THE arrival of New Year’s Day saw nine members of Bere Alston Trekkers travelling over the border to Cornwall to take part in the annual Brown Willy Run organised by Truro Running Club.

This annual charity event attracts a large field of revellers looking to kick off their New Year in running style, or cure a hangover.

This well supported, informal run is not a timed race unless participants wish to treat it as such, and starts at Jamaica Inn, Bolventor covering a distance of approximately seven miles up to Brown Willy — the highest point in Cornwall — and back.

Runners endured varied terrain, including wet and slippery open moorland, muddy bogs, and trails which were steep in places, before returning to enjoy the hospitality at the legendary inn, raising £2,300 in the process for local charities, Cornwall Search and Rescue, and Ellie’s Haven in Looe, a charity that offers relief to families with children suffering long term and life limiting illnesses.

BATs conquering the infamous Brown Willy were Murray Turner, Derek Hicks, Julian Setterington, Fiona Maddock, Laura Hogan, Julie Page, Fran Morgan, Mel Greaves and Rachel Wood.

Meanwhile, the cold and damp weather did not deter northern BATs Andy Cowden, Sara Apa and Angelo Apa from taking part in ‘Vernon’s Limp Wrist’, a five-mile race organised by Stafford Harriers in memory of Vernon Olivant. This is ‘Bare Wrist Run’ in which each competitor is invited to predict their finishing time. Watches, iPhones, iPods and timing devices are not allowed, and the nearest finisher to their predicted time is the overall race winner.

First of the BAT trio over the line was Andy in a time of 39 minutes 22 seconds, 1.53 outside his predicted time, Angelo finished in 44.56, 3.05 outside his predicted time, and Sara who ran a five-mile personal best time finished in 50.48 — 3.49 outside her predicted time, with all proceeds going to Katharine House Hospice in Stafford.