Todays permitted exercise!

12.34 miles, 3,743 feet, 4 hours: Fairfield Horseshoe clockwise from Ambleside, taking the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th trods to the west on the ascent to keep out of the wind, staying mainly on the west side of the wall on the descent, and going around the rock stop, then back up to just below it. Mainly overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,500 feet; some sunshine/blue sky. Intermittent drizzle. A very strong wind from the north east. Terrain anything from damp to wet/saturated/streaming and very slippery in places. I saw 16 walkers and 2 runners on the fells.

10.63 miles, 3,472 feet, 3 hours 38 minutes: Wansfell Pike from 2 sides, including up/down the race route from/to the kissing gate, and the loop along the ridge to the true top, down to the top of Nanny Lane and back up again. Initially it was quite sunny, but it soon became overcast with the cloud base at about 2,500 feet. A few minutes of drizzle; a moderately strong wind from the north. Terrain anything from dry to saturated/streaming; slippery in places. Lots of walkers on the fell; I saw 5 other runners and 4 deer.

10.65 miles, 3,144 feet, 3 hours 17 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Clappersgate - Loughrigg top - Silver How - Loughrigg top - Ambleside. Mainly overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,000 feet. No rain; no significant wind. Terrain mainly dry/damp, though still wet/saturated/slippery in places. Lots of walkers on the fell - I counted 25 on Loughrigg top on my second visit. 5 other runners seen, at least 2 of them AAC members.

11.67 miles, 3,586 feet, 4 hours 20 minutes: Elterwater Common to Sergeant Man and back, taking in Silver How, Lang How, Swinescar Pike and Blea Rigg both ways. Almost wall to wall blue sky; some very thin very high clouds, and the occasional cloud bank sitting on one or two high tops. A moderately strong cold wind from the south west. No rain. Terrain dry/damp with good grip. Not many walkers on the fells, though the car parks were full. 1 other runner seen.

A leisurely 3.45 miles, 371ft of ascent, walk with my mum (she is 86) in the upper half of the Manifold Valley.

Beautiful weather in the Peak District, so took the scenic route to get there along the Morridge and past the Mermaid Inn (formerly a PH)

And here is the view from the road, with the Roaches in front, and Shutlingsloe further back to the right.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...88142a98_b.jpg

Lovely Marco.

The Staffordshire Moorlands is my favoured cycling area, from home.

10.47 miles, 3,324 feet, 3 hours 24 minutes: Ambleside - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - Low Pike - High Pike - High Bakestones - Scandale - Red Screes - Golden Rule - Ambleside. Sunny with some thin high clouds. No rain; a moderate cold wind from the south. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Very few walkers on the fells; 3 other runners seen.

10.82 miles, 2,245 feet, 3 hours 23 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Roman Ruins - Borrans Park - Stagshaw Gardens - Blue Hill Woods and Lane - Wansfell Pike - High Skelghyll - Ambleside. Uniformly overcast, with the cloud base just above the valley floor. Constant drizzle/light rain. A moderate wind from the south. Terrain saturated/streaming and slippery. Lots of walkers descending the Wansfell steps. 2 runners seen in the valley.

In Borrans Park I did drills and 3 miles worth of short reps, at 12 to 13 to the mile - it is a long time since I did something like this - it was precipitated by being soundly thrashed on the descent from Red Screes yesterday - though at least I took a better way down than he did.

I was surprised how many were coming down the Wansfell steps today, but I guess lots of people are on holiday, and the loop from Ambleside taking in Robin Lane, Troutbeck, Nanny Lane and the Pike is well known.

8.28 miles, 2,661 feet, 2 hours 41 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including Todd and Ivy Crags, Lilly Tarn, and down the race route from the top to the road at High Close and back up again. Sunshine and lots of high fluffy clouds, some of them just catching one or two of the highest tops. A cold moderately strong wind from the north; a few minutes of drizzle. Terrain saturated and slippery in places. Lots of walkers about; no other runners seen.

12.21 miles, 3,303 feet, 3 hours 48 minutes: Ambleside - Rydal - Fairfield Horseshoe clockwise - Low Sweden Bridge - Ambleside. A lovely sunny day with very clear views and a few high fluffy clouds. No rain; a light breeze from the south east. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Lots of walkers about - I overtook 12 groups ascending to Fairfield. There was a large group of runners on High Pike as I went past.

I took the 1st, 2nd and 4th trods to the west on the way up; from Dove Crag I stayed on the race side of the wall, going down the rock step. It is easy to forget how rough and rocky the descent is from High Pike onwards.