Lakes Mountain 42

[Travs]

What a fantastic day out today. Really was an absolute pleasure to be out on the tops today. Clear as you like, a bit of ice and snow on the tops, and no wind, glorious views. My first visit to Angle Tarn above Patterdale, surely one of the most beautiful parts of the Lake District.

Early start, it was a very low key affair. Had a no nonsense briefing from Joe Faulkener, who looks like an even tougher version of Oz from Auf Weidershehn Pet.

First 3 hours went like a dream, however stopping at the Patterdale checkpoint to take on food and drink, did me in. The pull up to Grisedale Tarn was horrendous, and I think if the checkpoint at the tarn had been unmanned, I may well have called it a day and descended to Grasmere. However seeing it was manned, I put on a front and started up Helvellyn. Picked up again down Glenridding valley and back to Patterdale, so much so that I went straight up the front of Place Fell, pulling back a couple of places. From there on it was just a case of walk/run and see it out. Returning back over Moor Divok was a test in will power, a deceptively long way, and navigation is tricky, especially coupled with the old hallucinations. Was very relieved to come home in 10hrs 41mins.

Hello to Mark Clayton, his mate (Keith?), Duncan from Dark Peak, and the guy from Ambleside who talked all things Spine Race and BG on the way up Helvellyn, and gave me dire warnings of going straight up Place Fell, which I duly ignored!

Pete

[MarkClayton]

Nice to meet you Pete, even if only briefly. Well done with your run, especially to recover from your wobble….. and then to blast a direct line up Place Fell. Respect! I took the ‘easy’ route.

Agree, the conditions and views were amazing – blazing sunshine and hardly a breeeze. What a contrast later on though when early evening snow arrived (down to 300m). The 6 am start was well worth it to be on the hills so early and see the day bloom into full glory. Angle Tarn is a real gem for sure.

My friend I was running with (Kevin) was still recovering from an injury and really hasn’t had the chance to prepare for this properly, so we were already fairly certain from the off that we’d turn around at Patterdale and miss the Helvellyn loop, as that was going to be challenging enough for him. We still bagged 27+ miles and 6,100 ft – so a great training run and really pleased for him that he had a good outing and the injury held up. To be honest was quite thankful to do a shortened route and save myself for Fellsman next weekend.

[Travs]

Cheers Mark, that's a fantastic run out on no training, and for you with such a biggun' next week!

Hopefully will catch up with you more somewhere soon. Hope you enjoyed the hospitality in the Punchbowl. I could only manage to hobble down the road from the b&b to Penrith Wetherspoons for a light ale.

Good luck for the Fellsman. Yorkshire 3 Peaks next for me.

[MarkClayton]

Thanks Pete. Kevin was pretty chuffed with his achievement. He’s had a few setbacks during recovery, so this was a breakthrough moment.

Finishing early meant we were back at the pub and sipping a pint around 2.30 . Then Kevin won the £25 jackpot on the Grand National Punchbowl Inn sweepstake….. he was on a roll that day!! Your first pint must have tasted good after an even longer day’s effort. I always say it’s a feeling money can’t buy, when after a tough day on the hills you take a large gulp of your first ale.

Will be nice to catch-up at some future point Pete. Have a good one at 3Ps.

Btw - can thoroughly recommend the Punchbowl Inn (Askham) who are exceedingly welcoming and have some lovely food & ale.

[Travs]

Anyone on this in a couple of weeks?

Don't recognise any names on the start list from the forum but I might be wrong....

Notice it's in the runfurther champs this year, which probably explains why there's well over 100 people signed up, compared to 50-odd last year.

I for one hope that the route remains as last year, where we don't drop from Grisedale Tarn down to Thirlmere. Not only does it save the full climb back up Helvellyn, but turning straight up onto the Helvellyn ridge from Grisdale Tarn felt like a much more natural racing route.

Hoping to pace it a lot better, and depending on the final route, show some reasonable signs of progress over the last year.

Pete

[karen nash]

We will be there.
Had a year off last year somthatmroutenchange is news to me, saves a great deal,of climb! Need to check with Joe, or was it just because last year there were road works/ the temporary roads etc in thirlmere.

[Travs]

Last year it was solely because of the problems with access down by Thirlmere caused by the flood damage. have no idea whether they will keep it this year though...

[BritNick]

Travs, I'm on (the forum) and in (the race). So is Karen.

We're definitely going down to Thirlmere for the Wythburn Church checkpoint. With the exception of the Tour de Helvellyn bits, the route will be new to me. The return leg is looking interesting with two or three navigation choices. I plotted the logical footpath route on Tracklogs. It comes out a shade under 42 miles with 10,928' of ascent. That's more ascent than the Lakeland 50 (10,282'). The forecast is looking dry. Marvellous.

[Travs]

Hi Britnick, if you see a tall guy walking round in the red and yellow Coventry Godiva vest it'll be me...!

It is a fantastic route and pretty hard to comprehend how far you've travelled, such is the distance. The view across to the Helvellyn range on the climb up to High Street is stunning (and intimidating!).

[BritNick]

I'll keep a lookout for you, Travs. I'll be the one in the blue and orange of Glossopdale Harriers. I might keep an eye out for the views as well, which tend to be lacking on the Tour de Helvellyn (apart from in the early icebound years).