-
9.49 miles, 3,080 feet, 3 hours 4 minutes: Wansfell Pike from 2 sides (west, then east), taking in the Roman Ruins, Borrans Park, the Champion Tree Trail, Stagshaw Gardens, Blue Hill Road, and along the ridge to the true top. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,500 feet; a few patches of blue sky. Intermittent drizzle. Terrain damp/wet and slippery in places. A few walkers on the fell. No other runners seen.
-
14.04 miles, 4,085 feet, 4 hours 28 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Miller Bridge - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - Low/High Pikes - Dove Crag - Hart Crag - Dove Crag - Scandale - Red Screes - Roundhill Farm - Ambleside. Sunshine and clouds, with the cloud base at about 2,500 feet. No rain; no significant wind. Terrain damp/wet/saturated and slippery. Lots of walkers on the fells, many in groups of 4 to 8. 2 other runners seen.
On the ascent I went on the west side of the wall from above the rock step to above High Pike - otherwise I was on the east side. I did a loop on Hart Crag, ascending via the rocky tourist path, and descending via the runners' grassy route. They are so close, yet so different in character and, in particular, runnability.
-
10.42 miles, 2,325 feet, 3 hours 6 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including up the steps from Loughrigg Tarn, and down and back up the race route to/from the road at High Close. Overcast, with some patches of blue sky; the cloud base was at about 2,200 feet. No rain; a moderate breeze from the south. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Lots of walkers on the fell; 3 other runners seen, 1 was collecting arrow signs from one of yesterday's events.
Both the routes mentioned above are now reasonable despite the bracken - I suspect all the walkers have helped to clear the way.
-
8.26 miles, 2,340 feet, 2 hours 56 minutes: Travellers Rest - Helm Crag - Gibson Knott - Calf Crag - Steel Fell - Travellers Rest. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,000 feet. No wind; intermittent drizzle/light rain. Terrain saturated and very slippery. I saw a dozen walkers on the fells, and no other runners.
-
12.69 miles, 3,093 feet, 3 hours 59 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Clappersgate - Todd Crag - Lily Tarn - Loughrigg Tarn - High Close Arboretum - Swinescar Pike - Lang How - Silver How - Loughrigg top - Miller Bridge - Rothay Bridge. Sunshine, with scattered clouds, 1 or 2 catching the high tops. No rain nor significant wind. Terrain dry/damp/wet and slippery in places. Lots of walkers on the fells; I bumped into the AAC Tuesday/Friday runners on Swinescar Pike - there about a dozen of them.
-
8.21 miles, 2,810 feet, 3 hours 28 minutes: NDG - Stickle Tarn - North Rake - Pavey Ark - Thunacar Knott - High Raise - Sergeant Man - Blea Rigg - Stickle Tarn - NDG. Sunshine and clouds; the cloud base was initially at about 2,000 feet, later above most of the high tops. No rain; a moderate wind from the north. Terrain dry/damp/wet and slippery in places. Not many walkers on the fells; 3 other runners seen.
There were some seagulls at Stickle Tarn but I was not swooped today.
Overheard as 2 runners caught a view of Stickle Tarn: "Now I know where I am!"
-
9.18 miles, 3,904 feet, 4 hours 29 minutes: ODG - The Band - Climber's Traverse - Bowfell - Three Tarns - Crinkle Crags - Red Tarn - Pike o'Blisco - Langdale Horseshoe descent - ODG. Sunshine and high clouds; no rain nor wind. Terrain anything from dry with good grip to wet/saturated and slippery. Not many walkers about; no other runners seen.
It was an amazingly clear day - the Isle of Man was visible.
That descent to Three Tarns is not getting any better.
-
7.49 miles, 3,096 feet, 3 hours 1 minute: Tilberthwaite - Wetherlam Edge - Wetherlam - Black Sails - just above the cottages - Crook Beck - Tilberthwaite. Sunshine and scattered high clouds. A cold blustery wind from the north east. No rain. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Very few walkers about; no other runners seen.
Unintentionally, I took quite a challenging line up Wetherlam Edge - it was just to the left of the race line, and was very steep - steeper than Steel Edge. I was so glad it was not wet. I think the normal tourist path is further left, though the line I took was clearly a well used route.
PS: Looking at my Garmin trace it would appear I was on the tourist route most of the way up. Some regard it as a grade 1 scramble, which does not surprise me. I did it some years ago, but had forgotten what it was like. 2 people whom I passed on the way up were clearly surprised how steep it was: "We did not realise it was like this - does it get any easier up there?"
-
7.66 miles, 3,009 feet, 2 hours 55 minutes: Travellers Rest - Winterseeds - Grisedale Hause - Fairfield - descending to Heron Pike, taking the 4 trods to the right/west around the tops - Alcock Tarn - Greenhead Gill Track - Travellers Rest. Sunshine and scattered high clouds, a strong cold wind from the north west, no rain. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Lots of walkers and 2 runners seen. Car parks and town busy.
The buzzard that had swooped me on previous outings when going through Winterseeds was not apparent today.
I had planned on going over Cofa Pike but the wind was too strong for it to be safe.
-
12.47 miles, 3,624 feet, 3 hours 59 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Miller Bridge - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - Low /High Pikes - Dove Crag - Hart Crag - Fairfield - back the same way, except finishing at Rattle Ghyll Deli. Overcast, with a few small patches of blue sky; the cloud base was initially at about 2,500 feet, later above the high tops. Intermittent drizzle/light rain; a strong cold wind from the north west. Terrain damp/wet with good grip apart from the rocks. Quite a few walkers and 7 runners seen.
I was mainly on the west side of the wall, except after High Pike on the way up, when I swapped to the other side to get out of the wind - it made a big difference.