Featured

SDAS Race 7

Sat 28th March '26
- Sun 29th Mar '26

Location Info

Ford & Etal Estates is a historic rural estate located in the Till Valley of Northumberland, England, close to the Scottish border. Centred around the villages of Ford, Etal and Heatherslaw, the estate combines farmland, heritage attractions and countryside recreation across a large landscape of fields, woodland and river valleys.

The estate has been owned by the Joicey family for over a century, after the 1st Baron Joicey purchased the Ford Estate in 1907 and the neighbouring Etal Estate in 1908, bringing the two historic properties under a single ownership. The area has a long history connected to the Anglo-Scottish borderlands, with landmarks such as Ford Castle, the ruins of Etal Castle and nearby Flodden Battlefield reflecting centuries of border conflict.

Today Ford & Etal Estates operates as a working estate and visitor destination. Attractions across the estate include heritage sites, countryside trails and family activities such as the Heatherslaw Light Railway, a restored water-powered corn mill, rare-breed livestock centres and village museums. Alongside farming and conservation, the estate hosts events and tourism activities that showcase the landscape and history of rural Northumberland.

In practical terms, estates like Ford & Etal are interesting hybrids: part agricultural enterprise, part heritage conservation project and part tourism destination. They preserve a patchwork of villages, castles and farmland that still operate much as a traditional landed estate would have a century ago—only now with steam trains, visitor trails and the occasional festival threading through the fields.

    Parking

Course Description

Terrain is gently undulating, consistent with the Northumberland lowlands. Surfaces include gravel estate roads, grass, and compacted earth.

Directions

Ford,
Berwick-upon-Tweed
TD15 2QA

SDAS

The Sled Dog Association of Scotland

The Sled Dog Association of Scotland (SDAS) is a Scottish organisation dedicated to promoting and organising sled dog sports throughout Scotland. Founded in 1991 by Rick Miller, Neil Brown and Keron Miller, the association was the first group to establish a regular calendar of sled dog events in Scotland and helped place the country on the map within the UK mushing community.

The organisation runs a series of races and competitions each season, providing opportunities for both newcomers and experienced mushers to take part in sled dog sport. Events typically include dryland disciplines such as rig racing, scooter classes, bikejoring and canicross, with races often held over two-day formats that contribute to an overall championship series.

Through organised events, membership programmes and a volunteer committee, SDAS supports a community of sled dog enthusiasts across Scotland. The association emphasises sportsmanship, inclusivity and enjoyment of the sport while providing a structured environment for competitors at all levels to train, race and develop their teams.

In the UK sled dog landscape, SDAS functions as one of the main regional racing organisations, particularly focused on Scotland’s dryland racing scene and championship series events.

Starts in 3 weeks
SDAS
Organiser
SDAS
Location
Ford Estate
Event Type
Championship Race
Start Date
Saturday 28th March '26
End Date
Sunday 29th March '26
Event Length
2 days

Sponsored By

Our events rely on the generous backing of our sponsors. Their dedication to the sport, mushers, and dogs keeps everything moving. Please visit the event sponsors.

Upcoming SDAS events

September 2026

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December 2026

January 2027