The Dava Way 50km was the first Scottish event I did after moving up here last year. I can't believe it's been a year already!
Andrew and I stayed overnight in Grantown-on-Spey the night before. As it's a point to point route, there is a bus put on for runners from the end in Forres to the start, but you have to be there at 5:30am - we did that last year, and it's great fun, but opted to stay near the start this year so as to get a little lie-in! We stayed at the Speyside Hotel which was beautiful and comfortable and had an excellent cosy bar for some pre-race relaxation....
...followed by some carb-loading at the Pia Po Thai restaurant.
The race starts at the leisure centre in Grantown-on-Spey. It was a 15 minute walk from the hotel, and it was still dark on the walk down. It is organised by Moray Way Ultras, and has such a good buzz about it, and it was great to soak up the atmosphere at the start.
At 7:30 we set off! First of all was a loop around Anagach Woods, along the River Spey, and back through Grantown. Musical highlights included the guy in neon on a bike with a speaker blasting out all the best tunes, and then a piper and drummer at the top of the short climb up on to the Dava Way! The Dava Way then follows the disused Highland Railway Line, which opened in 1863 to link Inverness and Perth, before closing in 1965. It starts in Grantown-on-Spey in the Cairngorms, and crosses the Dava Moor, before dropping down to Forres on the coast. On the way, it winds through gorges, forests and moorland, and past several of points of interest...
The Divie Viaduct: built in the 1860s, it is 145 meters long and 52 meters high with 7 arches spanning the Divie River. We have Lord Laing (a local businessman, and grandson of the inventor of the digestive biscuit) to thank for this magnificent structure still being here - as he bought it for £90 when the railway closed, to save it from being demolished.
Huntly's Cove: near to the summit, the spot is named after George Gordon (the 2nd Marquis of Huntly), a Royalist, who legend has it, hid there in 1645 after his forces were defeated by Archibald Campbell (his brother-in-law) a Covenanter.
The Dava Summit: at 1053 feet has spectacular views of the open moors all the way to the sea!
The Half Way Hut: a shelter about, oooh, half way along.
Wooden sculptures: of a dragoon (I always get a fright thinking it's a real person in the tress) and a collie dog (who used to convey messages along the way).
It was the most beautiful day; bright blue skies, and a riot of autumn colours all around. It was very meditative running along through it all.
I had a bit of a squiffy stomach and felt a bit off, but that didn't spoil it. Managed to keep a steady pace ticking along, and was happy enough to finish in 4:56.
The event was brilliant, really well organised, friendly, and the marshals were amazing. The medal is beautiful and the goody bag has sunglasses and beer in! I had a chat with Race Directors Kyle and Debbie at the end, and Kyle explained the medal design - sunshine (always sunny at Moray Way events, hence the sunglasses as well!), Nelson's Tower (the bonus hill at the end!) and the railway track running around the edge.
