Race Date: Thursday 25th April 2024

The Silkstone Shuffle (organised by Barnsley Harriers) is run 3 times a year. This was the first run of 2024.

Silkstone is located between Barnsley and Penistone. It is close to Junction 37 on the M1 so if the traffic is light, journey times can be quite favourable. As always, getting out of Sheffield and getting through the long running road works on the M1 can add quite a lot to estimated journey times.

The event is described as: A hilly off-road trail course of around 4.5miles. The registration point is up the drive behind Dearnside Petrol Station at the Silkstone Sports Pavilion (Post Code S75 4LX). The route can be seen at: – Route: Silkstone Shuffle   It’s an interesting mix of single track road, farm tracks, woodland trails, meadows, ploughed fields and stiles.

The start point is a 2 minute walk from the clubhouse through a wooded area to a single track country lane. Most of the event’s climbing is up this lane (which gradually turns into an unmetalled farm track). After about 2km of steady climbing the route reaches its summit opening into some fantastic all round views of the surrounding countryside (including the Pennine foothills – they say). The third km is on the footpath along Jockey Road, to another marshal point where the route turns a corner on to another farm track. From here the running is “mostly” downhill, through some wooded areas and on to some narrow paths across various farmlands. The finish is back near the clubhouse and involves a short sharp climb onto the playing field followed by a “swift sprint” around the perimeter to the finish funnel. Total “strava” elevation is approx. 150m

This event is a delightful opportunity to enjoy the varied countryside around Silkstone. The organisers put on a well marshalled, welcoming event (with prizes and photos) which I’m sure I will run again. On the day, despite recent dry weather the woodland paths were muddy. Nearer some of the stiles the paths were more like deep slippery swamp-like puddles. My personal inquest to understand why I was 2 minutes slower this time has began. Time was lost on every segment, so it wasn’t just the mud.

The male race was won by Simon Midwood of Wakefield Harriers in 29.42. The female race was won by Suzanne McGill of Penistone FPR in 33.11

Striders results: