Remember that ridiculously expensive Highland Kings race? 
7 Likes
Couple of mates and i were giggling about this this morning. Did you see the comments - where someone went full childish mode!
3 Likes
2 Likes
That is grim!
I like that UKClimbing site, I’m not sure I’d heard of it before.
You won’t find anyone laughing about it up here.
No idea what the event was thinking but it’s pretty f*cking stupid.
1 Like
I read the whole article and I think the outrage is overblown. It seems to be more virtue signalling reverse snoberry than anything else.
Yes, the race could have used more marshals, especially for that money and yes it probably wasn’t a great idea. However, they sourced chalk that’s biodegradable and have committed to going back and scrubbing it all off to minimise the chance of real contamination.
They seem at least trying to do the right thing now but I’m sure that will be 7 flavours of wrong?
We’ll agree to strongly disagree.
Come out with me for a day or two in the mountains and I’ll hopefully explain and show you why 
The article says that the area was covered in yellow HK chalk but there is one pic of one rock?
If you’re talking about general trail abuse I agree but I’d like to see the evidence of the mass vandalism being shouted about here.
And again, they’ve acknowledged it and have a plan. Is that good enough?
1 Like
No, any trail marking should be done with removable and reusable tagging. All trail runs should have a tail runner that can remove the tags as they go.
After reading the article, I don’t think they ever had any intention of going back and “scrubbing it off”. They’re only doing it now because it’s made it to the media. Our trail ultra goes through hideous, industrial areas but we still don’t leave a single trace along the route.
2 Likes
On that note, if anyone wants to do a not very scenic but very friendly and flat trail ultra (40 miles) - the entries for Warrington Way open at 9am tomorrow.
Always used to sell out in less than 30 mins. So let’s see what tomorrow brings.
I’m not sure I can explain to you properly in a few small paragraphs, especially while typing on my phone.
The delicacy of mountain environments is often misunderstood. The same is true of oceans of course. But the outrage here is both specific and general. Specific because the event org did know better than to do this but chose to do it anyway. The area is SSSI, lichen on granite is incredibly rare. When I read that they’ll ‘scrub’ the rock I have a wtf face. Scrubbing the rock will literally be the worst thing they could do. This isn’t about visual graffiti and repair is going to be incredibly difficult to achieve.
It’s not just the one rock that was sprayed. Local mrt are saying hundreds, others are saying the whole route was waymarked this way. I’ve no idea what the actual number is.
2 Likes
@awildt I have set my alarm for tomorrow so hopefully I get an entry.
1 Like
Excellent. I’ll be running CP3 so remember to say hi!
The irony is our club run starts at 8.30am on a Sunday. I think there’ll be an entry break mid run 
1 Like
I agree. I don’t think they did have an intention to scrub it off but they do now, so the test will be to see if they actually.
Disagree with the no chalk . Nothing worse than seeing bits of old ribbon and plastic taper left draped over bushes and trees from events that are too lazy to tidy it up.
Ok but it’s done. So what do you propose they do, leave it or make amnends in the best way?
You can’t keep shouting how terrible it is without a solution. Perhaps all these locals could help them educate themselves?
I’m not defending the race, they fucked up and they know they did but the damage is dine and hopefully not permanently but just shouting ‘wrong wrong’ doesn’t help fix the situation.
Now if the do it again, they truly are morons. Also the ‘locals are saying’ should be backed up with some proof because I haven’t seen it yet and surely it’s not that hard to produce?
Typing on my phone without glasses so apologies for errors
You’re a very strong character FP with firm opinions. Nothing I can say will change them so I’ll respectfully bow out.
There are plenty of photos online being shared. How many do I need to post for you to accept that it’s not just the one?
How about just the two?
Edit, swapped photo due to privacy of member of public.
1 Like
People are allowed to disagree. All I was saying was that the article provided very scant evidence of the whole area being obliterated with yellow chalk but your attached does tell more of a story.
That doesn’t change anything about my question though. What is it (apart from ranting) that the locals actually want done?
I’m not sure how anything I’ve written is prompting for my mind to be changed? Changed about what? The company screwed up for sure but there’s a time for pointing the finger and a time for fixing the issue and the company and/or the locals should be on that space now.
