough

Bob Smith, the editor of Grough has posted a pre-event article on the 2009 event. Go here to read the article which includes some words from Fellsman Winner and Veteran Mark Hartell

Threshfield Opening Times and Friday Kit Check

On Friday, the event headquarters at Threshfield will be open to entrants from 19:00 until midnight. We ask that entrants do not arrive at the school between 00:00 and 05:00.

Bus tickets, supper tickets and breakfast tickets can be collected from the Accomodation reception desk. Entrants who have been assigned a camping space on the school field, please contact reception before pitching your tent. On the Friday night supper will be served between 21:30 and 22:30. Breakfast will be served from 05:15.

On the Friday night we will also be running a kit check session from 20:00 to 22:00 for those entrants staying in Threshfield or in the surrounding area (or indeed anyone who wants to turn up).

Buses will leave Threshfield starting at 05:30, with the final bus leaving at 07:30. We recommend that people booked on the buses who are intending to get their kit checked at Ingleton on the Saturday morning catch the earlier buses to allow plenty of time to get through kit check before the start.

Threshfield will be open to spectators throughout the event where a system to track progress of entrants is in operation.

Ingleton Opening Times

The start, at Ingleton Community Centre, will be open for check-in from 06:15 until 08:30. Please give yourself plenty of time to check-in and get through kit check. If you are intending to enter on the day please try to fill in an entry form (see left for pdf) in advance to speed up processing your entry and if paying cash, please try to have the £32 ready in correct change.

If you would like to enter a team please ask at check-in for a team entry form.

Random kit checks

Please be aware that this year we will be instigating random kit checks throughout the event. This is to ensure that all the required equipment checked at the start is retained throughout the event. The checks may be made by Event officials and designated checkpoint staff. Waiting time may be awarded at the Event Officials discretion.

Grouping Rule

As we have a large number of novices to the Fellsman this year we thought we should draw your attention to the Grouping rule. This rule was instigated when the Fellsman was primarily a Scouting event and is to ensure safety of competitors during the hours of darkness or in bad weather. Although the Fellman has evolved in nature since it's inception with increasing numbers of runners filling the ranks, this is a rule we feel is important to retain, although we appretiate we are probably the only event which still employs it!

In essence, at dusk or in extreme weather conditions, we require competitors to be grouped into groups of four or more at the next roadside checkpoint. These competitors must them walk as a group, remaining in both sight and sound of other members of the group, until they are degrouped at another roadside checkpoint at dawn with the agreement of the Checkpoint Organiser.

Where competitors are required to wait until a group of four can be formed waiting time will be awarded which will be deducted from their final walking time.

The consequences of breaking grouping are severe - all members of the group will be immediately disqualified from the event. This is because breaking grouping effectively risks the safety of all the members of the group. In the event of a hiker being injured a grouping of four allows for one individual to stay with the injured competitor while the other two go for help.

A full description of the grouping rule and its consequences are given on page 16 of the handbook and in rule 6c.

In signing up to the Fellsman competitors agree to abide by all the rules of the event including the grouping rule. Although we recognise that it is unpopular with some people, we make no apologies for retaining and enforcing this rule on the event.

The Fellsman Shop

Can I also draw your attention to the Fellsman shop which will be located at Threshfield all weekend, and also at the start, where you can order some wonderful Fellsman goodies including the much sought after 'I've survived' T-shirt, and the iconic Fellsman Tally T-shirt. Some stock is available to pick up there and then but order forms for our entire selection will also be available.

Finally…

Keep watching for any last minute updates.

The Fellsman Committee would like to wish everyone the best of luck on the event and we hope that you will enjoy the incredible adventure that is - The Fellsman!

Well, only a few days to go. There are a few places (<20) still available so get those entry forms in if you want a secure place as any remaining places on the Saturday will be on a strict first-come first-serve basis. I will be posting some information tonight regarding kit check, buses, opening and closing times for check-in and reminders of the ever unpopular grouping rule which the committee takes VERY seriously!

In the meantime I've had a plea for help from an entrant based in Harrogate who is looking for a car share from Threshfield to Harrogate on the Sunday due to the very poor public transport on Sundays. He can also offer a lift from Harrogate to the start on the Saturday morning. If anybody feels that they can help please contact me via the Contact page and I'll put you in touch.

Thanks and watch this space.

Greetings all. Well less than two weeks to go and final preparations are in full swing.

I am getting a lot of people asking if there is still space on the event and at the moment we have about 30 places left for those that still want to enter. Please be aware that we will not be checking the PO box until Saturday 2nd May (as the PO Box keeper has gone on holiday). As a result we will not post your handbook to you (for fear it will not reach you in time) but will retain it for you to collect on the weekend. We will contact you with your hiker number and relevant details. If you would like a summary leaflet (as a pdf document) giving details of checkpoint locations, special instructions and start and finish locations to allow you to plan your route please contact me via the website.

There has been some confusion over accomodation for which we can only apologise. The thing is, we've never really had this problem before. In the old days (the 80s) when we used to have in excess of 400 entrants most people lived reasonably local and the people needing accomodation were in the minority. Now it's all changed and this year unfortunately we were unprepared (I know it's a bit ironic - we are a Scouting organisation after all ). Basically the upshot is this - if your hiker number is less than 358 and you asked for accomodation in the hall then you have a place. Individuals who have requested camping will have been contacted via email or phone if you have successfully booked a place. Anybody with a hiker number after 358 who has requested accomodation - unfortunately we are not able to offer you a place in the hall. Please accept our sincere apologies. Everyone who has applied for accomodation but has been unsuccessful will be receiving a letter informing them in the next day or so. If anyone is having real problems finding accomodation locally either at one of the B&Bs in Grassington or at the local camp site (Wood Nook - see below for link) please contact me. Just to let you know that we are already trying to address this problem for next years event.

Another problem seems to be with people getting their handbooks. Two more handbook dispatches have gone out - one last Monday and another this weekend. If you posted your entry before Wednesday last week and have not received your handbook by Friday please let me know. For those people who have already contacted me I will get back to you in the next 24 hours once I have acertained which batch your handbook was sent in. If it has gone astray we will post you out a duplicate.

Please keep checking back for more updates in the next couple of days

First bit of new news - Handbooks are in the post

The handbooks are in the post and should be with you in the next couple of days. If you haven't received your handbook by Easter please let me know.

Second bit of new news - No accommodation left

Unfortunately due to the unexpected increase in entries we have now completely filled both our allocation for the school and for camping pitches for the Friday evening at Threshfield. If you are after accomodation in the Grassington area then may I suggest heading to the Grassington home page which has a good list of hotels, guest houses and B&Bs in the immediate area. For those wanting to camp there is the Wood Nook Caravan and Camping Site located just a couple of miles outside Grassington on the Threshfield side.

Third bit of new news - Fellsman Axe up for grabs!

This year we had decided to hold the 'Number 1' race number for last years' winner Mark Hartell. Unfortunately Mark has informed us that he will not be able to attend the event this year due to prior comittments so 'Number 1' will not be running in 2009.

Of course this does mean the coveted Fellsman Axe is up for grabs…

Fourth bit of new news - Places still available & system for entry waiting list

Just to let you know that a few places are still available at the full entry price of £32 (still a bargain in my opinion given the price increases for everything - we are still charging 2006 prices !!!!). We are expecting to be full by the event weekend however we are putting a system in place for people to take the places of 'no-shows'. This will be as follows:

1) In the event that the event is full, entrants who have sent their entries in but are unsuccessful will have their cheque but not their entry form returned to them.

2) These people will then have priority to be given places on the weekend in the event of entrants not turning up.

3) If you are on the waiting list, please register with check-in at arrival at Ingleton so you can be added to the queue as allocation of entries will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

4) An entrant will be declared as a no-show if they have not checked in by 08:30 on the morning of the event (9th May). This is to allow time for last minute entrants to have their kit checked and tally issued.

5) If you feel you will not be able to attend the event please can you let me know via the website before 11.30pm on Friday 8th May.

If you do NOT wish to be considered for a place on the waiting list in the event you are unsuccessful in your original entry submission then please make a note on your entry form.

More news will be coming soon - watch this space…

Just a quick entry to let you know the state of play:

Entries - We are still on course for a full house this year, but there are still entries available. The discounted entry fee deadline is 1st April, so if you haven't entered yet now is the time!

Accomodation - In the previous blog entry I mentioned that accomodation places at Threshfield for the Friday evening were limited. We have now filled all the available places for accomodation at Threshfield although supper, breakfast and transport from Threshfield to the start are still available. For those people who have requested camping places I will get back to you via email very shortly. We are still waiting for the school to give us a final number of tents they will allow on site. As soon as I know I'll confirm whether a place has been allocated.

Handbooks - They will be going out in the next two weeks. We are just waiting to get them back from the printers then we will have a massive envelope stuffing session and get them out as soon as we can.

More news coming soon…