Heddon Valley Venture

As we know from our previous races at Baggy Point 2024 and Arlington Court 2025, everyone loves running trails at night. So, by popular demand, your friends at Ilfracombe Running Club present our next race in the Starlight Challenge series - The Heddon Valley Venture.

Our next race will be held on Saturday, 20th March 2027. Two distances will be offered - 5km and 10km. At IRC, we believe that races should be affordable to all - this event aims to offer maximum fun in return for minimal entrance fees.

As with all IRC races you should prepare yourself for hills. Unlike other IRC races, you should prepare yourself for bats, owls and shooting stars and perhaps maybe even some glimpses of the resident wildlife of the Heddon Valley.

The course is a single loop for the 5km option, two loops for 10km.

A special mention must go to Channel Events, who previously had a race at this location as part of their Dark Skies series. This initial Ilfracombe Running Club offering follows part of the course/configuration their event had.

Need to know

• Saturday 20th March 2027, Arlington Court (///standing.acoustics.vows)
• 5/10km options:
  • 5km (120m ascent). £13 (£11 affiliated)
  • 10km (240m ascent). £14 (£12 affiliated)
• First race 1920.
• Headtorch (ideally at least 300 lumens with ample battery life), trail shoes and sense of adventure mandatory
• Entrants must be at least 14 for the 5km race and at least 17 for the 10km. Explicit parent/guardian permission required for under 17s!
• The National Trust have kindly waived the car parking fee for the race (from registration onwards). If you are a National Trust member, please still bring and scan your card such that they still get a donation.
• For everyone's safety, ideally you shouldn't use headphones at all during the race. If you really must, please use bone conducting headphones or similar that allow you to still be aware of what is going on around you.
• Unfortunately, running with dogs is not permitted as per the UKA rules
• Important: this is a running event. For the safety of all participants and marshalls, there will be a cut off for those doing the 10km option - you must complete the FIRST loop in under 50 minutes.

Entry

Prizes

You wouldn't honestly expect prizes for such a bargain of a race, right? Well, think again! The following prizes will be awarded:

• 5Km race - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• 10Km race - 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• Both races - mystery spot prizes to selected finishers

Sponsors

The Starlight Challenge series cannot operate without the kind support of our sponsors. Ilfracome Running Club is extremely grateful to the following businesses:

Caine

Connected Electrical

Cove Architects

Cove Architects is a North Devon based, design-led practice, covering the South West and beyond, specialising in well designed, beautifully crafted and energy efficient buildings. Whether working on residential refurbishments, extensions and new builds, or leisure, education and community projects, the practice brings over 30 years of experience and passion to make your ideas a reality. From initial sketch ideas to moving in to the finished building, we can be with you every step of the journey.

Jo Williams Photography

I'm a North Devon based photographer, available for school photos, relaxed family portraits and landscape images. Photographs are an investment we should all have, something for you to bring out for years to come, to remember those moments you took to be together. Faces might change and memories might fade but photography can help you relive precious times. Treat yourself, and your loved ones, to banking your future memories.

Permits

Thanks go also to the National Trust for permission to use their land for the race.

Starlight Challenge Series