Taming the Welsh Dragon
The Welsh dragon proved too difficult to tame at the 2026 Veteran Home International. Usually Home Internationals are considered a contest between England and Scotland competing for the Mickelgate Bar Trophy and between Ireland and Wales competing for the Stonewall Trophy. Ireland last won the Stonewall Trophy in 2024, losing the trophy to Wales last year when the majority of the Ireland team were unable to travel due to Storm Amy.
However at this year’s event in Yorkshire, a strong Wales overtook Scotland with the final points table showing England 270, Wales 195, Scotland 167, Ireland 97. Full results are on the South Yorkshire Orienteers website. The individual race was run in the wind, rain, hail and mist at Cowms Rocks, an area of very steep valleys, fast cotton grass and bland hagg tops, followed by the relay on Haggside, a physically demanding and highly detailed area, in much better weather.
Team manager Sharon Dickenson writes:
Next out are the Seniors on home terrain on the Mournes on 3-4 October, with the individual event running alongside the NI Long Distance Championships at Meelmore.
After the usual months of Build-up of the Weekend prep the unusually early VHI neared. The volume of emails never ceases to amaze on the run up to VHI madness, but after the week of last-minute injuries, the injury calls broke unsurmountable records this year. The Plea for a good M70 man to fill very big shoes proved to be a needle in a haystack. So, after calls ups from the Lakes with Irish parentage and a reshuffle of local men running up, off we went with the Stonewall trophy at hand.
With previous experience of VHI it’s always good to not assume it’s happening until all the team is actual on the ground at the venue as anything can happen. The early September date eliminated the weather possibilities but with volcanoes erupting, air traffic control being IT challenged and the always impending flight delays can never be eliminated. The Dublin flight hitting the tarmac, followed by Belfast, Cork and Shannon one by one the team were on mainland Soil, and the rain was pelting down. Conditions in the peak district were gonna be moist to say the least.
Cars picked up and the drive began through Stockport to Glossop, decisions on dinner had to be made. The call for takeaway to be transferred to the hostel was made, some wanting Thai, Chinese and pizza become the outstanding winner. No dairy intolerant runner needed apply for the level of cheese on that one!! Sore tummies were had later, but more importantly Scotland shared that treat after leftovers were announced. The road over Snakes pass was completely cloaked in mist – this is gonna be fun!!
The hostel was somewhat palatial, thanks to Lucy from SYO for all her hard work with self-catering lunches and breakfast being the best decision ever! Dinner, Bedtime and talk of the long 45min walk into the event centre, the team manager wanting to be there before everyone else to sort out the wrong relay teams and start times with the SI entry team – weeks of work the last-minute changes are oh so crucial – the long early walk was programmed. The scurry of lunch making to get in before morning mayhem with Ireland and Scotland fighting over the kitchen. One biscuit and piece of each fruit each…no greedy guts!!
The early morning start proved fruitful, brekkie in, dishes done, lunches prepared, bags packed – nothing forgotten……until the individual prep… extra compasses donated….control descriptions and the sharing of tape….just a normal VHI before the next 30min 180m climb to the start and the incoming showers….coats compulsory for a reason.
The reason the spine race declares wind conditions would become clear off the Peak district tops, with multiple summits creating the level plateau, no funnelling wind effects here! The climb to the start showed little of the terrain we were about to embark onto. Of course, the team manager was one of the first out no elephant tracks likely especially with the moist conditions anticipated underfoot.
Once off the top the terrain opened a bit like Gortalughney the weekend before, but with less weather front. The use of coats never questioned, as putting ones hood up at one point actually save the glasses, which at one point blew off and 5 mins later were found 5 meters away in a ditch. The top traverses needless-to-say were a bearing with little visible attack point – with wind deviation and rainy squall hampering true lines, correction had to be made. Finally, the last 4 controls and big downhill…lovely running one marsh and then a second into a gully in a re-entrant and home. Expectations of chat of the huge re-entrant route that the blue and browns would have to mitigate where in their infancy at this point…. But not for long.
One by one they returned – clean run reports all flooding in and a lost dibber, it’s becoming Russian roulette in the Irish VHI who will be get the poison chalice of losing said vital proof of control attendance- mental note wrist ties to be named on the kit list. A few lost lambs caught in the big re-entrant, everyone accounted for and no hypothermia….it was a long walk back to the cars and a well-deserved cuppa and cake courtesy of SYO. We are definitely coming back to the Peak District!!
Team talk of relays at base came and of course the re-entrant, the sun was shining and the smelly kit was drying outside – it was nearly time for dinner and a pint in Bamford! The dinner was calmly ingested until the quiz sheet was produced, then the competitive sides and heart burn all emerged….. The fact Ireland and Wales were shown no such luck that any of our terrains were listed, causing some much-restricted likelihood of knowing any of the examples, but soldiered on regardless. The relay numbers were released and due to an admin error we were indeed going to be England incognito in green… this will be fun! Back to bed to dream of the walk to the start of the relays in the morning what could go wrong…..
A wee vertical walk to relay event centre from behind Haggs Farm – after the ritual breakfast and lunch prep of course – little was known about the second pass down through the terrain left n right in an hours time. Team green reconvened at the England Wales encampment for another more team worthy scurry of orienteering fun. Now with the individual in the not so distant past the injuries started to appear and with the M70 filled by an English ‘Rule Maker’ the non-competitive team where soon broken up for substitutes as the injuries/sickness/Lame started to be declared. Mad scurry of SI entry exchanges to ensure although names incorrect the right people were on the allocated leg………teams off ….clean runs, sensible heads…..but it’s a relay does anything go right!!!!
The reports back of watch out for the compulsory crossings, the out of bounds and the non-crossable fences/ walls on purple on the map. The teams started to stream in and with drama at the front the back were not exempt. Miss punches, wrong controls collected, arguments about crossing the magenta via illegal route choice and a fair amount of blood for such vintage athletes was to be had. The rescue from the ferns within the river re-entrant will be engraved on someone’s brain for life. On the final day with a man down relay were not in the Irish favour. Wales had pulled a blinder all weekend pushing Scotland into 3rd place and leaving Ireland handing over the stonewall trophy… it was not to be returning in 2026 to the Emerald Isle.
England – Wales – Scotland – Ireland in that order. The wooden spoon was back – but fun was had and O was run – but maybe next year a full team help, or at least be a start……
Although this year we suffered not from travel disruption but team availability, health and last-minute injury! And to those in poor health at present we wish them a very speedy recovery back to doing what they do best. And to those that stepped in very last minute due to their heritage, we are indebted.
Post homeward flights – the hostel had to be cleaned – toilets, kitchen and boudoirs. Some team members became familiar with the that old household machine, the vacuum cleaner with great gusto! I hope they continue at home….. It was off to Manchester via a grotto or a pub depending on your driver for late evening flights to the 4 airports of Ireland.
Now to next year – North Wales with the new VHI kit, very smart, even if I do say so myself!!
Next out are the Seniors on home terrain on the Mournes on 3-4 October, with the individual event running alongside the NI Long Distance Championships at Meelmore.