Hi
I'd say it was nearer 1.5 miles from Chapel Stile campsite. It's a pleasant enough walk. Don't think there is much in teh way of parking near the start
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Why go to the start? Why not begin your reccy at Blea Tarn? That's hardly any distance from Langdale.
It would probably depend on how long you want/have? The walk as stated is not that far but I agree with Marvin, make the walk from the campsite up the pass and down to the tarn and start beyond there perhaps? Parking is limited yes, you would have to park along the lane near the pub or use the NT car park by the tarn.
I'm not sure though how you'd feel doing the full route, running back down Lingmell knowing it was all uphill again along the road ( or tarn track ) back to the campsite? from memory it's further than you think or possibly want! Parhaps a pint in the pub afterwards would take your mind of that bit though? I remember a runner on the race bailing at the tarn, walking back to the pub and not getting there much before the runner that continued.
Are you staying at the main NT camp site? You can get to the road/tarn etc really easily from here the gate and paths can be accessed from the back of the site.
Thanks for the replies.
Seems like it's best to camp elsewhere or start from Blea Tarn.
The only reason I didn't want to start from there was that I wanted to get a proper feel for the race so wanted to start from the start.
Thanks for the help anyway. That's great.
it's not a great distance in the scheme of things, if you're not short of time: stroll / jog up to the pub (not looked at map but maybe there's an off-road option?) - do the recce - have a pint when finished and stroll back.
Think I'd better look at a map and see how far it might be. And might look at camping options as well.
See if you can locate the diagonal route up Birk Fell that follows a change in the rock stratification, it's only obvious when you're looking accross the valley from the 3 Shires Stone. On my recce i picked up a sheep trod along the full length but couldn't find it again on the race day; however, that turned out to be the least of my worries that day.
Hi, I didn't realise I was going up Birk Fell to be honest, so not sure about the trod!
Found the recce very interesting, though. The climb up Wetherlam was something else. Race map said there are various lines to take. I must say I don't think I found one. Just ended up ploughing through bracken pretty much all the way up.
I was quite surprised the times for this race seem to be quicker than for the Langdale Horseshoe based on my day (even though it's shorter) but recces can be a bit deceptive.
Great day out anyway.
(ps, not sure this should be in 'Long Distance Challenges', but still.)
I did a recce of this on Saturday and have to echo L.F.F.'s comments, I couldn't see any kind of line up Wetherlam and have to wonder if it wouldn't just be quicker running as far as the mine workings then going straight up the front, it was much grassier there and the bracken was bloody awful on the "diagonal" route. Other than that, all was OK-ish. I messed up the descent from Pike O' Blisco down to Blea Tarn Plantation (easy to do, I think) and got the "wrong" bit of wall, coming out on the wrong side of the tarn. Went back on Monday morning and did it in reverse, all is now fine.