The Otley skyline
The Otley Skyline (aka the Franklin Round) is a c40 mile ultra route devised by Horsforth Fellandale member, and until very recently Otley resident, Simon Franklin.
The route visits all the high points around Otley including the Chevin, Burley & Ilkley Moors, Beamsley Beacon and Round Hill, Norwood Edge and Almscliffe Crags.
Skyline results 2021 We had a total of 14 reported completions in the first year of official recording of Otley Skyline attempts with Patrick Wardle’s run on 7 May remaining the record. The first Fellandale runners to undertake the challenge, Paul Heeley and Mike Roberts completed the first ‘winter’ round on 28 December 2021 having to overcome fallen trees following Storm Arwen as well as a detour around Swinsty reservoir due to the current dam closure. Full results are now available here
Skyline news update 9 May 2021
We are now up to 11 completions this year, with a new record being set in the wet conditions on 7 May by Patrick Wardle of Wharfedale Harriers, completing the round in 6 hours 7 mins 36 seconds despite the conditions and having stated on Strava that his attempt was "A training run starting in full waterproofs that became a record (tbc) before a proper runner does it”!
Skyline news update 5 April 2021
Although it is obviously still early days and with Covid-19 restrictions having been in place there has already been some interest in the challenge with 6 registered completions to date including a course record of 6hrs 29 mins 32 secs by Steve Rhodes and Richard Garratt of Hyde Park Harriers.
Special mention also to Ryk Downes of Punk Panther ultramarathons fame who is planning on running the route once a month throughout the year.
Hopefully there will be continued interest during the year - who will be the first sub-6 hour completer?
The annual Otley Skyline Challenge:
Starting from 2021, and with the blessing of the founder, Horsforth Fellandale are now promoting the route as an annual ‘run anytime’ challenge.
Chevin Brew Co have agreed to support the challenge with a pack of personalised beers to be presented to the fastest male and female at the end of each calendar year.
To register an attempt/time please send a link to your Strava/Garmin activity together with name/club/DoB (for age-group records) and date of run to webmaster@fellandale,com
The route and checkpoints:
Much of the route will be familiar to those who have taken part in the Punk Panther ultra races or the annual Rombalds Stride and Blubberhouses Moor challenge events, as well as North Leeds Fell Runners’ Ilkley Skyline challenge.
While participants can choose their own route between checkpoints, obviously sticking to public rights of way/access land, they must start and finish at the Buttercross in Otley* and visit the following in order.
*During Covid restrictions we will allow starting from elsewhere on the route - any times submitted starting from elsewhere would be recorded but would not count towards any records.
** A couple of notes on the checkpoints: For CP11 - Norwood Edge Trig - this is on top of a boulder so you only need to touch the boulder. For CP12 - Little Alms Cliff and CP14 - Almscliffe Crag - again you only need to touch the crags so no climbing/scrambling required.
