Langdale Horseshoe.

[Knightrunner]

My first Langdale and I loved it in spite of finding it very hard owing to other recent exploits. It's a route with everything and the weather was perfect, a glorious day in the central Lakes, I will be back

[Will_B]

I had a great race on Saturday. The weather was pretty much perfect - warm enough to run in vest and shorts but not overheat. Its the first time I've been on the route and been able to see where the racing lines are. Previous races / reccies have always been in the mist. I got my pacing and eating right and was feeling strong all the way round and made up quite a lot of places in the middle of the race.

Despite all the discussions here, and having done the bad step previously, I decided to take the right hand line following the main path off Crinkle crags, which I've never done before. I think that the Bad Step is faster.

Coming off Blisco, a line that I know relatively well I was telling myself that I'd been running well and all I had to do was not mess up this descent that I've done about 4 times. It seems that fate was playing games with me as every time I had that thought I nearly fell over on rocks. Just after the stream crossing I took a tumble and cut my head. This did slow me down a little and I wasn't on a great line which lost me a few places, however I did claw a couple back after the Cattle Grid.

After seeing the St John's ambulance, then a shower at the campsite it was great to have a couple of drinks in the sun chatting with other racers to hear their racing tales.

Thanks to all those involved in putting on a great race and look forward to the next one!

[Clash City Rocker]

Only done it once years back. Surely getting to the step and sein a queue and shooting off to a little line to the side is the same as getting to style and hopping over the fence instead of waiting your turn to get over the style. And folk would be on here very quickly putting the two penneth in about what they think of that. Whats the differnce? Queue a while enjoy the view.

[benshep]

one is open fell, the other is a farmer's land?

Only done it once years back. Surely getting to the step and sein a queue and shooting off to a little line to the side is the same as getting to style and hopping over the fence instead of waiting your turn to get over the style. And folk would be on here very quickly putting the two penneth in about what they think of that. Whats the differnce? Queue a while enjoy the view.

[ba-ba]

A fence is a barrier.
The open fell isn't.

[wjb]

Only done it once years back. Surely getting to the step and sein a queue and shooting off to a little line to the side is the same as getting to style and hopping over the fence instead of waiting your turn to get over the style. And folk would be on here very quickly putting the two penneth in about what they think of that. Whats the differnce? Queue a while enjoy the view.

Part of the fun in races such as Langdale and the other Lakeland Classics is finding the best route between checkpoints, why go down the Bad Step when there are faster alternatives? If people want to queue for the Bad Step then good for them! This is not a flagged section so why shouldn't I take the faster route to the right off the top of Crinkle Crags, or the even faster (but slightly dangerous) route to the left of Bad Step? This is good route finding, climbing a fence when others are waiting at a stile is just bad manners!

[Don't fear the sweeper]

If you're in the Lakes to run the Langdale Horseshoe on Saturday 7th October you may be interested in a talk by Stuart Maconie the night before in aid of Coniston MRT, of which Stuart is the patron. It's at 7.30 on Friday 6th October at John Ruskin School, Lake Road, Coniston, LA21 8EW. The talk's about his latest book on the Jarrow March.
Tickets are £10.00 for the talk and a glass of wine, and are available by emailing the team how many tickets you wish to buy: [email protected]
Cheques can be then be made payable to ‘Coniston Mountain Rescue Team’, and can be sent to; Coniston Mountain Rescue Team, Old Furness Rd, Coniston LA21 8HU.
Limited tickets will be available to buy on the door. Pre-ordered tickets can be collected at the door.

[Larsen B]

Saturday will be my first time running this classic race, and I cannot wait despite an iffy weather forecast. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the 108 pages of excellent advice on this thread. I recced the route a couple of weeks back and my well-worn mudclaws succumbed to the man-eating bogs of Martcrag Moor, fortunately two bits of elastic managed to hold each sole to the shoe...hoping my new pair will fair better in the race.

One question I had was relating to lines of Blisco, we went down the grassy path the steps next to it, which means we would need to go back on ourselves to get the checkpoint on the cattle grid, is that the best line? A colleague tells me there is a trod off to the right of the path.

[Travs]

I've only done the race once, in clear weather, and the correct line drops off the initial 'pike' of Blisco in seemingly the wrong direction, towards Wrynose. only for 50 yards or so, and then turns down towards the direction of the cattle grid, on a slightly boggy and slippy, but fast, path.

I don't recall having to make any drastic changes of direction to hit the cattle-grid. Although I was chasing down an Ambleside runner, so she probably knew the route by heart, and I may not have got it quite so spot on if I'd been on my own. I expect it is a fairly similar line to the path shown on the OS map.

If you get a chance to go to Pete Bland Sports and pick up the Langdale race map, it may well help. Usually shows the 'racing line' and some good info on the description on the rear of the map.

[Larsen B]

Thanks Travs, I think I will follow the crowd tomorrow, assuming I can see them through the clag....