Goatfell Race The Adventure Show

Is this the first time you have done the Goatfell Hill Race? I have

climbed the hill before, I have walked t I have never wanted to run

it, I don't know why I have put an entry in today, I'm in for it now.

How are you feeling before the start? I'm feeling all right, a pit

bit apprehensive, I haven't done the race before, I'm not all that

good on rocky descents. We will handle it OK today. I have done it

many times. The first time was in 1985. That was my very first-ever

hill race. Give it bash, get the view at the top. Joining this

year's competitors, everyone from veterans to first-timers, Deziree

is also keen to give it bash. feeling nervous, we have been here

for ail whoo, we have time to sit and get apprehensive. It looks a

long way away. The very fact you can see, I think it is an advantage.

It doesn't look hugely far away, compared to some hill races?

Really? If you have binoculars it looks very close! It looks very far

away. I'm going to have coffee when you are away. I have noticed to

bacon roll kiosk. I'm upset by that, might have a stretch!

There is a strong line-up in male and female catagories, tipped to do

well is Carnethey runner Jasmin Paris. It looks like a real

mountain, I'm looking forward to it. It is impressive, it should be nice

running on an island, turning around and seeing the sea and

everything. In the men's category, someone who has been at the top of

the sport for many years, is the veteran runner, Brian Marshall.

race like this is very good to come on a ferry to an island, cup of tea

and fish and chips on the way home, that you feel you have deserved.

Today Brian is up against one of the best, the man who set a new

record for the traverse of Skye's ridge, Es. The race should be

straight forward. It is up and down. It is a nice hill, he haven't done

it before, yeah, it is always nice to come to the islands and do some

racing. Right now it is almost time for the off.

Goatfell's 2,860-foot summit lies ahead. Everyone looks really fit,

I'm nervous, they look way fitter than me. Glad to get started. Here

is the drum roll, this is us ready to go, wish me luck.

There they are at the start of the Arran Goatfell Hill Race 2012. They

are off. 15kms ahead of them, 874ms up

Goatfell, first of all, it is round the park here to get it nice and

easy, get the legs shaken out. Get the blood start pumping, because,

once they leave here they are on to the tarmac for around 2kms, then

they start the climb up Goatfell. Off they go.

Deziree coming through there, number 34.

Just through the start. There she Looking happy. Looking smiley, as

the park is left behind, heading up on Goatfell. It is not just Deziree

with a tough job today, spare a thought for our cameraman, who is

trying to keep up and film at the same time. It is a swift start.

is. I hope the people are burning themselves out, and I will overtake

them all later. Nice to have a bit of a flat section before we get on

to the steep. Deziree's currently near the back of the pack, but she

has set herself a steady pace, so how is she feeling about her

preparation. I don't really compete in things,

so I don't really have anything to judge myself against, I guess I

have done a lot of running over the last few months, but I haven't done

much of this kind of stuff, steep assents and descents, I will have

to give it and go and drink lots of coffee. You say you are not

competitive? That is why I don't compete, because I want to win.

What is your strategy for the race, will you get with someone who looks

good? Run really fast for two hours! A few folks have said to me

take it easy on the flat stuff at the start, there is a couple of

kilometres on the track to start with. A few folks go pull pelt on

that and when they get to the gradient, they are tired out. So

take it more steady than I normally would. The climb starts. Are we

nearly there, yet. As Deziree battles on. Out in the lead is Es

Tresidder, he's closely followed by Graeme Campbell, someone who is

consistently in the top ten. They have already managed to break-away

from the test of the field. Chasing them are a group of three, led by

the veteran runner, Brian Marshall. After two kilometres of road

bashing, the real work starts here. Once you have had the nice warm-up

for the first five or six minutes, it is pretty much climbing all the

way to the top. If you take that too fast, you know by the time you

get three quarters a way up. By the time you get to that sort of stage

it is the usual kind of hands on, hands on knees to push yourself up.

Jasmin Paris is leading the women's race, but she knows a race like

this is about more than coming first. The people are fantastic, it

is a very laidback, low-key sport, you can run with the very best of

runners and worst of runners, and everybody is having a good time and

want other people to do equalry well. It is not really competitive

-- equally well. It is not r really competitive, it is to a degree, but

it is about having fun and enjoying the mountains. Can't speak too much,

because I have a stitch. But so far so good. It is a really nice

community of people. It is a small community of people, you go around

the races and meet the same people over and over again. Do you look

out for each other on the hill? Definitely, you have to, it's

pretty scary out there sometimes. It is always nice having someone

there, so you know you are vaguely going in the right direction,

especially on races you haven't done before. It feels very

reassuring when you are in a group rather than on your own in the

middle of nowhere in the mi. You know that at least your -- in the

mist. You know at least you're not the only one going wrong.

Further up the hill, the leaders are into the serious climbing. Es

Tresidder is still in the lead, but Graeme Campbell is hard on his

heels. And in third place is Brian Marshall. He's currently broken

away from the second-place group. In the women's race, a former

winner here, Jill Mykura, has overtaken Jasmin Paris. This is

already turning into battle between these two competitors, Jasmine is

not far behind and still going well. We will stake a short break on the

action here at Arran, as they tackle the summit of Goatfell.

Deziree put in a lot of training for the event, but she took a day

with Cameron McNeish to test out the best outdoor gear on offer.

I can't tell you how great it is to be out here, away from the hustle

and bustle of the competition. Getting out and about to beautiful

places is how I normally enjoy myself. Today Cameron and I will

find out what each of us think is the best overnight kit. When it

comes to backpacking I like to go light, I have to say ultralight. To

a nerdish degree. As I get older, my hips and ankles and various

points can't cope with the 35-40 pounds I used today carry. It helps

me walk longer and faster. It helps to get backpacking as light as

possible. How How light can you go and still

be safe and warm in the hills. We will find that out today. In the

end we all have a different view of what is necessary I like to keep

the weight down when camping, but not at all costs, I like a good

night's sleep, so I like to take things with me that are comfortable.

I have no idea what you have packed, I think your pack is a little bit

bigger than mine. Let's weigh them and see what I have got and what

you are carrying. I happen to have this clever weighing device here.

Let's have a look? It looks about 16.4 pounds, maybe putting the food

in it will put it close to 20. Let's check mine. I always aim to

get a base pack weight of less than 10 pounds. 9.2. Just gone down to

nine. That's not bad. That's nice and light, great when you are

walking, but is there enough to keep you comfortable at night. I

think you take that pack and try it at night. I like the idea of you

carrying my heavy pack. I'm a little concerned, have you got a

sleeping bag or bubble wrap! Let's go to a lovely little spot where

there are old Shielings and a nice beach.

We have come to Moidart, one of the country's most spectacular

landscapes, it is west of Fort William, and south of Mallaig, it

is an ideal place to travel on foot and test gear.

This is light-weight backpacking is interesting, people say it is a

culmination of the small things that make up the weight. It isn't,

it is the big items, it is the sleeping bag, stove and insulating

bag, if you can get those down. feel I'm happy to carry extra

pounds so I'm comfortable and have something more robust. You are

getting the advantage just now of walking for hours in something that

can weigh next to nothing. I can walk for hours with a big pack as

When we have walked up here I'm thinking what has she got in here,

hair curlers or hair straighteners or a purse full of bits and pieces

that women use. A big purse full of pieces that women use, what is in

that? Make-up and things like, that toothpaste, soap, you haven't got

any of that? At least I know I will be warm when I get to the campsite.

You might not be, you will be using my kit! I forget! Look at this,

this is lovely. A great collection of old-looking buildings, it is

traditionalvilleage there is no road to this place, folks would

have looked at boats to get in here. If you look at the Shielings, if

you look at the walls no thatches over them. Look at the kayakers,

that is the way to get there. beautiful collection of islands. It

is great isn't it. Fabulous.

What do you think it would have been like living here 200 years

ago? It is so hard to imagine. Part of you thinks, because there's lots

of holiday homes here now, isn't there. These are mostly look like

holiday homes, you think, obviously people see this as an idyllic place

to be. I suppose it is, in way, but I would imagine that life here 24/7

would actually be really pretty hard. Looking around, there is a

few little houses here, there is not loads, you would have had to

have gotten on with the people who lived here, you wouldn't have seen

many other folks here at all I would imagine.

Despite the horrible underfoot conditions and the midges, I'm

enjoying the exploratory nature of this. It feels really wild, doesn't

it. There is something about coming to places you have never been

before that is just really exciting. You don't even have to be doing

that much, just wandering through this kind of landscape. It is

absolutely stunning, isn't it? How has the pack felt on the way

in? I'm not used to carrying a pack, although this isn't heavy, as packs

go, I'm not used to it, it is pulling me back a wee bit. How are

you doing? I haven't noticed it's on, which is great for the walk in,

it will be interesting to see how much comfort I feel from actually

using the stuff that's inside it? It will be very interesting!

If you are already thinking that both of those packs Way weigh a lot

less than what you would normally carry, stay with us, later we will

see how going lightweight -- packs weigh a lot less than you would

normally carry, stay with us and see how lightweight packing goes.

Well done, smile for the camera. What do you think? I'm running!

Cheers. Welcome back to the Isle Of Arran

and the Goatfell Hill Race, Deziree seemed in good spirits with Cameron

today. But she's taking part today, she has to get to the top of that

hill as fast as she can and back down to the bottom. I wonder how

she's feeling now. I have had a stitch since the get-go, I still

have it. I decided walking was the best strategy.

Neerp at the top. I'm not going to stop, but any chance of water when

I get back down, have you one handy. I think they have one at top. Top

is just round the corner. I think you are something like third or

fourth at the moment. I have not seen them come down yet either. You

are not that far behind. Nice one. As Deziree heads up the final ridge

to the summit, further down the hill, many competitors are still

coming on to the steep ground. Some have done this race many times

before. And one man's has returned for a very specific purpose. I have

come to get my teeth back from a few years ago. I took a flyer and

bruised, knocked teeth, all sorts of stuff. I said to the hospital

and I said to the doctor, my mouth was out here, I said will I be able

to play the clarinet when it clears up, he said, yes, I said that's

fantastic, I can't play it now! I have been waiting years to say that.

I jogged back, I didn't finish the race, first one ever. You are going

to finish this one? You better believe it. There is no doubting

the passion and commitment of these competitors, this isn't a long

event. But it can certainly be a tricky one. It is completely

different to say running a marathon or running on the road. You have to

think a lot more about where you are putting your feet, there is a

bit more kind of fluidity it, if you like. It is not just putting

one foot in front of the other. I actually prefer that, to be honest.

I may appear to be slow, if you speed it up I'm doing all right!

You get to see some great places in Scotland. It is much different to

road running, because you get really fast bits, but other bits

are hands and knees pushing up the hill, it is varied all the time

really. It is just getting away from the hustle and bustle, it is

the peace, quiet and doing exercise. It is much better than running on

theed road. You can go where you want to go. It clears the head, it

is good. This is my first Goatfell Hill Race, I have always wanted to

do it. It may be Graeme Campbell's first time competing on Goatfell,

but he's having a great race. As they approach the summit, he's in

second place, hot on the heels of Es Tresidder, he won the jurra race

last year, so he is no stranger to winning. Will he win this year?

don't know I'm living abroad at the moment, I don't get to race against

the people I'm racing against today, it is difficult to know until you

get into it. I have been running over in Belgium, and running well

there. Is the experience in Europe a different one? It is different in

Belgium, because the level is lower because they don't have mountains.

Here it tends to be rocky and steep and rough. Races on the continent

don't to be less technical. Brian Marshall has shaken off the

competition and is well established in fourth place. Former winner here,

this is a race he really enjoys. You can stand in Brodick and see

the summit. You know maybe in Stone Age times men were standing here

saying to each other, I bet you I can go up faster than you up that

hill. It is a primitive thing, you see the summit and start on the

Main Street, and back and out, and people in their houses don't care.

They don't want to know. And there is some logic to running up and

down Goatfell. How are you feeling? Not too bad.

Enjoying it still? I am. How are you feeling? Very good, glad to be

here. Did you enjoy that? It was fun.

All right there. It is just being out and getting to fantastic spots

like this, you know. You don't do that in a road race, or, I don't

know, triathlon, there is running around the track, you can't beat

this sort of countryside. Give us a wave!? Thank you. How are you

feeling? Not too bad. Are you enjoying it? So far, so good.

me, out in the wilds with usually fewer people. I don't know, just

getting away from it all, and seeing the views, and just the

exhileration of running back down is phenomenal. It is just putting

on your shoes and Government for me, you don't think about anything else,

it is just like one step after another. It is just being outside,

just feeling fit, that's sort of uplifting. It is addictive. There

will be a bit of pain during every race you do, but it must be very

addictive, already you are thinking, I will do it again! How are you

feeling? All right, I wish I could see down to the sea. As she hits

the top, Jill Mykura's addiction is paying off, she has snatched the

lead from Jasmin Paris. Jill is one of Scotland's top fell runners.

What is the secret of being so fast on the hill? Just go out for runs

and try to do a long run at weekends and try to keep it going

during the week, mix it up a little bit. You know don't really put too

much thought into it, I know that I need to do a long run once a week,

and maybe some fast stuff inbetween. Where I live we're at the coast, it

is up and Downey, and up and Downey, I have a little practice at hills,

no big climbs like that. I don't think I would want to run up hill

for 50 minutes either, unless I was racing. This race you can see the

top from the start, is that a daunting prospect standing on the

start line? I think it is more inspiring for me, and slightly

Skarey. You think how can I get to the top, but you just manage.

Unfortunately today you can see down to the sea and realise you are

on an island, and that magical feel. Still, it is still breath taking,

it is still magical. There used to be a nice view up

here. Deziree is now approaching the top, but I'm not sure whether

she would describe it as magical. Water please. How are you feeling?

All right. What do you think of the track? It's God, back down the same

way. Amazingly she's in third place. She certainly didn't think she

would be that fast? I'm hoping just two hours. You have given yourself

an easy one to smash it? I will be happy with two hours. You won't be

happy with that, seriously, what are you thinking, you are not

thinking two hours, you are thinking less than that, you must

be? If I was going to push it to a limit, 1.45. That's more honest?

I could get that I would be really happy. I have no idea if I can do

that or not. This is Deziree's first Goatfell Race, but it is a

long established event in the fell- running calendar. Its origins,

however, are shrouded in history. don't think anybody knows when the

race of first run, there is anecdotal evidence of it running in

the 1930s and 40s. How are you feeling? Excellent. Nearly at the

top. The cup was first presented in 1953,

bringing people over for the Arran Welcome Weeks, which ran for before

seven or eight years, and it was just to provide an attraction for

people who were over here on holiday, more as spectators, not

many people who were on holiday ran the race. And the field of about

eight or nine in those days. were involved in organising it for

a long time, did you have challenging years? We have had

years where there has been snow down on the summit, and we have had

to rearrange the route to go over a much lower course. It was a

championship race about four or five years ago, with the mountain

rescue team recording winds of 70 miles an hour at the top. That

proved a bit challenging, one or two competitors were blown well

towards the edge, but fortunate lie nobody blown off it. Those were

probably the most extreme conditions we have had. Luckily

conditions aren't that bad this year, even so, I'm glad it is

Deziree up there, and not me. But, if you're thinking of extreme

conditions, it doesn't get much harder than those in the Himalayas.

One veteran Scottish climber is back home celebrating a successful

as scent of a major peak by a new route. A line that has been called

the last great Himalyan problem. Sandy Allan lives in the Cairngorms,

and Cameron McNeish caught up with him on glentl ground near his home.

Will you be able to walk with feet like that? It will be OK as long as

we don't do any technical climbing, I think we will be OK. It strikes

me, I have never had a walk with someone with frost bitten toes?

friend reckons his toes are frozen down to here, it is a slight chance

he will lose the tip of some of his toes, I will lose two toenails,

that will probably be all. Earlier this year the Scottish climber,

Sandy Allan, stood on the top of the world's ninth highest mountain,

naing naing. It translates as -- Nanga, there is no easy way up. He

and his partner, Rick Allen, made their ascent by the moz zeen know

ridge, it is a staggering 13km ridge. Sandy attempted it 13 years

ago, but this epic route had defeated everyone until now. It is

covered in snow and ice with huge cornices, with seven summits along

its way. Some of them very technical, very steep pinnacles,

and quite hard technical climbing. When you are on this ridge, is

there any way off it other than retracing your steps or going

forward? Once you are on the main ridge properly, there is a point

there is called "the point of no return", once you get through there,

you are really committed, until you get to the moz seen know gap where

there are -- Mozeno gap, where there are ways down.

Rick Allen reached the summit with Sandy, and the South African

climber Cathy O'Dowd, were joined by three Sherpa friends, all expert

climbers. Because the ridge is no difficult, nobody had managed to

get beyond the Mozeno Gap, two kilometres short of the summit.

Traverseed the ridge they decided to try a line to the top. It proved

too much for them, exhausted and food supplies running low, they

retreated to the gap and admitted defeat. At that point in the tent

we were all there, that point Rick and I agreed to go down. That night

I had fantastic sleep, and I asked Katy if she wanted to go down, and

she was adamant she did. I asked around to see what was happening, I

I have known Rick for a long time and he's tenacious, I shouted

across that I might stay up. The good things about them going down,

when we went all around the little plastic bags of food, we found

about the equivalent of a pact of digestive biscuits -- packet of

digestive biscuits, we thought that was good, at that altitude your

body doesn't digest food that well. How was the feeling when you

reached the summit? We arrived at 2.00pm at the summit area, we

thought we knew it really well, because we had been there three

years ago. We couldn't find the summit, because there is a peg

hammered in and a snow stake and a bit of wire. We couldn't find t we

had to go over and back over the peaks, and we didn't find the view

summit until 6.12, we recorded it on the watch. We had to spend an

extra four hours at 8,000ms, that we didn't need to, we were elated.

We did get into serious problems, we had no lighter, and everyone

take note not to do that. Down at 7,720ms, we couldn't get the stove

to light, the lighter had different up. I had storm matches with me,

but the box had totally disintegrated and the paper on the

side wouldn't light the matches, we were searching around and trying

all sorts of things. We couldn't get the stove to light. That meant

we had no water, that is really serious at those sort of altitudes.

That sort of altitude it is more serious having no water than food?

Yes, all the medical people say seven litres a day, we weren't

having any. There wasn't much we could do but try to get down.

are in a position getting pretty close to the edge between being

ambitious and committed. And then almost unjustified risk, were you

aware you were at that cusp? don't think we were at that cusp, I

think I have got this reputation for being a very safe and stable

climber, you know, we never got to the stage where we had fever, and

we thought we have to do this or die. I never really get to that

point. There is a lot of people say what you did was very risky,

totally committing, you were really pushing the boat out. At what point

did you realise, this is not justified any longer? I wonder, I

have never come to that point yet! I suppose I have on other mountains,

you go this is dangerous now sometimes on an avalanche slope you

know not to go near it, you try to reason it out, you know there is

something helping you, some spiritual connection, or a seventh

sense. What you have achieved is the equivalent of winning an

Olympic gold meddlia, yet you probably won't make a lot of money

out of it. How does that make you feel? That is mountaineering, I

don't care. Most of us say the competition is really within

ourselves. All the good climbers who are achieving high grade routes

and doing new climbs would say. That the competition isn't with

other people, it is within themselves, to see if they can do

it and have the discipline to do it. It has been a lifelong ambition, at

least it is 18 years, we were 18 days in the hills, a day for every

day I have been thinking about that mountain really. Congratulations

from all of us at the Adventure Show to Sandy, Rick and everyone

else on the expedition. I have been set a challenge of my own, not in

the Himalayas but the hills of home. Said yes to the producer of The

Adventure Show, when I should have said no.

Fancy a bike ride, they said, you know me, always up for going out on

my bike, what I didn't know was what type of bike ride it was.

I had inadvertantly volunteered for the Snow Roads, that is an Audax,

cycling jargon for a very long bike ride. This one is 300kms, that is

186 miles, around the eastern edges of the Cairngorms.

Do the sums, even averaging a nipy 15 miles an hour, that is --

nippy15 miles an hour, that is many hours in the saddle. It is really

hilly, 4,800ms of climbing, that is like cycling up Ben Nevis three-

and-a-half times. Give me a break! So, I need help, I have arranged to

meet one of Scotland's best young cyclists to give me some tips. She

has been a member of the Scotland cycling time, but this year not so

kind, she has broken her wrist in a crash in a road accident. But she

as on the mend. Back in action at Holland at the weekend. Here we

don't have enough girls for second race so we're in with the guys,

we're overseas and racing against champions of all different

disciplines, it is race against the best cyclists in the world, day in

day out, it can only improve yourself. Bumpity bumpity, how are

you? I'm good, how are you. Really looking forward to doing this

challenge, not. 300kms, it is 185 miles, it will be really tough, but

the climbs, how do I go about getting through that bit without

feeling miserable? People think it is 100% ability and fitness, that

is the only way you go up a hill, but, obvious lo a climb is a skill

in -- obviously, a climb is a skill in itself, natural ability has to

be there and fitness, it is also how you tackle the climb and pos

thinking. Which you have -- positive thinking. Which you have

shown me you are not looking forward to it at all. Change my

attitude? Yes, the brain is a muscle and large one nobody uses.

If you think you have come to the basic climb and you have thought, I

hate it, I can't climb, you have already beaten the time you have to

climb. I don't think we should attack it straight away, let's get

a wee run down the hill? It's best to get a run at it, it is quite

steep. Positive attitude, I nearly fell over there. Positive attitude.

Hills are your friends. The hills are your friends! The thing I find

is I run out of puff very quickly, I will start at the bottom of a

climb and think it is OK, and around the corner it goes up again,

and you think, oh no, and my legs feel like blancmange. Is it a

fitness thing? It is, but it is also about gearing, it is before

you reach the climb, don't choose the biggest gear you have, you

won't make it to the top of the climb in that. Sitting down or

standing up, what is the rules? Transference, I think once you have

spun your gear and you can't get any more of it out, then you get

out of your saddle. You use your legs to give your bum and back a

rest of climbing. Positive thinking will get you through it. Just enjoy

it! Out of the saddle Doug! there a position when you are out

of the saddle? So you don't lean too far that your back wheel starts

to skid, this is obviously a steep climb, try to balance it that you

are near the front wheel, but obviously not so far, in the centre

so your centre of gravity is keeping the bike in place. We're

just about there, I can see daylight again! In terms of 300kms

Audax, what kind of training should I have put in at this point?

hours, you should have prepared yourself for the distance, there is

lots of climbs for it, you should have been practising climbs because

your heart rate will be high, so your body will have to recognise

being in that state. Positive mental attitude. Keep it smooth,

keep within your zone and just peddle up each climb the same, I

guess. Do you it won't matter how fast you are going, you are doing

it to complete it, it will be good enough for Lance Armstrong, good

enough for you. He maybe had slightly different goals to me, I

hear what you are saying? He kept a nice smooth, fast cadance not to

overload your muscles, it is long, you don't want a hard cadance from

the start and overloading your muscles. I have a lot of training

still to do? Sorry, I have to agree with that! Let's head on. Back down

the hill. This is the best part. Down the hill.

Let's go. Don't fall off on the gravel, you

beasty! You know sometimes you think you have bitten off more than

you can chew, that's me, right now. And as I start to burn up the miles

in an attempt to get fit, let's rejoin Deziree and Cameron in that

remote beach in Moidart, and see how far you can comfortably go with

your lightweight backpack and gear. We are going to have a look at the

contents of the rucksacks we have been carrying, she has been

carrying mine, I have been carrying her's. It will be really

interesting to see what she has in here, and maybe a bit intimidating.

Backpacking is such a personal things, and I'm sure we have very

different ideas about what we should take with us. Let's see

what's in the rucksack, I hope I will have everything I need. I kept

my sack to the absolute minimum, less than ten pounds, Deziree's

weighed in at 16 pounds, it is quite lightweight, but a lot

heavier than mine. There is a lot of stuff in here for being quite

light. I won't take that out, it looks like underwear, hopefully it

is clean. Smidge. What is this, midge coil. This is really light,

whatever it is. A stove, my goodness. Gee whizz, just weighs

absolutely nothing at all. That is amazing. I think this is a stove.

It looks very complicated. We have some untensils here for eating.

nice pink toothbrush, lovely. spare hat here. Ha ha.

Interestingly the rucksack itself weighs a lot less than mine, I

think that is where a lot of weight saving is coming from. There is

more clothes than a London boutiques. This must be sleeping

bag, this appears lighter than mine. That feels about half the weight,

probably. The sleeping bag, that is heavy, I

think that I might be very warm in this. A one-person tent, apparently

this weighs about a pound. That is just amazing. OK, let's put the

tent up first. The first thing I'm going to do is put a midge net on,

the midges here are really bad. I have a midge jacket, I will stick

this on before I do anything else. Not very glamorous at all.

Unfortunately I'm familiar with this tent. It is a Hilleberg Atko

tent, it is about four pounds, four-times the weight of my tent,

but it is a very good tent. I have never used these kinds of tents

before, I don't know how easy it is to put up. The poles are so light,

it feels very fragile. It seems there is a break in that pole, I

don't know if that is a deliberate sabotage on Cameron's part. Oh my

goodness, look at these, these are needles, I better be careful I

don't lose it. I don't need to pin out the guys on this tent, I will

any way. I'm so worried I snapped it, I'm sure it is more robust than

it looks. There is nothing worse than getting up during the night to

put out the guy ropes because it becomes windy. Luckily this ground

is brilliant for putting up a tent. The tent sup and time to get

organised. This is a pretty standard thermorest, comfortable a

good size. She might get a shock when she sees mine. It looks near

enough identical, I have to say that is much smaller than the one I

would use. This is pretty much only going to give you unsullation and

support along the top half of your body. That, for me, is not worth

weight saving! I sleep very hot, which means that I like very thin

sleeping bags, almost a hanky over me is sufficient for me in the

summer. I have a feeling this will be a hot, sweaty, three-season, if

not winter sleeping bag. Yeah, it feels very heavy. The sleeping back

is a gooz down sleeping bag, it is probably going to be quite -- goose

down sleeping bag, it will probably be warm, although small, down

sleeping bags are better warmth - to-weight ratio, they are very warm.

I will probably be OK in this. I first picked up the stove of

Deziree's, it seemed very heavy, I was sceptical, it seemed heavy and

tipy, now I'm using it at an angle, I'm appreciating the finer points.

It is a question of turning on the gas, pressing the little lighter,

and there you go. You have the fliem. And the great thing about

this, it has been -- the flame. The great thing about this is it has

the wind shield so will be fuel efficient. I'm a bit intimidated by

lighting this. It is always really hard with mess to tell if it is lit

or not. That is one of the reasons why it is not the fuel of choice

for some folks. Because it is just a really invisible flame. Pot in

there that will help to stablise the whole thing. I'm just to go for

some really simple food. The other thing about meths stoves is they

are not variable in terms of the rate of the flame or the strength

of the flame, so once this is lit, that's pretty much it, I don't have

any control over how fast I want this thing to cook. I guess I just

need to leave that for a little while now. That is certainly

boiling, that didn't take too long. This is taking quite a long time to

cook, apparently because it went out and I didn't realise it went

out and my food wasn't cooking. It means the midges are back,

unfortunately, I have my midge net back on, it will make it difficult

for me to eat my tea, because I can't put the rice through. It is

bubbling away furiously, I have no way of turning it down unless I

turn it off, I can't see a way to turn it off, rather than letting

the meths run out. I think I prefer my one.

I was just thinking earlier, Cameron, how there must be so many

people who live in this country who have never have seen or maybe ever

get the chance to see such an amazing place like this. It is a

wee bit special. It really is. was thinking even among the people

who go to the mountains, the coastal scene is very different,

with the sea like this, so flat calm, the sun going down, the

islands appearing, there is something magical and essentially

elemental about it. It is just empty, we haven't seen anybody all

day. We have this place to ourselves. What if somebody said to

you, there is nothing to do here. think that is the thing, that is

what is really nice about it, there isn't anything to do, other than

put your tent up, cook a meal and look at the views. You just have to

sit and be and enjoy this environment. I'm looking forward to

putting my head down in my tent and listening to the sound of the sigh

of the water coming in. Shall we go and check out these tents and

sleeping bags and thermovests. have to sleep in your stuff. Try it

for an hour at least and see how I have been pretty comfoe in here

for the last hour. Pretty -- comfy in here for the last hour. Pretty

impressed with the sleeping bag, pretty warm, not interested in the

mat, pretty unkoplt for the table and nothing to rest my head on.

is nice, the sleeping bag is too hot for me, in no time at all I

will be sweating. You get familiar with your own equipment and how it

works t becomes second nature to you. Really I want to get back to

my own kit. Just a few years ago the kit we are using would have

been unimaginable. High-technology means we have high quality

equipment with minimum weight. How far you want to take it and how

much you are prepared to spend is entirely up to you.

To find out more about lightweight backpacking and the equipment we

used, follow us on Facebook, where there is also all the news about

The Adventure Show. Welcome back to the Isle Of Arran,

and the Goatfell Hill Race. The leaders are now on the bit that

would absolutely terrify me, the descent. It is long and gruelling,

and goes all the way back down there to Brodick.

The first man down this treacherous descent is Es Tresidder, but Graeme

Campbell has not given up yet, he's only few seconds behind. Meanwhile,

Brian Marshall is looking secure in third place. But he will be hard

press today catch up with the front two. The downhill sections are what

really separate fell racing from any other running sport. It is a

skill that requires both expertise, and bravery. No brakes, no brains

is the maxim really for downhill running. They talk about

windmilling, having your arms out like this. It is almost like flying,

I think. Talk to a lot of the runner, you are throwing yourself

where you land you land. If you are going down hill you feel you can go

faster and faster, it is liberating to do it. In the women's raids it

is still neck and neck between Jasmin Paris and Jill Mykura. With

Jasmin just in front. These two look set to battle it out all the

way down. As for Deziree, she's still going strong in third place.

Get down as fast as I can. Do you want some water? Nice to cool down

at the top. Water? No, I'm good, I will keep going, cheers mate, it is

going well. Just trying to get a breather now

I'm going, it is really hard. Glad I'm going down. Better down than

going up? Yeah. I think I'm OK coming down hill, I can move fast

and do the terrain very quickly hopefully I will make up some time

in that respect. See you at the bottom? See you mate. Deziree is

here, because, well, we strongly suggested that she had to represent

the Adventure Show. Others take part because they love the sport.

Some have very personal reasons to be here. I'm doing it as a charity

run. I have never done a fell run before, I have only been training

for a few weeks. It is interesting, if I make it down I will be happy.

I love Arran, I grew up opposite Arran, I have always loved Arran.

Partly because it was my first hill race as well, I love looking out on

Goatfell, and it is very challenging, but it has lots of

variety in the run as well. Although it is hard, to say the

least! I work on a submarine, so I have been under the water for the

past few week, I got a message a few weeks ago saying I was entered

into the race, and morale was low, and I thought that will be great, I

will come back and do it. Was it you who entered him? Yeah, I

thought he would need the boost. He's mad any way, I thought it

would be anything for him to look forward to! Back at the front, and

safely down on flat ground, Es Tresidder and Graeme Campbell are

still fighting it out for the lead. Es is just in front, so it will all

come down to the final section along the road. Couple of minutes

behind, Brian Marshall is in the third place he has held for most of

the race. Down into the home straight, and the end is in sight

for the leader. And Es has increased had his lead on Graeme.

Now there's just the final lap around the playing field. And it's

Es Tresidder who is fastest on this final leg-sapping section. He's

over the finish line first with a time of 1.20.27.

Graeme is just behind, it has really been a battle from the very

start. After nearly an hour-and-a- half of running, there is less than

20 seconds between them. But this year's winner is Es Tresidder.

Graeme was with me to the top, he pushed me quite hard, I kept trying

to drop him and not being successful. On the first bit of the

descent it is very technical, and I got away straight away, I thought

that's fine he won't be a problem. I knew I had to worry about Brian

because he's a very good descender, I was trying to flow down the

descent, half way down I heard someone behind me, I thought it was

Brian who caught me, it was Graeme, he got a second wind, he was with

me to the road, and I thought I have a mile-and-a-half road race,

which wasn't really what I wanted. I managed to get away from him.

a second place finish, you must be pleased with that? I am, for an old

man. I'm 37, so I'm quite glad for that. A tough run today. I just

stuck in behind Es, and you know, let him do all the hard work until

the summit, then he disappeared. It was good to get a second-place

finish. In the women's race, Jasmin Paris has pulled away from Jill

Mykura and maintained a good speed on this gruelling road section.

Still ahead round the field, a bruised and battered Jasmin crosses

the finish line first. Champion Jasmin, but a new pair of shorts

required? I think so, these might have some special value, given they

have a big hole in them. What happened? Actually before the race

I was saying I was looking forward to looking around at the sea on the

descent, I did that once and fell over, I didn't do it again. It was

quite rocky on the descent, once it gets flatter you stretch out and

trip over. It was good fun any way. Conditions obviously suited you

today, you are looking pretty strong? I enjoyed it. I was lucky

Jill pulled me up to the top. She was right in front of me. I was

struggling a bit more on the climb than the descent. Congratulations

to you, a second-place finish, you must be pretty happy with that?

is all right, pleased with that. Were you feeling strong before the

race, were you feeling confident going into it? Well, not really you

never know how you will run until you get to the race day. It was all

right, felt fresh enough. Pleased with my climb. That was good.

in third place, and doing The Adventure Show proud, it is our

little old Miss Competitive, Deziree. How are you? I'm OK. I

thought I had to come this way at the end. And I just got a real

stride on, and then I realised I had to go round, I didn't think I

could do it. What time were you suggesting you wanted to do it in,

beat two hours? Beat two hours. you would be happy with 1.45. Do

you know what time I have got 1.42.58? Brilliant amazing. That is

fantastic time. My goodness. That's OK, I can't believe I was up there

about 40 minutes ago. The whole part of the show is we are supposed

to do badly to make it look like it is a difficult event. It is a

difficult event. She keeps doing it well. Fairly embarrassing, we have

a lot to live up to. By now, most of the raceers are on the final

straight. And happy to be almost home. Absolute murder, murder,

toughest race of my life. This is the worst bit, the hill is great,

this is a nightmare. Nearly there. Nice to be in the sunshine. Back at

the finish line, and there is more evidence of what a tough race this

really is. I have to come and chat to you, we don't have to ask how

committed you were? I was going for an hour-and-a-half, I was too busy

looking at my watch thinking I had a chance of it. I went flying

through the air, I have done both hands, my head, and my side. What

happened to you? It was actually quite far up, on the way down, it

was on the gravel part, I just tripped. One of these things.

that the sort of things that happens when you are a hill runner?

It hasn't happened to me before, I haven't done that much before, it

is all new. When the battered and bruised get patched up, let's have

What a result for Deziree, she took third place and beat her target

with a time of 1.42.58. That's it for this month's show, I'm

absolutely jiggered. You have been down here for the last two hours!

Has it sunk in yet, third place? I'm gobsmacked, I wasn't looking to

see if there was anyone in front or behind, I'm totally amazed and

really pleased. You should be, I told you would smash it. Next time