Ogden Midsummer Madness
Ogden Midsummer Madness is a Category AS fell race held at the stunning Ogden Water nature reserve in North Halifax. The event is normally scheduled on the Wednesday evening closest to midsummer day and is organised by Halifax Harriers as a fundraiser to support maintenance of the reserve.
The course is about 3.5 miles long with roughly 1000 feet of climb. The route starts at the western end of the dam and passes lake and woodland before moving into a series of ridges and valleys. Runners encounter stoney vehicle tracks, narrow ridges, boggy ground, tussocks, steep climbs, technical descents, several stream crossings, waterfalls and steep stone steps, then a fast runnable downhill finish at the reservoir-side picnic and duck feeding area. Parts of the course are waymarked and some sections are marshalled with a time cutoff.
Entry is available on the day with different rates for FRA members and non-members; registration takes place at the visitor centre classroom. Presentations are held afterwards at The Causeway Foot Inn, where extra parking is available and free camping in a nearby field can be arranged with prior notice. Prior recce of the route is advised because parts of the course can be confusing and technical underfoot.
Race Details
- Start Time: 7 pm (for age 16 upwards)
- Entry Fee: £5 FRA / £6 non FRA (on the day)
- Records: Open Record: Ben Crowther 27:07 (2019), Female: Martha Tibbet 29:50 (2023)
Race Route
The route has everything: good runnable tracks, undulating terrain, lake, woodland, three stream crossings, stone steps, a narrow ridge, a couple of boggy bits, technical descents, technical climbing, waterfalls and a super fast last mile, finishing by the beautiful Ogden Water.