It's Tuesday morning 24th April and we're sat in a queue for the ferry at Kyle of Lochalsh looking out at big, big white-topped seas. Our transit van is being buffeted from side to side by gale force winds. There isn't much room in the van for six of us and Harris, the Springer Spaniel, as we're sharing it with two racing bikes, a mountain bike, we're sitting on all the running and cycling gear, parapent, canoeing & windsurfing kit, camping gear and a week's food. The roof-rack is adorned with our seagoing craft, two kayaks and a windsurf . Apart from braving the elements making forays into the CalMac office to be reprimanded for having such a long windsurf mast, no-one dares to venture out of the van.

Our team Lowe Alpine Syniad Dda is made up of Al Hughes - British Mountain Guide/professional cameraman, Lisa Holliday - Outdoor Pursuits Lecturer, Martin Welch - Mountain guide/cameraman and myself. Our backup team are Heather Welch who is eight months pregnant, Walter McPhee and of course Harris the dog. Al, thinking the race was a good idea, decided that we should call the team 'Syniad Dda' which means 'good idea' in Welsh.

We try to weigh up some of the opposing teams who are parked close by us in the queue without getting too psyched out. It's funny how they all seem to have better bikes, canoes ..... not to mention their flash support vehicles. It must be a similar sight at Ullapool and Mallaig as 27 teams from all over the UK make the long journey to the Outer Hebrides, converging on a school house on the Isle of Benbecula to be briefed by Ian Callaghan who has devised this most unusual and exciting new team event, The Western Isles Challenge.

Ian Callaghan used to be a merchant banker in The City but escaped at the tender age of 31 to enjoy a less bruising lifestyle and now owns a small hotel on the idyllic Isle of Harris. He is a fairly quiet, unassuming guy but obviously has a giant imagination and great vision. He has persuaded two sponsors to support a 3 day relay race from Castlebay on Barra in the south, joining together all the Outer Hebridean Islands to arrive at the Butt of Lewis lighthouse (of Shipping Forecast fame) in the north.

Four team members will between them run, cycle, canoe and sail the entire distance without the use of motorised transport (apart from backup). They will cover about 200 miles, of which 80 miles and 10,000ft climbing would be on foot, 95 miles by bike and 20 miles on the water. A team member will pass through 25 checkpoints and collect a small square of the local Tartan at 13 of these, attaching it to a key-ring baton. Each day, racing will finish close to the next sea crossing and the daily times aggregated at the end of the event to decide a winner. Extra ferries are being laid on by CalMac to re-position teams and backup on the next island ready to receive their canoeist/dinghy sailor or windsurfer when they arrive with the tartan baton in the morning. Clever Stuff!

The event is, to say the least, 'very rich' with rules and an encyclopaedic mind will prove a handy attribute for any team strategist - along with enough cunning to capitalise on any laxity in the rules that can be identified. One of the most intriguing rules which provokes much thought is the requirement to cover 70km on foot throughout the 3 days in a northerly direction. It provides teams with the challenge of deciding where and when they should achieve these 'northings'. As there are no more than 50 'obvious' northerly kilometres to be run on the fells, there will be occasions when it is necessary to sacrifice a fast section normally completed by road bike and to run it instead. The secret of success lies in where the team opts to complete these extra foot miles; whether to get them out of the way on the long day one stretches of flat 'due north' roads of Benbecula or to get a good early lead using the bikes and leave the running until later in the event.

The organisers also require an incredibly detailed 3 day schedule to be sent or faxed to them no later than 72 hours before the event. Once the team has made decisions on mode of travel, who will complete each section and the schedule is complete, no changes (with a few exceptions) are permitted. The reason for this is partly so that the army who are manning the mountain checkpoints will know who to expect but it will unfortunately cramp the style of a number of teams. The result is that team strategists have spent literally days before the event poring over maps, slotting in northings and fine tuning their plans to come up with 'The Mother of all Route Cards'. When on the last possible day I returned from the post box and sat down after a 9 hour route card session I felt that the worst part of the event must now be over!

Race Director Ian Callaghan takes an enforced break due to the unusual parking skills of the Royal Artillery!

The rain is sluicing down as the teams get together for the first time at Linacleit School to receive the final (and fourth) set of event details/rules. The weather forecast for tomorrow is atrocious and Ian Callaghan is obviously a man bearing a heavy weight of responsibility. He has made the only sensible decision which is to abandon the 12 mile hill and road section on Barra and the potentially hazardous sea crossing to South Uist. Day one of the Challenge will start at Ludag at the bottom of South Uist. In view of the complexity of the event, the teams ask very few questions but disperse to their various billets on the island in an apparent state of shock, apprehensive about what is to come. We learn that the poor weather has caused the cancellation of a ferry crossing to Stornaway which prevents a few team members from reaching the start and one or two team members are also stranded overnight on Barra.

After all the anxieties, it's good to get going and all the teams opt to begin the race by bike, starting at 3 minute intervals. The rain holds off and a strong south westerly makes for an exhilarating ride up the island. Our team chops and changes on the road between bike and foot, getting in those northings and it is really intriguing to guess the strategy of other teams as their member comes piling past on a bike. Teams cheer each other and everyone is on top form. It is clear from the outset that this is going to be a race with much friendship and camaraderie, even between the most competitive of teams. The first mountain is Beinn Mhor on South Uist, a climb of 600 metres from sea level into thick cloud on the near vertical west flank. Then along an airy ridge, buffeted by strong gusts before a long and gentle descent into sunshine, great views and the inevitable energy-sapping bogland, peppered with small tidal lochans, which is a major feature of these islands.

Another 25 or so kilometres on the road, then an abortive attempt to save 3.5 kilometres by wading an estuary which is still too full of water before the second mountain excursion. Again, this is from sea level to the 350m summit of Eaval which stands proud of the flatlands which are crossed en route. I begin to tire and Hamish from the Aberdeen University team draws level some way to my left. A lapse in the navigation and I find myself the wrong side of a tidal lochan by its outlet. It really is very strange country, so flat and intersected by lochans that you have no idea until it's too late that you are about reach an obstacle that can only be avoided by a 1km detour. The tide is rushing out through a 15 metre outlet and with some trepidation I swim across and continue, wringing out clothes and bumbag, to the relative safety of the mountainside.

Eaval provides the best weather and views of the entire 3 days, whetting the appetite for what is to come. The mountain running sections will prove wild and exciting, with opportunities in poor visibility on unpathed terrain to make (and lose) much time on over-ambitious descent routes. The flatlands are equally testing, some of the most arduous country I've ever crossed, preventing progress at more than 4mph. Pinpoint navigation is essential to locate fords which after the heavy rains are under a metre of water. The penalties for missing these are very costly in lost time.

The next meeting point is one of the major decision points on the race, the south side of Loch Eport. From here it's either 19km by bike to the end of day one at Lochmaddy or a 1km windsurf/canoe, 4km run across bogland and 200m canoe across an inlet to Lochmaddy pier. To make life interesting , our team chooses the latter option and Martin Welch attempts to windsurfs across Eport in a force 6 to hand the baton to Al. In the meantime we scoot round in the van to Lochmaddy with the intention of despatching Lisa by canoe to meet Al at the opposite side of the inlet. It transpires that Al makes such good progress, he arrives before us and the team wastes 5 valuable minutes at the end of the day.

We finish the day in fourth place, some 26 minutes behind the leaders Aberdeen University. However life isn't quite so simple as teams haven't covered the same distance on foot - the event is still wide open. By 5pm the wind is up again and the rain falls heavily. Lochmaddy is invaded by about 40 support vehicles loaded to the gunnels with boats, bikes and wet bodies. The briefing for day two takes place in the hotel at Lochmaddy, after many ominous delays which give the organisers time to gather more confusing weather forecasts. They need to make a decision about the long sea crossing next morning to Rodel on Harris. It doesn't look at all promising and most people are secretly quite relieved when the crossing is again cancelled and Ian opts to re-start the race at Rodel. Apart from one notable exception, the teams are good natured and flexible when the organisers feel the need to make changes. Some of the marginal decisions are reached by consensus and it's evident that the competitors are full of admiration for Ian and his team and the way they are coping in the first year with difficult conditions. Rather than 'rock the boat', the teams are keen to support the event by taking a conciliatory view when a decision doesn't suit them.

Amid much sounding of horns, the whole convoy rolls onto the CalMac ferry for a late crossing to Tarbert on Harris. Most people are dog-tired and find a corner to grab a few hours shut eye while the keener teams complete the nightly ritual sat round a table, poring over maps and talking through the next day's plans until they can't absorb any more detail.

A murky morning at Rodel and after a mile on the bike, the 460m hill Rhoineabhal catches out many teams as they struggle to locate the correct descent line in thick mist. We take an early lead and our cyclists frighten themselves silly on some steep, winding, gravel covered roads leading towards Tarbert and the foot of Clisham. By opting to do most of the running, I am avoiding doing any cycling during the race but have lent my bike to the other three - not all that professional since the seat height cannot be adjusted as the post is totally seized in. However, by pure fluke Al, Lisa & Martin all happen to have the same leg length. For cyclists the hazards are numerous - sheep on the road, approaching cars and support vehicles trying to overtake so they can get ahead to the next support point. Some teams are puncturing frequently and the Aberdeen powerhouse, Susie, cycles for 14 km on a flat front tyre. We are very fortunate that our only puncture occurs later in the day, within 100 yards of our vehicle.

I set off up Clisham, at 799m the highest point on the race, but in the mist I am unable to find an easy way down the east side through big cliffs. Eventually I slide down a snowfield but later become quite disorientated as I try to get back onto the intended line around a subsidiary hill, Tomnaval. Aberdeen make up a few minutes and we both arrive at the crossing point for Loch Seaforth together. We opt to windsurf while they choose to canoe and Martin Welch takes off like a goodun to meet Al who is already poised for action on the other side.

We're still ahead until late in the day on an arduous 12km section of bogland when the Stornoway Stormers close on me rapidly and I'm overhauled soon after missing a vital ford crossing. The tough country gives no respite and both teams slowly grind to a halt, falling into bogs and pools, having to leap across ditches and myriad streams. The day finishes where the featureless fell meets the road in the middle of nowhere and I've arranged for the other three team members to walk out towards me for a kilometre to act as beacons and guide me in. I notice the Stormers gently drifting away to my right, losing height and they become delayed by some awful bogs while I lock onto my line of human beacons. It works a treat and we finish the day with the fastest time, now in second place overall and only 12 minutes behind Aberdeen University on aggregate.

Yet another wet night and an overcast start with the forecast of heavy rain later. The day begins with a biking section followed by the ascent of 429m Suinaval. Teams elect to leave the road from a number of locations and the mountain is approached from all angles. We opt for a northerly descent route to boost our northings and make for Miavaig where the sea craft have gathered to make a mass start at 8.30am. The seas are still expected to be quite big and so the route has been amended to offer more shelter than was originally planned for the 14km crossing of Loch Roag and East Loch Roag to Breasclete.

How the mighty are fallen! This is the only serious sea crossing of the event and the leading three teams, Aberdeen, ourselves and the Stormers choose totally inappropriate craft for the 14km crossing. Aberdeen have decided to make sure they are covered by choosing the same craft we choose. There is a slight breeze at Miavaig and so Martin Welch opts to windsurf. The rest of the team drives round to Breasclete where to our horror we find not a breath of wind! Most teams are canoeing and this will be a great opportunity for them to get even with us. Half way through the crossing, the craft will pass under the causeway bridge joining Bernera to Lewis and this is a good place to view progress. In a panic we drive back to the causeway and find that Martin is miles behind the canoists, becalmed at the back of the fleet. Some quick thinking and checking with the organisers allows Al to canoe off , meet Martin, take the baton and canoe back the remainder of the way to Breasclete. We retrieve Martin and his windsurf and to our amazement, we meet the Aberdeen windsurfer at the same spot. In desperation he is carrying the windsurf on his head along the shoreline towards the causeway bridge. The rest of his team have been slow to recognise his plight and it takes them a further hour to remedy the situation.

Al arrives at Breasclete 1hr 15mins behind the first canoeist but now we're over an hour ahead of Aberdeen. By now it is sluicing down again and the cold, driving rain makes the rest of the day very unpleasant. We head off for Stornoway by bike with the feeling that if we can claw back some time on the canoeists, we could yet win the event. Apart from a battle with rhododendron forests in the grounds of Stornoway Castle, we make good time and prepare ourselves for the toughest fell section of all, the 20km of desolate bogland on the north of Lewis.

A typical Lewis bog. Exact location - well ... unknown!

This is such a wild section that the organisers insist we run in pairs and progress in horrible weather is miserably slow. Al and I can only occasionally manage to raise a jog and yet we're passing pairs who can't even manage a walk. Features cannot be identified, and we cannot accurately judge where we are on the Muirneag plateau. After what seems like an eternity we feel the ground dropping into a decent sized stream and at last we're safe again. I set off alone for the last fell section which if anything is worse again. The final 8km of fell takes nearly 2 hours, I don't see a soul and yet somehow manage to pass 5 teams. It's a tremendous relief to hand over for the last time to Lisa and Martin who bike the final few miles to the Butt of Lewis Lighthouse.

L to R: Martin Stone, Martin Welch, Lisa Holliday, Al Hughes

The prize-giving and buffet at Stornoway Town Hall after the race is a grand affair and a fitting way to round off a superb week of sport. Ian and the organisers arrive late, delayed by the last team in who reach the lighthouse after being lost on the final moorland section - embarrassing for the runner concerned as quite ironically he comes from Ness, the village by the Butt of Lewis. We are left guessing the outcome until the last minute and we daren't feel too optimistic until the result is finally announced. Syniad Dda - Good idea.

The race has been a great adventure and all the teams have obviously enjoyed the challenge. Well done to Ian Callaghan and the other organisers.

Results

1 Lowe Alpine Syniad Dda 24hrs 28

2 Aberdeen University 25hrs 46

3 Stornoway Bog Stormers 26hrs 08

Notes

	Windsurfers and parapents are no longer allowed
	The route has been extended quite a bit in terms of both land and canoe distances and ascent
	Northings are now 80km
	Roads now rarely feature in the Challenge!
	Routeplans now have to be delivered around ten days before the event, but the requirement to stipulate the athletes on particular sections of the course has gone