LAW 75
LAW75 - Saturday 8th to Sunday 9th February 2025
OVERVIEW
January 2022 saw a one off celebratory LAW100 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Lady Anne's Way, and some four hundred years since Lady Anne's amazing life story. It was a joint venture between Due North Events and NAV4 Adventure
LAW75 was the logical evolution, as a sustainable and very achievable Winter event, produced and delivered by Joe and the NAV4 team. The successful 2023 event will return in 2025, scheduled to see the February Full Moon.
Lady Anne’s Way, starts at the magnificent Skipton Castle, and travels up wonderful Wharfedale in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales, over into Wensleydale and then heads West over and into Cumbria and the hidden delights of the Upper Eden Valley. Skipton and Appleby are linked by the iconic Settle-to-Carlisle railway line, which makes event logistics and recce opportunities easy to manage
WHY LADY ANNE’S WAY?
Lady Anne’s journey is remarkable. Lady Anne Clifford was the last member of one of England’s great medieval dynasties, and became something of a legend in her own lifetime. Lady Anne was a Noblewoman and restorer of castles, and fought a 40-year battle for her right to inherit her father’s estates. Lady Anne devoted herself to restoring and enhancing the castles and churches on her lands, stretching from Skipton to Appleby and eventually onto Penrith.
ROUTE
Our LAW75 event route follows Lady Anne’s Way from Skipton to Appleby with a few deviations, using the Dales Way and Pennine Journey where these are more logical. Our mission is to offer just the right level of support to achieve a finish, but equally so not encroach on your journey and encourage you to keep moving. There will be three major fully stocked indoor checkpoints and smaller intermediate ones offering basic support.
Major checkpoints are at Kettlewell, Askrigg and Winton (Kirkby Stephen) with a full range of hot and cold drinks, soup, and wholesome food ‘nibbles’ both sweet and savoury. These major CPs will have toilets and there will also be space to sit down if you really need it, but we follow Joe’s notion ‘Beware The Chair’ so will encourage you not to take root in the warmth. You will also have access to your drop bag at Kettlewell, Askrigg and Winton.
In between the major CPs, minor checkpoints (VPs- vehicle points) are sited at key locations every 6-8 miles, providing fresh water, hot drinks and a friendly face, or two. As per last year, they are strategic points for our safety monitoring and communications, with reliable phone signals, road safety, parking and other ‘facilities’.
Each participant will carry a GPS tracker, thanks to our friends at Open Tracking. This gives an added level of safety as well as allowing your family and friends to watch your dot move Northwards.
GPX of route available HERE.
EVENT CENTRE / REGISTRATION / START & FINISH
LAW75 starts at Skipton Castle and finishes in the centre of Appleby, near Appleby Castle.
Registration will take place at Skipton Town Hall, High Street, Skipton BD23 1AH, 1800 - 2200 Friday 7th Feb or from 0700 - 0745 on Saturday 8th Feb.
You will start at 8am on Saturday 8th February and have until 4pm on Sunday to complete the LAW75 route. This gives you 30 hours in total so a steady average of 2.5mph will have you finishing comfortably. Consequently, we don't envisage any formal cut-offs on this schedule but do expect you to be travelling at a reasonable pace to achieve this and the application of common sense. However, if someone is clearly moving too slowly to achieve this, or is causing concern regarding their welfare or safety we will intervene.
Overall, we’d have structured this event to enable everyone to attempt this without having to take a Friday or Monday off work. For example, the start time is scheduled to allow you to get the last train train from Appleby to Skipton on Friday evening. Our finish and reception area will cater for all, especially those pushing the boundaries of Sunday afternoon.
KIT
Our attitude is to keep it simple and treat you like mature and responsible adults. Very few of us like the stress of a kit check, and any check we do will not be onerous. However, we do expect you to carry this minimum mandatory kit, especially on a Winter event of this nature. Expect random kit checks. Failure to carry minimum mandatory kit will result in a rank of non-competitive.
MINIMUM MANDATORY KIT
Waterproof jacket and overtrousers
Long sleeved thermal base layers – both upper and lower body – long sleeves and legs.
Additional midweight warm layer – thin fleece, heavyweight ‘baselayer’
Hat and gloves
Survival BAG
Headtorch & Spare batteries
Map: your won choice. Sadly, no one specific map covers the full route. OS A4 print-outs best.
compass and whistle
Mobile phone
Food – including emergency food.
Water bottle and / or mug / bladder
All this clothing needs to be suitable for the winter conditions and weather forecast
OPTIONAL / DESIRABLE KIT
A third Emergency ‘overlayer’ – Primaloft or fleece jacket or gilet – keeps you warm if you get stuck.
GPS
Power Bank
Sun tan cream.
Sun glasses
We will use a drop bag system to allow you some fresh supplies and travel relatively lightweight. We will provide you with a limited edition LAW75 20 litre Drybag that will be taken from the start to the three major checkpoints at Kettlewell, (23m) Askrigg (38m) and Winton (61m) Drop Bags will be returned to you at the finish, as a practical event souvenir
You may also have a Finish Bag; this goes straight from the start to finish.
KIT FAQ'S
Can I wear shorts?
A: Do you really want to or need to? OK, you can if you insist but you must carry long warm legs. Best make it something you can get on over your shoes, otherwise you won’t stop and do so.
Q: I’ve heard that the biggest cause of ‘DNF’ is people getting cold?
A: Yep. Too many people just don’t carry enough warmth. A couple of hundred grams won’t slow you down, but may well help you finish. Also, if very cold, think about doubling up your running leggings and wear two pairs, if the night temperatures drop and your pace. Much warmer, and you’ll keep your muscles warm.
Q: Do I have to carry a head torch during the day?
A: ‘Yes. Because you don’t know where you will be when it gets dark, and a flashing light during daylight hours signifies ‘Help’ or ‘Danger’. We suggest you carry a small one during the day and pick up a larger one from your drop bag for night time. That way you have a spare light source.
Q: Will there be charging points at the checkpoints?
A: No. It’s not a pastime to be encouraged. And we’ll need them to boil the kettles. Priorities.
Q: Will I get my drop bag back?
A: Yes. Remember, it is limited to spare shoes, socks, favourite food and a tiny teddy bear.
Q: Can I use a GPS watch?
A: Yes, if you choose to. But you need a map and compass too. Plus ‘OS Locate’ as a free App on your phone is very useful.
Suffice to say, yes - we are the safety experts. So please take note of our recommendations and please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.Seriously folks, keep it real.
LOGISTICS & ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Skipton and Appleby are both busy market towns, with plentiful accommodation, transport and rail links. Indeed, the iconic Settle-to-Carlisle railway line connects the two. Not only can you use the train to travel to and from the event but the intermediate stations at Garsdale and Kirkby Stephen will aid recce days as well.
NO SUPPORT CREWS, PLEASE!
Sorry, this is a self supported event. We’ll work hard to provide the essentials that you need; conversely we don’t want an unfair race, or to create unnecessary road traffic, congestion and reduce your carbon footprint.
AND FINALLY
RECCES
The LAW100 and 75, saw several official recce days, and these spun onwards with regular informal recces, also. Official recce dates will be released in due course. Equally so, much of the route is easily accessed via the railway line or Wharfedale bus, and we'll detail this via social media.
LIMITED EDITION T-SHIRTS
If you would like to order an event T-shirt you can do so.
All / any event updates will be issued via the email you supply at signup so please type carefully!
Be fab in Feb!
From Joe and the NAV4 Adventure team.