Fellsman v 3 peaks

[bograt]

Why are these on the same day!!!

I'd like to do both and Ingleborough/Whernside are going to see a lot of fell running traffic in a short space of time...I know they're not quiet hills but still..

[Bob]

The Fellsman had to be brought forward because of concern over disturbance to ground nesting birds.

[bograt]

thanks for explaining Bob,

thats interesting- I'm not aware of any evidence that fell runners have an impact on ground nesting birds (see http://www.environmentalevidence.org...views/SR16.pdf). Obviously absence of evidence and evidence of no effect are two different things but were I a Natural England or National Park manager, I'd be more concerned about potential erosion effects on Whernside and Ingleborough on the few bits of ground that aren't hard surfaces..guess it isn't much of an issue given the pounding they get generally, but if the weather were bad reducing the number of studded feet descending at speed could be beneficial....(and i could have entered both!!). It all pales into insignificance compared with how we get to the races anyway....even our contribution to the erosion on fleet moss

[Stolly]

The fellsman's descent from Ingleborough is rocky then slabby so there is bugger all to erode and the descent from Whernside into Kingsdale follows a very very rarely used trod, one that easily recovers and is no more than that of a hardly ever used sheep trod. The 3P's descent from Whernside uses the well used walkers path and is flagged and the Ingleborough descent again is on the very well used walkers path. Double use of both mountains is no problem at all and will be the same either way even if the events were on different days. As for contribution to erosion at Fleet Moss, I'd say our contribution is a big fat zero - those peat bog groughs are eroded naturally 99.999999999999999999999999999% by the weather.

[bograt]

Pretty much agree with you- although I'm a little less sanguine about our impact on fleet moss, No doubt the erosion there is a combination of oxidation due to changing climate (anthropogenic and natural), previous land management history and foot traffic. I guess we have no real evidence about the relative impact of these factors but I agree foot traffic especially due to fell runners is likely to be less significant than other factors. We shouldn't be complacent about the small impact we do have though- and I seem to remember running on (admittedly small) bits of soft ground on previous fellsman and 3 peaks runs both on Ingleborough and Whernside...

My point really is that evidence for people on foot eroding things is much stronger than evidence of people on foot disturbing ground nesting birds...so changing the date to avoid the latter doesn't seem to be rational decision making.

[plodding bear]

The decision to move the Fellsman forward was forced by landowner's concerns as far as I can gather, not by the concerns of the Fellsman organisers. It was either 'move it, or cancel it', it seems. Logistically, there's no doubt a hell of a lot of stuff to consider, from the weather, amount of daylight, times they can use the facilities required to host such an event, and so on. Credit to them for getting the event to go ahead at all, says I!

[Rich1]

So which is the best race?!
How much nav is required in The Fellsman? Thinking very hard on doing this one

[Rich1]

Got just over 1/2way on The Spine - 135ish miles.

Got hypothermia on the stretch after Tan Hill going to Middleton, despite the best mushroom soup ever in the pub! Reckon it was -12C with wind chill. Was wearing 2 base layes, 3 insulation layers, 2 sets of gloves, 3 hats etc and still getting colder. Started getting muddled and knew it was game over. Great adventure though.

The 2nd stage of 63 miles taking 27+hrs was an amazing experience especially after having 1 hour's sleep after the first 43mile/14hr stage - the last few miles from Horton to Hawes were "interesting"! Pen-y-Ghent at night was brill.

I'd definitely have another go (if allowed!)

[Derby Tup]

Got just over 1/2way on The Spine - 135ish miles.

Got hypothermia on the stretch after Tan Hill going to Middleton, despite the best mushroom soup ever in the pub! Reckon it was -12C with wind chill. Was wearing 2 base layes, 3 insulation layers, 2 sets of gloves, 3 hats etc and still getting colder. Started getting muddled and knew it was game over. Great adventure though.

The 2nd stage of 63 miles taking 27+hrs was an amazing experience especially after having 1 hour's sleep after the first 43mile/14hr stage - the last few miles from Horton to Hawes were "interesting"! Pen-y-Ghent at night was brill.

I'd definitely have another go (if allowed!)

Good effort. I saw your posts on RW. It was always going to be tough

[Rich1]

Yes it was tough but the experience was great and there were moments of sheer "living the dream" - in the dales, winter's sun on your back, countryside opening out - time's that make life worth living and are forever locked in the memory banks!!