Stanza Stones Winter Edition - Final Details

This email is mainly about knowing what to expect on the day so please read carefully so you are fully prepared.

Firstly, please ensure you have loaded the latest GPX file from the Stanza Stones webpage. 

DROP BAGS

If you require a bag to be at the finish, you can drop this off at Ilkley Friday evening or Saturday morning before the coach arrives. You can also drop off bags at registration at Marsden on Saturday. We will provide you with a label if you need one. There are no facilities for food drop bags at checkpoints unless you have a special diet such as being coeliac etc (sorry but vegetarians and vegans do not come into this category as there will be clearly labelled suitable food). If you are dropping a food bag off, please ensure you have your number and the checkpoint location on your bags. Again, we will provide labels for you. Pass your food dropbags to a marshal at either registration.

KIT CHECK

You will need your full kit at registration (Ilkley or Marsden) as we will be doing kit check of the mandatory kit requirements (see the UPDATED participants roadbook on the webpage). You can choose what extra kit you will need for the weather on the day. Kit must include paper maps and a traditional compass. You can print the maps off the webpage (in colour, not black and white) or buy the OS Maps: OL21 & 297. You will be amazed at the amount of people who do not provide these essential tools. There will be no kit for sale but we do have a lost property box that for a donation to MRT you may find a piece of kit you will need, but do not rely on this.

Note that along with a headtorch, you will also need a spare battery(s) or a second headtorch. This is compulsory.

Also, please remember to include a cup and spork in your kit to use at checkpoints.

 

FRIDAY AT ILKLEY REGISTRATION

Please note that registration/finish is not in the actual school but based in the annex building alongside (see above map). It will be clearly signposted as the entrances are quite hidden. 

We have permission from the school to allow camping on the field, adjacent from the annex building (campervans and any other vehicles are not allowed allowed on the field). This will be available from 4pm Friday evening and the annex building facilities such as toilet and kitchen will be available until 6.30am the following day. We will also provide tea and coffee for you in the kitchen. After the event, you can camp on Saturday night if you wish, again, using the facilities of the annex building. We must all be off the field by 11am Sunday.

Can I also stress that showers are not available before or after the event, simply because there aren't any! We will provide buckets of water at the finish if you need to freshen up. There are male and female changing rooms available so please ensure you have warm clothing to change into at the end.

Registration at Ilkley will be open from 5pm until 8pm on Friday evening. You can leave your drop bag/special dietary requirements bag at this time or again in the morning before the coach sets off.

If you arrive after 8pm on Friday, you will have to register in Marsden but you can leave your drop bags at Ilkley before the coach sets off on Saturday morning (06:30).

 

SATURDAY MORNING AT ILKLEY

If you have booked your seat on the coach, please arrive at the school before 6.30am. The annex building will be open for you to drop any bags and use the toilet, etc. Once the coach leaves at 6.30 prompt, the building will be closed until early afternoon.

You cannot register at Ilkley on Saturday morning so please ensure you have the correct mandatory kit ready for inspection at Marsden before boarding the coach.

SATURDAY MORNING AT MARSDEN

Registration will open at 7am. If you are not on the coach from Ilkley, I would suggest registering before 8am before the coach turns up.

Once past kit check, you will be supplied with your race number and tracker at registration. Please keep your race number visible unless it's under your jacket. Your tracker will be taped to your rucksack by one of our friendly volunteers.

Tea, coffee and toast will be available at the venue free of charge.

We will do a pre-race brief at around 8.50am 

 

THE ROUTE

Yorkshire folk are the best in the country (unless it's their round in the pub) and you will come across friendly, encouraging people along the route. Even landowners are happy folk. But if you do come across anyone not happy with you, please try to be polite and without swearing, tell them to contact the race organiser directly if there are any issues. Please keep to public right of ways and maintained paths and in the unlikely event you come across any wildlife, please leave them alone and give them a wide berth. If you encounter cows in fields, do not startle them. If need be, walk slowly around the edge of the field.

Everyone will be issued with a tracker at registration and the tracking webpage will be available for you to share with friends and family just before the event. From a safety point of view, we can monitor your progress and make sure no unnecessary short cuts are taken. 

• Route safety: The route, within a corridor of 200m, is mandatory, but we understand that sometimes the safest course of action might be to deviate slightly from the prescribed route, such as a field of scary looking cows. Please prioritise safety and then return to the route as soon as safely possible.

• If you take a wrong turning, you must back track your way back to the point where you left the correct route to avoid any time penalties. If we feel that a participant has short cut the route to gain an unfair advantage, a time penalty will be implemented or a disqualification, especially if you catch a bus!

There will be an orienteering kite at each of the Stones this year. You do not need to do anything with the kite, just touch each stone when you visit them and the tracker will be set to record your presence at the stone within 15 metres. 

Checkpoint Locations

White House Car Park (Outdoor and no toilets) SD 968 178

Mytholmroyd Community Centre (Indoor with toilets) SE 011 259

Cold Edge Road (Outdoor and no toilets) SE 032 323

Haworth Village Hall (Indoor with toilets) SE 033 371

Bingley Little House (Indoor with toilets) SE 106 391

Ilkley Moor (Outdoor and no toilets) SE 111 468

Please note that the Ilkley checkpoint has moved from the usual summer position to a more sheltered location to the north of Ilkley Moor.

Also note that we will flag the final descent off Ilkley moor from the Twelve Apostles circle to the road.

 

Remember, you have 24 hours to complete this event, but we need to have cut offs at key locations. So please remember the cut offs listed below.....

• Mytholmroyd - 4pm
• Haworth - 8pm
• Bingley - 12am
• Ilkley Finish - 9am Sunday morning

Also note that you must leave the checkpoints by the cut off times. Please do not plan to arrive at Mytholmroyd at 3.58 and expect to hang around for half an hour.

We will supply you with plenty of food and drink at each checkpoint and there are plenty of other options should you choose to buy your own from passing shops, cafes and pubs. 

 

RETIREMENTS

Should you decide enough is enough, please try to retire at a manned checkpoint. Although we don't offer a bus for retirees, we will have marshals out and about who will get you back to Ilkley, even if you have to go from one CP to another, but please don't rely on an instant return back to Ilkley and please be patient.

If you injure yourself or come across someone who is injured, please contact the emergency number on the back of your race number first so we can try to deal with the situation ourselves before Mountain Rescue are called. Obviously, if it is a life threatening situation, 999 must be called first, asking for the police and then Mountain Rescue. This year we will have the expertise of Peak Medical & Rescue once again who will be with us to help deal with any safety issues. 

 

THE FINISH

We will be looking forward to welcoming you back to Ilkley after your journey from Marsden. Hot pie and peas and drink will be available when you finish. Remember, changing rooms are available to get out of your cold and wet clothing.

If you ordered a t-shirt, you will be able to collect it when you finish. If you have not ordered one, they will also be available to order.

Take your time to savour the day before heading off. Eat pie! Reflect on what you have achieved and please do not be afraid to let me know how we could improve the race if you are not happy with something (like no showers, for instance).

For night time reading, you can look at the link below which gives you more info on the Stanza Stones and locations:

Stanza Stones Poetry Trail Guide (kirklees.gov.uk)

And lastly, here is your tracker link for the event:

https://live.opentracking.co.uk/stanzawinter25/

Please share the link with family and friends so they can watch your progress duriung the event.

Right, that's your lot I think. Please read this email again and double check with the participants' roadbook on the webpage. Any questions, no matter how trivial, fire away.

We are all going to have a great day on the 29th, no matter what the weather gods throw at us all.

All the best and have a safe journey here (avoid Bradford if you have an old car/van........Clean Air Zone charges apply)

Darren and all the fantastic CraggRunner crew.