The Baslow Bootbash offers a choice of a 14 mile or a 27 mile route through the beautiful scenery of the Peak District National park and is a favourite with runners from GRC who return year after year to line up outside Chatsworth House for this popular event. With the wild flowers in the White Peaks in full bloom and light rain forecast it was a perfect day for trail running and attracted a quintet of experienced “Bootbashers” from Grantham.
Sarah High and Nev Chamberlin opted for the 14 mile route which they had both completed before, with navigation not a problem they finished in joint 7th place in 2:40:59 with Nev knocking a full forty six minutes off his previous mark set in 2016. Sarah was classified as third lady back.
On the 27 mile route which starts in the village of Baslow before wandering through Chatsworth Park, Edensor, Over Haddon, Sheldon, Monsal Dale, Cressbrook Dale, Foolow, Eyam, Froggatt and Calver, then passing through Bramley Wood and Bank Wood to return to Baslow you get full tour of the Peak District in one morning! The biggest improver for the club on this one was Andrew MacAllister in 5:36:00 in 23rd position, an improvement of over 15 minutes on his 2018 time. In joint 12th place Catherine Payne and Robert McArdle also enjoyed a fastest time albeit only by a couple of minutes. Catherine was second lady back.