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10.46 miles, 2,958 feet, 3 hours 21 minutes: Ambleside to Red Screes and back, ascending via Low Sweden Bridge, the rock step, High Sweden Bridge, and Scandale; descending via the south ridge and the Golden Rule Pub. Sunshine, blue sky, and high fluffy clouds. No rain, a moderately strong wind from the south west. Terrain very variable - dry in places, wet/saturated/streaming/slippery elsewhere. Not many walkers about; 2 runners seen.
13.69 miles, 3,771 feet, 4 hours 3 minutes: Ambleside to Sour Howes and back, going out via High Skelghyll, Mirk Lane, Wain Lane, Fell Lane, Robin Lane, Troutbeck, and the Garburn Pass; returning via Limefitt Park, The Mortal Man Pub, Nanny Lane, Wansfell Pike, and down the race route. Overcast, with the cloud base above the high tops. No rain. A moderate breeze from the south. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers on the fells, though the roads and car parks are very busy. 4 runners seen.
The local blackberries have gone from florettes to tiny green fruits.
12.4 miles, 3,346 feet, 3 hours 44 minutes: Fairfield Horseshoe clockwise from/to Ambleside. Overcast, with the cloud base above the high tops. Hazy in the distance. A few minutes of drizzle. There was a strong wind from the south east that was surprisingly cold. Terrain mainly dry with food grip. Quite a few walkers on the fells; 11 runners seen, including a group of 5.
I got to Nab Scar via Rothay Bridge, the Under Loughrigg Road, and Pelter Bridge. I took the 1st, 2nd, and 4th trods to the left/west above Nab Scar, to the south west of Dove Crag, down the race side of the wall, including the rock step. On the descent I stayed away from the wall, so, where there was a choice, on the steep grass rather than on the rocks.
12.12 miles, 2,680 feet, 3 hours 13 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Roman Ruins - Borrans Park - Stagshaw Gardens - High Skelghyll - Skelghyll Lane - down and up both Mirk Lane and Wain Lane - Troutbeck - Nanny Lane - Wansfell Pike - race descent - Ambleside. Overcast and misty, the cloud base was at about 1,500 feet. Intermittent drizzle, no significant wind. Terrain damp/wet and slippery in places. Very few walkers about; 3 runners seen.
10.01 miles, 2,753 feet, 3 hours 20 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including down the race route and through Deerbolts Woods to Grasmere shore, then back up to the top via Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere. Lots of high fluffy clouds, some sunshine/blue sky. A moderately strong cold wind from the south west. A few minutes of drizzle. Terrain wet/saturated/streaming/slippery. Not many walkers about; 2 runners seen.
The race descent from the top to the road at High Close is very unpleasant because of the bracken, but it is one of the few acceptable ways down at the moment.
10.05 miles, 3,046 feet, 2 hours 56 minutes: Wansfell Pike from 2 sides, including up and down the race route from/to the kissing gate, along the ridge to the true top, down to the upper part of Nanny Lane, and back up to the Pike. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,000 feet. Intermittent drizzle. A strong wind from the south west. Terrain wet/saturated/slippery. Not many walkers about; 3 runners seen.
People with extendable dog leads should have to sit a basic geometry exam prior to purchase - the length of the lead is not direction dependent.
10.75 miles, 2,223 feet, 3 hours 12 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including Fishgarths Wood, Todd Crag, Lily Tarn, Loughrigg Tarn, High Close, down through Deerbolts Woods to Grasmere shore, and up to the top via Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere. High fluffy clouds and sunshine/blue sky, hazy/misty in the distance. No rain. A moderate breeze from the north. Terrain saturated/streaming/slippery. Not many walkers on the fell; no runners seen.
About 100 yards from the Rothay Bridge end of the Under Loughrigg Road there is a dip that often catches people out after heavy rain - there was a "dead" car in it today. It was knee deep when I went through it, and that was on the high side of the road.
10.51 miles, 2,926 feet, 3 hours 42 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including 2 visits to the top, involving the usual descent down the race route and through Deerbolts Woods to Grasmere shore and back up again. Mainly overcast, the cloud base was at about 2,000 feet initially, rather higher later. Some patches of blue sky and sunshine. A few minutes of drizzle; a moderate breeze from the west. Terrain saturated/streaming/slippery. Puddles and rivulets everywhere; the dip in the Under Loughrigg Road near Rothay bridge is still full. Not many walkers about; 6 runners seen, 3 of them fellow AAC members.
10.48 miles, 2,566 feet, 2 hours 56 minutes: Wansfell Pike, taking in Stagshaw Gardens, High Skelghyll, Skelghyll Lane, Mirk Lane, Wain Lane, Fell Lane, Robin Lane, Troutbeck, Nanny Lane, the Pike itself, and down the race route. Sunshine and high fluffy clouds, no rain, a moderate breeze from the west. Terrain wet/saturated/streaming/slippery. Quite a few walkers about, and the roads and car parks are busy. 5 runners seen.
They have finally put a road closed sign at the flooded dip on the Under Loughrigg Road near Rothay Bridge.
The blackberries at our favourite spot are still tiny and green.
10.29 miles, 2,854 feet, 3 hours 10 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including down the race route and through Deerbolts Woods from the top to Grasmere shore, then back up to the top via Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,000 feet, and misty below that. After the first half hour there was constant light to moderate rain. A strong cold wind from the south west. Terrain wet/saturated/streaming/slippery. Given the forecast and the conditions there was a surprising number of walkers on the fell; 4 runners seen.
Many people were wearing shorts - some looked thoroughly miserable. That dip in the Under Loughrigg Road is still flooded.