Danny Smith

A LOVE FOR POETRY BROUGHT TO THE CAPE WRATH ULTRA

When my best friend Adam and I turned up to the dry bag weigh-in on the first morning of the 2024 Cape Wrath Ultra, we were slightly embarrassed to be a combined 6kg over. We made a few tough decisions: wolfing down some of our extra food, packing the supplementary wash bag and three battery packs (thanks Adam) into our day 1 hill bags, and sheepishly ditching some non-essentials as the rest of the field looked on and rolled their eyes. It was an inauspicious start.

Sharing the adventure ©No Limits Photography

Two items however were non-negotiable, and did make the cut: a bottle of Talisker single malt whisky, and The Penguin Book of Scottish Verse. Over the course of the 8 magical evenings between Fort William and Cape Wrath, we enlisted initially unsuspecting - but more often than not highly enthusiastic - fellow competitors and friends to regale the dinner table with a poem of their choice from the anthology. We had a Swiss reading Walter Scott, the Pacific Northwest contingent interpreting Carol Ann Duffy, and even (god forbid!) Englishmen doing Rabbie Burns - it was beautiful. In return (for those that way inclined!): a dram of whisky to wash down pudding.

An adventure of a lifetime ©No Limits Photography

My favourite Scottish poem - particularly apt for the beautiful landscapes through which we moved over the week - is Shores by Sorley MacLean. Here is my reimagining of Shores, that I shared with my amazing fellow competitors, event team and supporters on the final evening of our epic adventure.

Cape Wrath Ultra 2024, by Danny Smith

If we were in Fort William on the shore,

where the great white ferry boat,

takes us between two hard jaws,

the football club and Trislaig pier,

I would stand beside the sea

thinking about bogs, chips, and dips in the river,

while the ocean was filling

Fort William bay forever.

I would stand there,

on the bareness of the shore,

until the 10pm cut off reared its ugly head.

And if we were together on the shore of Loch Hourn in Knoydart,

between Kintail and the sea,

between King Shane and his incredible team,

I would stay there in the (cleanest ever - thank you so much!) portaloo queue,

or be having my legs plucked, tick by tick, by the wonderful medic team.

And in Torridon, on the shore of Loch Maree

being treated to endless, smiling cups of tea,

I would wait there forever (much like the race controllers, starters, finishers, tent squad, caterers and overall incredible volunteers - thank you so so much),

for the last of the delicious soup draining, drop by drop.

(So on behalf of all participants, can we please have another huge hand for the incredible event team and volunteers!)

And now I’m at the lighthouse with you Cape Wrath 2024 participants: ultras, explorers, all,

for whom my care is new.

From amazing champions like Bridget, Elsa, Charlotte, Gabriella, Susha,

to Lewis, Ludwig and others who have sadly fallen along the way.

And when we’re back in Norfolk (where Adam, Henry and I all hail from!)

the flattest county in the land(!)

we’ll tell them tales about these things called hills,

and give thanks to one and all,

for Cape Wrath Ultra 2024!

A shared adventure ©No Limits Photography

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