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9.36 miles, 1,276 feet, 96 minutes: four of the "eight hills of Ambleside", twice, so all on tarmac. A few people about - shopping, walking their dogs. Heavily overcast, cloud base at about 350 feet, constant light drizzle. No wind, not cold. Had my waterproof top off most of the time.
12.33 miles, 3,491 feet, 3 hours 34 minutes: Fairfield c/w. In cloud/mizzle and a very cold wind above about 2,000 feet. Thirty to forty on the fell, including half a dozen runners. Almost all the snow has gone, no ice, but very slippery. Overcast but dry and no wind in the valley. Town is busy.
6.58 miles, 2,096 feet, 1 hour 56 minutes: Wansfell Pike. Constant rain, most paths puddles or torrents - very slippery. Mist/cloud above 800 feet or so. Windy on top. Eight others seen on the fell.
8.07 miles, 902 feet, 1 hour 23 minutes: Drunken Duck/Skelwith route - but clockwise. The gradients seem so different this way around. Drizzle on and off, mainly on. Rivers very swollen, but no flooding on the roads yet. Not cold, no wind to speak of at this level. Only saw four other people - three walkers and a chap on a bike.
9.99 miles, 2,392 feet, 2 hours 28 minutes: Clappersgate - Skelwith Fold/Bridge - steps opposite Loughrigg Tarn to the top - race route towards Silver Howe to the road - back up the steps to the top - Fishgarths Wood - Clappersgate. No wind nor rain, sunny at times; terrain not quite as wet but still slippery. Very few about.
7.76 miles, 1,243 feet, 1 hour 23 minutes: four of the eight hills of Ambleside, twice. Initially it was drizzling, but it quickly faded. No wind, not cold, overcast, cloud base at about 1,500ft. As before on this route, quite a few locals shopping and walking their dogs.
7.42 miles, 3,632 feet, 2 hours 35 minutes: Wansfell Pike, doing the race descent to the kissing gate three times. Jolly slippery, but new shoes - X-talon 255's - Pete Bland - certainly helped. Initially high cloud and the odd patch of blue sky, but the cloud base soon descended to about 1,000 feet with light drizzle and a cold wind. Saw about twenty walkers on the fell.
8.05 miles, 951 feet, 79 minutes: Skelwith - Drunken Duck loop. Overcast, intermittent drizzle, no wind at this level, not cold - could have done with one less layer on top. Lots of vans, very few people - saw about half a dozen on this route. Roads streaming with water, but no actual flooding yet.
10.05 miles, 3,051 feet, 2 hours 37 minutes: Red Screes via Roundhill Farm both ways. In cloud above 2,000 feet - strong cold wind from the south - intermittent blown drizzle which felt like hail but wasn't. Terrain saturated, so of course slippery. Six or so walkers on the fell; also saw 4-5 AAC runners on the 1/4 mile section of the Struggle, who, from the stud marks on the fell, had clearly been where I was going.
8.38 miles, 3,740 feet, 2 hours 52 minutes: Wansfell Pike, three times down the race route to the kissing gate. Overcast, with the occasional patch of blue sky. Intermittent drizzle and hail, not windy. Saturated slippery terrain. Lots on the fell, far more than I expected given the forecast, and the actual weather.
8.61 miles, 2,464 feet, 2 hours 24 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including Todd and Ivy Crags. Dense fog, no rain nor wind, terrain still saturated and slippery. Only saw four others on the fell.
10 miles, 2,736 feet, 2 hours 38 minutes: Red Screes via Roundhill Farm both ways. Mainly sunny with no wind nor rain, but the top of the fell was in cloud above 2,100 feet. Some small patches of ice and some frozen terrain, but easy to avoid. About ten others on the fell.
Coniston, Levers water, Swirl How, Brim fell, Old man and a run down the grass on the nose to avoid the slippery rocks, freezing and foggy, a few walkers about but pretty quiet
Did this last year, except went out to Grey Friar too.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daletownrunner
Lovely route.
I was planning to head to Grey Friar but knocked it on the head and just carried on along the ridge, just had my flu jab so felt a bit flat, I agree it’s a lovely route when you can see anything :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Travs
That descent directly south from the top of the Old Man is a cracker.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daletownrunner
I think i followed the main track down a couple of hundred yards, then branched off south-east, ended up going through the large quarry area and down to the Walna Scar track.
9.09 miles, 4,311 feet, 3 hours 4 minutes: Wansfell Pike; three times down the race descent to the kissing gate. A bit of snow on the higher fells, but none on Wansfell, and no ice. Very cold strong wind; light drizzle at times. Saturated slippery terrain. Ten others on the fell.
9.36 miles, 2,982 feet, 2 hours 42 minutes: Loughrigg trails. Bright sunshine, clear views, very cold wind. Icy patches, much of the terrain is crunchy, but not rock hard. Snow line at about 2,000 feet. Lots on the fell, many looking at maps on the main paths, so clearly not locals.
12.51 miles, 3,337 feet, 3 hours 38 minutes: Fairfield c/w. Rock hard frozen terrain; about a foot of snow on the top where protected from the wind. Microspikes not needed as the snow is so fresh. A few snow flurries. In cloud above about 2,500 feet. Ten others on the fell.
Nice one MikeT and merry christmas.
Managed a very easy 3 miles on the country roads first thing. Icy.
Merry xmas Travs!Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Good gowing guys, for us our daily brisk morning 3 miles walk with rucksack to check my squirrel traps. A flurry of snow at lunchtime had all locals posting "it's snowing" but that is all we have seen. Winds to 60mph forecast tomorrow, so back to normal.
My dad used to catch dozens of tree rats every year in his one trap in the garden. Llani's local "squirrel woman" used to feed the damn things and they had to travel through our garden to get to hers from Penrallt woods. They were so prevalent that they wore a groove in the top of a hedge.
He used to dispatch them by plunging the trap in a tank of water until one day an RSPCA Inspector called in, no doubt tipped off by "squirrel woman". They were happy with him shooting, strangling or hitting them over the head with a bishop or similar, but not drowning them.
My dad is no longer with us but a friend who lives next door to "squirrel woman" has taken up the cause and has shot over 300 this year.
Nadolig Llawen Moley and good hunting in 2021
Oh good. They used to briefly gorge on the bird feeders at my previous house until I shot them - with some pleasure - from an overlooking bedroom window with a decent air rifle. Alas that house was more isolated than where I now live where the "crack" of an air rifle would inevitably attract unwanted attention.:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
I remember hearing about "the squirrel woman" years back, woods below the golf course? Never met her but I only became obsessed by the rats after we moved here and conservation of the last reds.
Grey squirrel days (years in truth) are numbered, reading an article in "The Squirrel" magazine today (I can forward it on to you Graham ;)) about genetic engineering to control them and other invasive species. Phase 1 is completed by Edinburgh university and given cash and a few years it will hopefully be rolled out and see the total end of greys in around 15 years.
Grey squirrels have their uses. Anyone want a free hazel tree? There are two little one in my garden that you can have.
Target practiceQuote:
Originally Posted by anthonykay
Perfectly eadibleQuote:
Originally Posted by anthonykay
7.69 miles, 3,143 feet, 2 hours 32 minutes: Wansfell Pike. Terrain no longer frozen at this height; saturated and slippery. Overcast/misty; light rain/drizzle throughout, with a cold wind up high. Quite a few walkers about, given the weather, and the forecast.
3h27m of fairly relentless, but not fast, walking, with plenty of mud. Northwards through the western fringes of Loughborough, out towards Hathern and then down to the River Soar near the Normanton-on-Soar chain ferry. Then back along the river and canal bank to the town centre, and back home. The river was flowing fast, but hadn't come over the top of its banks.
The sign at the chain ferry said that it operated at weekends from 1st April to 30th September. £1 per person, 50p per dog, 50p per bicycle. A dog plus a bicycle is of equal value to a person. Discuss.
If the dog is riding the bicycle it should be allowed on for free...
Many things are. When I was in Cambodia the menu outside a tourist restaurant, including items such as Chicken Curry Soup, assured potential customers that they did not serve, Rat, Cat, Dog, Monkey or Worm. That menu was in English.Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnK
The menu for Cambodians may have carried different information.
Interesting but I fear "not in my lifetime":)Quote:
Originally Posted by molehill
If the dog is riding the cycle I think it should give up the day job of being a dog and be promoted to be chain ferry captain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
9.19 miles, 2,800 feet, 2 hours 34 minutes: Loughrigg trails. Very little snow at this level, and no ice; terrain saturated and slippery. Mainly overcast, with the odd ray of sunshine; occasional flurries of graupel - I could see large showers in the distance. Not particularly windy, despite the yellow weather warning, but I suspect it was grim higher up. Not many about - as many runners as walkers.
7.74 miles, 3,694 feet, 2 hours 52 minutes: Wansfell Pike, including three times down the race route to the kissing gate. Sunshine, no wind. Terrain mainly frozen, with patchy snow still present above 1,200 feet if not in the sun. Microspikes were brilliant today - the most dangerous surfaces were the pavements in the town. Lots about - they were not enjoying the steps on the tourist path.
What sort do you have? I've read reviews, but it's normally more useful to have a recommendation from someone "in the know".Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
Kahtoolas - they are several years old, and will probably see me out. They are really good on ice/frozen terrain/slippery rock/"dry" snow. They don't work so well with slush or muddy grass - they just fill up with gunk every few steps. They can be left on on tarmac - just in case there was still some ice on the roads yesterday I wore them all the way home, which involves about half a mile of tarmac. They come with a storage bag so they do not mess up your bumbag - though you may need to pay extra for it.Quote:
Originally Posted by noel
+1 for the Kahtoolas