CW for me also, get three big climbs out of the way early. Although not big, the climb up Great Calva though that deeeeep heather going acw with tired legs would be awful.
Also if you were behind scedule you could can go quite hard and really pick up the pace. I can't see doing that up the last three going the otherway.
I can only comment on an anti-clockwise round but the last three climbs passed ok for me.....I'd recce'd that section so many times I'd actually grown to like it.
The dark was not an issue. Hall's Fell is just like scrambling so you'll never do it quickly and I'd rather be going up it steadily than trying to descend at speed. The run down to the Caldew is downhill; there is a fence to drag yourself up Great Calva on plus it's only a smallish top; a nice run off down to the bottom and then it's just one foot in front of the other 'til you arrive at the fence near the summit plateau of Skiddaw which is made easier as it's your last top.
The fact that it's then all downhill to Keswick (and that I was in the company of the best support team going) made that last descent fantastic...even though my knees were shot.
I don't like running on the road and I don't think I'd have coped well on a 5 mile road section to end with.
There is no deep heather on the climb up Calva on the AC round if you follow the stream in a NW direction to 300309 and then head up the fence.Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
Agreed, Tim. I followed that fence down in my CW round. Definitely better than the heather.There is no deep heather on the climb up Calva on the AC round if you follow the stream in a NW direction to 300309 and then head up the fence.
Even less heather if you head back down the S ridge a bit then make a beeline for the summit of Mungrisedale Common. This also has the advantage of a safe, if exciting, way across the Caldew if it is in spate - simply head upstream for about 150m and you'll come to where the fence crosses. Get out your Fedora and Bull whip out and be Indiana Jones for a while
There's also that line mentioned in another thread that goes past Skiddaw House - no heather at all on that one - can't comment on it though as I've not done it.
Last edited by Bob; 05-09-2008 at 09:04 AM. Reason: missed out out
As far as long descents go, I found the descent from Sca Fell to Wasdale to be the worst part of my clockwise round - partly because of knowing there were another 9 hours to come from that point on.
I imagine that the Skiddaw descent at the end of an anti-clockwise round would be "easier" psychologically as it finishes at the finish, while I'm pretty familiar with the climbs towards the end and would find them easier.
I'm toying with the idea of an anti-clockwise round next year (injuries permitting), so if I manage to get round I'll be able to compare the two more accurately.
if I can't see blencathra it's raining
if I can see blencathra it's going to rain
I think you're right about Hall's Fell - fine going anticlockwise. Doddick Fell is better for the clockwise round as it's so much more runnable.
I didn't ever really consider an anticlockwise round as I was adopted by the well oiled Pennine clockwise BG machine, and I suppose I also thought that if the majority go clockwise, who am I to say that anticlockwise is better?
I'd been told that on a clockwise round, if you can get to the top of Great Gable more or less on time, you're home and dry because it isn't too big a drop to Honister, and Clough Head isn't a hard climb. For me, Gable was 4 hours and 10 minutes (our schedule says 4 hours 29 mins), 13.4 miles and 2750ft climb before I finished. Compare that with Threlkeld to Keswick of 13.3 miles and 5000ft climb. I know which I'd rather do on tired legs.
So inagine this........12 hours into your round. You are stood on Bowfell cold, wet hungry and tired.
Would you prefer to be looking at Scafell or Helvellyn?
I understand that clockwise has the easiest last section but anti-clockwise means that it is an easier second half.
11:40am on Bowfell after a midnight start, six minutes up on schedule, rain, poor visibility, wet and slippery under foot. I was quite happy to be heading in the direction of Scafell Pike, but couldn't see a thing!
It's not easy when you put it like that! CW you are just about to start the rockiest stretch, which I don't enjoy when wet and slippery. But you're already at over 900m, there isn't much descent between you and the highest pair of mountains in the country. You have still have Yewbarrow ahead, but at least you get a rest beforehand, and the remaining big mountains, Pillar, Kirk Fell and Great Gable aren't that bad.
ACW you have a lot of bog ahead of you and still some of the highest mountains and biggest climbs. Fairfield, Dollywaggon to get onto the Helvellyn ridge, Blencathra and Skiddaw.
My knees were in trouble on the Sca Fell descent, I was painfully slow at descending by the time I was coming off Grey Knotts. I don't know if I'd have ever made it down from Skiddaw if going the other way!
Neither way is going to make it easy, but I'd rather have Scafell ahead, on the offchance it was actually visible.
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