Some of you may have heard me mentioning my bucket list challenge for next year — I’m planning to run the Camí de Cavalls Trail in Menorca: a 185km route around the coastline, in five days, in April 2026.
I joined SMM back in 2013 (I think!) and have mostly stuck to the shorter stuff. I’ve only done three marathons — Potts in 2015, Wachau (Austria), and Malaga in around 2018. I do occasionally get off-road and enjoy the Summer Series and NSRRA races such as the Staffs Knot 5, but mainly tarmac is my surface of choice. With my youngest son’s football commitments, the quicker I get a run done, the better — within reason, of course!
So, when I committed to my Menorca challenge, I realised I’d better get some longer distances under my belt. The South Cheshire 20 in September went surprisingly well, so the next step was to find something slightly longer and on trails. When Bernie posted about the Six Dales, I thought — why not?
Getting Started
The idea was to test my trail shoes over a longer period, run with a pack, and see if I could handle walking on challenging terrain instead of my usual head-first charge down the Downs Banks into the bracken.
I left home around 6 a.m. on Saturday with a full kit bag and change of clothes, heading for Biggin Village Hall. I’d heard rumours of flooding and slippery rocks but didn’t really know what to expect.
Arriving at 7 a.m., I collected my number tag — 66 — and chatted with the other Bats already there while we waited for the go-ahead to set off.
Walkers start at 7:30 a.m. and runners at 9 a.m. (the first checkpoint doesn’t open until 9), but I planned to run/walk it, so I waited for Jamie, Sally, Lauren, and Tracy, who had the same plan. Once they’d arrived and sorted themselves out, we set off around 8 a.m., walking out of the village until we were out of sight of the marshals — then broke into a gentle run.
Early Miles
It’s a self-navigated event, so you follow written instructions. I’d downloaded Jamie’s GPX file from last year (where she’d only gone slightly wrong) and bought a compass and whistle just in case. Running with the girls, I was hoping they’d look after me.
Naturally, we ran straight past the first turn… oops! Only about 20 yards off course though — easily fixed.
The next few miles took us through fields, over stiles, along rivers and streams, and up and down dales. I forced myself to walk occasionally, sometimes running ahead and looping back to the girls since I had no clue where I was. The GPX track on the watch was reassuringly accurate and beeped quickly if we drifted off course.
We reached the first checkpoint — maybe six miles in — and it was open. After showing our tags (they tear off a strip to confirm you’ve been through), I grabbed some biscuits, a drink, and a few jelly babies before heading off again.
Settling In
Around here we met Jacqui, Bill, Anne, and Sharon, who were walking, and later saw Jane and Laura Weston. That made 11 Bats so far, not counting David Hebb, Rita, and Kevin who were marshalling (although Kevin did the course later on!).
After the first checkpoint, I decided to leave the girls and go solo. There were plenty of walkers ahead, and I figured I could just follow them — plus, I knew there were more Bats up front to aim for.
My racing brain had to take a back seat — this wasn’t a race, it was a challenge. The weather was decent but the ground was damp and rocky in places, and breaking a bone would not go down well with my wife!
A couple of miles on, I hit a long flat stretch on an old railway line — about two miles. I loved it: a chance to stretch my legs. Towards the end, I saw Grace ahead, but stopped to empty stones from my shoes. That’s when the first few proper runners passed me (repeat after me: not a race, not a race…).
Mid-Route Moments
The next section was down a farm track where I caught up with David Brain, then Bernie and Mark. We chatted and walked — ideal Menorca training. I eventually caught Grace and her partner and walked with them into the next checkpoint, where David Hebb was chatting to Jayne and Yvonne — the leading Bats, having started at 7:30. Just as I arrived, they ran off. Rude!
I reckon this was around the halfway point (20km or so). My shoes were rubbing, so I slapped on some Compeed and rearranged my soggy socks (lesson learned: bring spares — any recommendations welcome!).
This checkpoint had more food — oatcakes, malt loaf, tea — so I grabbed a handful of malt loaf, a cuppa, and after ten minutes set off again.
The Tough Stuff
I walked the first few minutes to finish my tea before jogging on and catching Bernie and Mark again. The next section was more technical, so I took it steady — staying upright was priority number one.
Eventually I caught back up with Jayne and Yvonne and stuck with them for the next four or five miles, running, walking, chatting. Every so often I’d run ahead, but waited for them as I wasn’t confident navigating solo. The GPX was accurate, but I wasn’t ready to rely on it completely.
The third and final checkpoint was brutal — about half a mile uphill off the path! But the reward was more tea, biscuits, and chocolate. I was feeling lightheaded and my hips were starting to ache, so the short break helped. Walking back down with my tea in hand was bliss. I passed Grace, Bernie, and Mark on their way up — always nice to see friendly faces when you’re flagging.
The Final Push
The last six miles were mostly uphill fields, so I did a lot of walking. By now I was ready to be done. With about four miles to go, I started running again and left Jayne and Yvonne behind.
Fortunately, a handful of people had passed us at the last checkpoint, so I had someone to follow — until I overtook them too and suddenly had no one ahead! Cue me, the GPX, and the dreaded written map. One runner told me the next bit went “across more fields at 270°, then 220° across another”… what?
Luckily, a lovely lady called Kate, who’d done the event six times, appeared at just the right moment. I stuck with her through a few more fields, across the Tissington Trail, and finally into Biggin, where the Village Hall awaited.
Done!
They ticked me off as finished and I headed inside for a hot dinner followed by custard (there was fruit, but honestly — why have fruit when there’s custard?).
My aim was to test run/walk strategy and learn for Menorca — mission accomplished. Official time: 6:16. I hadn’t realised they logged start times, and I’d only stopped my watch once for a bathroom break. My total distance was 26.2 miles (a little extra from our early detour), which was reassuring — six hours for a hilly trail marathon sounds about right. Menorca will just be… warmer and repeated for 5 days!!
Takeaways
- Trail shoes: need new ones.
- Nutrition: gels don’t agree with me (same issue as at South Cheshire). Jelly babies and biscuits are the way forward.
- Socks: must sort better options for long, wet trails.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve never done the Six Dales Circuit, do it. It’s hosted by the Long Distance Walkers Association, great value, super friendly, and brilliantly organised. I think around 20 Bats took part this year. I’ll aim to do it again next year — maybe starting at 9 a.m. and seeing if I can get closer to five hours (depending on how Menorca goes… might be retired by then!).
The walker cut-off is 10 hours, and most finished in 8–9. The route is stunning, the support is excellent, and it beats hammering out a road run while obsessing over your pace.
I’m still chasing that sub-40 10K and sub-90 half, but this kind of day really puts it in perspective. I loved it — and mixing it up is definitely the way forward for me.
Now… what’s next?