Stolly's adventures 2009

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wharfeego

Good'un Stolly...all on "my" land too.

---

Hehe, we'll agree to 'share' the land if you like Andy :D. I just love running up there - its never too steep to give you an excuse to walk and you can just keep on adding extensions to routes you've run before. My next plan is to run the same route, including the Rye Loaf Hill bit (rather than the easier line past Stockdale farm), to Gordale and then hack north around the back of Malham Tarn over Fountains Fell and up Pen y Ghent before 'zipping' back to Settle via Stainforth. I'll have to get my map and my '4 mile' piece of string out though - that feels like it could be at least 25 miles.

And after losing a bit of enthusiasm for this thread over the summer, what with all sorts of other adventures and crises taking precedent, I've now regained my running 'mojo'.

And sorry for not making it to Pendle yesterday SS, my frigging daughter messed up my plans. I will be Pendleling next Sunday for sure.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stolly

And sorry for not making it to Pendle yesterday SS, my frigging daughter messed up my plans. I will be Pendleling next Sunday for sure.

---

Not to worry Stolly, only teasing. More important things than running/trust family to screw up a good run*.

Fingers crossed for this Sunday!

*Delete as applicable

17th September - a cracking run tonight. Starting from Embsay Yacht Club, I looped round the top of Embsay Reservoir, straight up Embsay Crag, dropped down the other side before hacking north on a fairly under used trod over Embsay Moor. This trod eventually met the main east~west cart track which I followed west in the direction of Rylstone, turning north again when I finally hit the wall at High Bank and arriving at Rylstone Cross after about 44 minutes. I then turned back on myself and followed the wall all along the ridge line before finally dropping back down to the reservoir again.

It was a still and clear evening although it did get slightly spooky as twilight kicked in; the spookiness not much helped by the odd pheasant leaving it to the last minute to jump out from the heather screeching as I passed by. It was also extremely gnatty in places and midgey too, probably made worse by the stillness. In a few places there were even a few swarms of those bastard black mini attack helicopter gunship shaped gnats - I could almost hear them locking and loading and firing up the ride of the valkyries as I came into view :D. Anyway I don't think I got bitten much and it was so brilliant up there, having the whole moor to myself, that it didn't matter anyway.

The heather was stunning too. I didn't have my camera with me but here's a couple of pictures I took when I was last up there the weekend before last:

http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/2266/p9060028.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/3750/p9060034.jpg

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/2016/p9060042.jpg

About 7.5 miles I think. I was running for 1 hour 17 anyway.

That's what it looks like in daylight then :rolleyes:

it's a grand shop up yon Embsay Moor...another one o'my favourite runnin' places.

20th September - a fabulous run around the second half of the Full Tour of Pendle route with Southernsoftie and Alf from the forum and, whats more, it was in gorgeous sunshine with no wind - I didn't even know it could be sunny and not windy on Pendle!!

We more or less ran straight up and through Ogden Clough, a nice and easy climb up onto Pendle, before whizzing down the the otherside across Pendleton Moor. Then, put simply, we climbed Pendle, ran down, climbed Pendle, ran down, climbed Pendle to the trig on Big End and ran down! None of these climbs were of the 'nice and easy' variety though; more like the 'steep and sodding bastard' variety in fact.

For the final descent, given that we'd run out to Ogden Clough following the main cart track at the start, we decided to ditch the proper route and instead follow the main track down, a fantastic descent done pretty full on, and then at the stile run back to Barley using the Half Tour of Pendle finish along the ridge.

A fantastic run in stunning weather. And thanks to SS and Alf for their company too.

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/2034/p9200167.jpg

http://img223.imageshack.us/img223/1333/p9200175.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9484/p9200182o.jpg

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/5739/p9200183.jpg

About 2 hours 15 start to finish

I should state the only reason I let Stolly get so far ahead for the 2nd pic, was purely for the photo composition. :o

It was handy to have the resident Yorkshire "hill expert" present yesterday to point them all out to us Stolly :D

Thanks to you and SS for the run out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by southernsoftie

I should state the only reason I let Stolly get so far ahead for the 2nd pic, was purely for the photo composition. :o

---

Its the wide angle SS, makes you look further away than you actually are :rolleyes:

Great photos Stolly owd son. Inspirin' me to get out wi' mi camera instead of the camcorder.

I've got an idea to film some good scree runs...on the hoof wi' headcam and handheld camcorder...includin' other runners. Any suggestions of good, long scree runs...mostly in the Lakes I'm thinkin'. I'm up for doin' say 6 of the best in a day then producin' a film of th'action. Any takers?

Might start another thread to put this idea forward.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wharfeego

Great photos Stolly owd son. Inspirin' me to get out wi' mi camera instead of the camcorder.

I've got an idea to film some good scree runs...on the hoof wi' headcam and handheld camcorder...includin' other runners. Any suggestions of good, long scree runs...mostly in the Lakes I'm thinkin'. I'm up for doin' say 6 of the best in a day then producin' a film of th'action. Any takers?

Might start another thread to put this idea forward.

---

Theres that scree coming off the Langdales.
Myself and Derby Tup where talking to a walker who and run down the scree back in Aug. He said it was amazing.

The scree off of Scafell Pike is the obvious one, dropping down to the corridor route. Me and merrylegs virtually 'scree surfed' down that doing Borrowdale :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stolly

The scree off of Scafell Pike is the obvious one, dropping down to the corridor route. Me and merrylegs virtually 'scree surfed' down that doing Borrowdale :D

---

was that because of the jet charged bum bag and really there were no gels in at all it was a turbo charger?!! :rolleyes::D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stolly

The scree off of Scafell Pike is the obvious one, dropping down to the corridor route...

---

A bit worn out that one Stolly...like thee 'n me;)

Dorehead Screes, which runs into Mosedale off the northern tip of Yewbarrow at Wasdale looks a good 'un. Also the big screes runnin' off Illgill Head and Whin Rigg above Wast Water look spectacular from a distance.

Actually I've just noticed that on the South Western area Lake District OS map (Outdoor Leisure no.6) Illgill Head (which is what I've always known it as) is spelt "lligill Head". Which is the correct version?:confused:

25th September – tonight I ran from Horton intending to do my nowadays well trod Hull Pot, Plover Hill, Pen Y Ghent and Whitber Hill circuit but, well, half an hour into the run I just ran out of steam, felt all weak and wishy washy and sat down in the middle of the moor below the flanks of Plover Hill instead.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/492/p9250114.jpg

It was a very mellow autumnal evening, cloudy but not cold with a nice breeze just ruffling the moor land grass all around me. I felt that I had 50 square miles of hills and moors completely to myself with nobody else in sight in any direction. I can tell you it gave me a very contemplative, tree huggy, chilled out moment :D. Totally at one with the wilderness dude!

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/1758/p9250117.jpg

To be honest I've had a very weird and wonderful summer but at the expense of burning a shed load of candles at both ends. To use a stupid analogy I've lobbed a couple of bricks into what were already choppy stolly waters and, to stretch that analogy to breaking point, as well as putting myself through the wringer unfortunately probably overturned one or two other peoples boats in the process as well. Anyway tonight the summer at long last felt behind me and here's looking forward to a less stressful and with a bit of luck boring autumn!

I ran back to Hull pot and then over Whitber Hill and back to Horton, finishing after about an hour. Its amazing how just being out in the hills can recalibrate all of your systems and put the whole world back on an even keel.

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/572/p9250122.jpg

A crap run really. I could barely be bothered. But a truly perfect outing in the hills.

Interesting post Stolly. There's so much more to being out in the countryside than 'training'! :cool:

27th September - to coincide with the 3 peaks cyclocross race and provide (piss poor as it happens) support for Hanneke while she rode, pushed, carried and dragged her bike round, I decided to run up Ingleborough from Horton, catch the race as it bundled past there, then run over Park Fell down onto the road just before Ribblehead and then run a reverse route of the 3 peaks fell race back over the moors and bogs to Pen y Ghent. Ingleborough to Pen y Ghent this way takes me the best part of 2 hours so my expert planning would thereby plant me squarely on the PyG trig just in time to meet the cyclocrossers for a second time.

Everything went to plan too except that I set off from Horton too soon and arrived at the Ingleborough trig maybe 20 minutes before the bikers started appearing. I was expecting the sun to break through the clouds and turn into another glorious day, as it had been on Saturday, so I didn't bother carrying any extra layers. Needless to say I froze my nuts off on Ingleborough firstly in the wait and then for the half an hour that it took all the bikers to troop by. I did however manage to give Ady a mars bars, Merry a quick drink and Hanneke a drink too. I could then thankfully kick start my goosebump covered spindly legs and get running again.

It was perfect timing as it turned out too with the front of the field in the throws of going up and down the final climb on Pen y Ghent just as I puffed into view. I bumped into Tea & Cake with her dog at this point who reckoned the top 50 riders or thereabouts were on or just off the hill. I swiftly said tata to T&C and headed for the trig, had a quick rest and then realised the one key fault with my promise to provide Hanneke with a drink and a snack at the Pen y Ghent trig - I'd have to hang about for probably a frigging long time. I gave this problem oooh 20 seconds of deep thought and decided to 'unsupport' Han instead and just trot down to Horton between all the riders coming up and down. (I'd probably bump into Hanneke anyway anyway I reasoned with myself).

By the way running down that track with one set of riders man-handling their bikes up, loads of spectators and walkers and their dogs milling about, and another set of riders screaming down behind me coming off the hill must be one of the most hazardous and stupid things I've ever done. No crashes caused though but I did have three of four extremely close shaves. About 18 miles and a great run as usual. And I didn't bump into Hanneke (but she did finish so nothing to worry about).

Simon Fell on the horizon on the way up Ingleborough:

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5985/p9270110.jpg

The colourful bog (of doom) just before the trig on Park Fell. Getting up close it looks like you could lose a double decker bus in it!

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/724/p9270123.jpg

Pen y Ghent viewed from the top of the precipitous descent off of Park Fell:

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8592/p9270124.jpg

Simon Fell from the Pen y Ghent side of Ribblesdale:

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/8481/p9270125.jpg

30th September - one of my bog standard runs from home tonight up into the hills out back, straight up the side and over High Hill, up and round Warrendale Knotts to the trig before hacking back down to Settle. Maybe 6 miles give or take and 1500 feet of climb.

Over the past two years of living in Settle me and my eldest daughter have evolved a series of different running routes from home. We started off with small, middle and long runs, simple, but over time all sorts of add ons and extentions have been bolted on and we've had to develop a "highly sophisticated" system for labelling all these different routes.

Tonights run in our parlance was 'middle, middle, long, cow factor 3' :D

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7487/p9300112.jpg

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/3180/p9300113.jpg

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stolly

...Tonights run in our parlance was 'middle, middle, long, cow factor 3'...

---

I note your "cow factor"...I guess that's of the moo variety and not of your runnin' partner?:D

Cow factor 3 is when you have to run very close to a lot of cows. It was made more fun the other evening in that I was running through misty clag with all these cow shapes appearing one after the other out of the gloom. Cow factor 4 is when you meet the bull as well (my daughter calls this event a 'cow attack' even though no cow attack actually takes place). Cow factor 5 is when a cow attack does take place :D

Gotta have a system! :D

4th October - a cracking 9.5 miler up Ingleborough out of Clapham this morning. Through the spooky tunnel under Ingleborough Hall, up Long Lane and into open fell through Clapham Bottoms and then running parallel with the wall all the way up to Full Beck Head just below Simon's Fell to meet the main Horton - Ingleborough track and following that to the trig on Ingleborough. I found it hard going on the way up to be honest (maybe I'm going down with something) but the descent was brilliant, firstly along the extended ridge of Little Ingleborough, down to Gaping Gill, over the top (rather than down through the gully) to Trow Gill, past Ingleborough Cave and along Clapdale Drive all the way back to Clapham. Marvellous. A steady 1 hour 40 ish.

Long Lane (well a very little bit of it):

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/1815/pa040113.jpg

Pen y Ghent to my right as viewed from Brunt Riggs on the map:

http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3403/pa040118.jpg

With Little Ingleborough and Ingleborough to my left:

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/1040/pa040119.jpg

Simon Fell from the top of my route off Ingleborough with Pen y Ghent in the far distance:

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4309/pa040125.jpg

11th October – a magnificent trot around the three peaks this morning with pretty grim weather for the first 10 miles or so – low cloud, howling wind and sideways rain. By Ribblehead though things started to clear up and by the time I was trudging off of Ingleborough it was nicely warm and sunny. 4 hours 29 which I was quite pleased with, what with the conditions and the fact that my running speed is nowadays stuck in second gear.

Pen y Ghent trig

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/2157/pa110002.jpg

Pen y Ghent and Park Fell taken from somewhere near the start of my assault on Whernside

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/1735/pa110008.jpg

Blea Moor I guess and some other rolling hills

http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/9779/pa110010v.jpg

One of the best feelings going - running the ridge line of Whernside

http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/3189/pa110013.jpg

A couple more pics to follow...

Coming off Whernside and looking towards PyG

http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/5520/pa110014.jpg

The top of Ingleborough

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/8145/pa110016.jpg

The frigging long run in after Sulber Nick - nice view though

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/8364/pa110017.jpg

Yet another flipping picture of Pen y Ghent!

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/7809/pa110018.jpg

Stolly
Does anyone believe that signpost saying one and a half mile to Horton.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Big Compass

Stolly
Does anyone believe that signpost saying one and a half mile to Horton.

---

Definately not!!!! Some marshalls at PPP told me 'only one and a half mile to go'....so I ran for 15mins (in the right direction before any wisecracks appear!)....only for marshalls further down to tell me.....'only one and a half mile to go'!!!! :rolleyes:

The worst sign post is the one at Nick Pot saying 2 3/4 miles to go. I felt reasonably okay on Sunday but normally I'm at death's door at this point and, instead of it plainly saying 2 3/4 miles, I read it as 174,240 inches :D. And long inches at that!

16th October - a good run out of Horton this morning - Horton--> Horton Scar--> Hull Pot--> Foxup Moor--> Plover Hill--> Pen y Ghent trig--> Hull Pot--> Whitber Hill--> Horton. Bright and sunny with a nippy breeze and about 1 hour 40 start to finish.

The Pennine Way track soon after the start

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/2921/pa160001.jpg

Looking back towards Horton Moor with Ingleborough in the far distance on the left and Whernside to the right

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8013/pa160004.jpg

The track on top of Plover just starting to get back to its proper boggyness. The top of PyG is out of shot to the left.

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/506/pa160009.jpg

Me sadly taking a picture of myself at the finish in the car park at Horton

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/9099/pa160019l.jpg

18th October - a jolly Sunday morning outing with Alf and Southernsoftie. Ingleton--> Beazley Falls--> Ewes Top--> an effing long way along the ridge to the trig on Whernside--> Hill Inn--> Humphrey Bottom (aka the slabbed path from hell)--> Ingleborough trig--> finishing with a rubble run all the way back down to Ingleton. About 15 miles all told.

The weather was damp, cold and misty with fine drizzle falling so, as far as scenery was concerned, all I could do was take a couple of pictures of my running mates :rolleyes:

SS and Alf

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/6199/pa180001.jpg

Alf crests the 'frigging' slabbed path below Ingleborough, suffering flashbacks from April's 3 peaks in the process

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/3746/pa180003.jpg

SS ferreting about for a water refill at the top of the steep bit up Ingleborough

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8063/pa180004.jpg

Anyway a darn fine run out if I say so myself.

:eek: Is that the beginnings of a bald spot I spy? Last time I let you take a candid shot of me. I declare my right to veto all future use of my images!;)

*slopes off to contemplate his own mortality*

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by southernsoftie

:eek: Is that the beginnings of a bald spot I spy? Last time I let you take a candid shot of me. I declare my right to veto all future use of my images!;)

*slopes off to contemplate his own mortality*

---

Of course it isn't....it's just the wind blowing your lovely thick locks! :rolleyes:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stef F

Of course it isn't....it's just the wind blowing your lovely thick locks! :rolleyes:

---

Nice try! ;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Big Compass

Stolly
Does anyone believe that signpost saying one and a half mile to Horton.

---

I believe its wrong;)

20th October - a lung buster of a run with Ady from Accy out of Horton this afternoon; the same run that I did last Friday but in far bleaker weather and with a fair bit of added pace - Horton--> Horton Scar--> Hull Pot--> Foxup Moor--> Plover Hill--> Pen y Ghent trig--> Hull Pot--> Whitber Hill--> Horton.

Having done a few good runs with not a great deal of recovery in the last couple of weeks, choosing to run with Ady was always going to be a toughee but, fortunately, he went easy on me and, once we'd got to the top of Plover Hill after 50 minutes (of me clawing for breath), I managed to find a second wind from somewhere and ended up finishing in fairly good nick.

Ady wallowing like a hog :rolleyes: in the bogs on Plover

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/58/pa200001q.jpg

and Ady again (spot in the distance) leading the way down coming off of Pen y Ghent

http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/2628/pa200003n.jpg

A barn stormer. 1 hour 37 with mucho mud.

24th October. I had to take my car into for some minor body work repair yesterday - unfortunately the best guy, Silver Star, is in the middle of Carleton, a small village a mile or so outside Skipton.

I wouldn't say there's much to do in Carleton but, to give you an idea of just how sleepy that place is, when I got there at ten past eight in the morning the newsagents wasn't open (bang goes my mid run mars bar), the post office wasn't open nor obviously the pub. When I returned 3 or so hours later, the newsagents wasn't open (bang goes my post run lukozade), the post office wasn't open nor the pub!! You can almost imagine tumble weed blowing through Carleton and (unopened) pub signs creaking in the wind.

Anyway back to my run. My car would take 3 hours ish to be sorted so I decided to pretty much run as the fancy took me for 90 minutes and then head back hopefully in a loop. First off I ran through the (cow infested) fields from Carleton to Skipton, through the industrial estate, past kwikfit, over the canal, through Aireville Park, through Rockwood and then through the fields at the top of Skipton to Tarn House Caravan Site. From here I got onto Bog Lane before finally hacking off onto proper fells on my way up to the trig on Sharp Haw:

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/8408/pa240007.jpg

I then hacked down through some tremendous mud and bog following the track towards Flasby

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9682/pa240010.jpg

When I reached Flasby I hooked north following the farm track and then never used before and kind of tricky to follow (especially without a map) footpath (hah!) through the fields to Rylstone. From Rylstone I followed the main road back towards Skipton for a couple of hundred yards before taking the farm track all the way to the top of Rylstone Fell. By now the cloud had lowered even more and a fine drizzle was falling. Crap visibility but totally awesome from a mud point of view as I followed the ridge line trod/morass all the way along and then down to Embsay Reservoir. Looking up to Hellifield Crag in the gloom from the bottom of Waterfall Gill:

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/2127/pa240015.jpg

Once in Embsay I didn't have the energy (no mars bar you see) to continue an off road circuit back to Skipton, so from here I ran to Skipton on the main road, past Skipton Castle and straight down the middle of a bustling Skipton High Street. Quite funny really as I was a complete mud monster at this point. From Skipton it was a quick mile scoot back over to Carlton for a finish. The teeming metropolis of Carleton comes into view:

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6617/pa240016.jpg

A wonderful run, even though it got a bit 'roady' near the end. 3 hours 7 minutes and probably 16 miles or so.

I agree with you about Carlton Stolly. When I worked abroad for a few years I booked a "holiday cottage" in Carlton for a trip home. It turned out to be a damp terraced house :eek: we ended up spending as little time as we could in! The rest of the place, as you describe it, sounds the same though but you missed out the great view of the Crematorium :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Alf

I agree with you about Carlton Stolly...

---

Carleton actually Alf. Check Stolly's spellin' of the village;)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by wharfeego

Carleton actually Alf. Check Stolly's spellin' of the village;)

---

errrrr you don't live there by any chance Wharfee :o:o (rapidly trying to dig himself out of a hole :o)

8th November - after a week of not feeling quite right - no running but I had the runs if you know what I mean - I finally forced myself out for a run this morning. A 10 miler from Bolton Abbey, following the Wharfe for some way past the abbey ruins, past Cavendish Pavillion, through the woods past the Strid, past Bardon Bridge, past Howgill Campsite before finally hacking up to the top of Simon's Seat. From there is was a lovely muddy and rocky trot across the top of the moor, down through a little pine forest, through the valley of desolation and back for a quick hop back up the Wharfe to the starting point at Bolton Abbey car park (£6 ffs!).

I was feeling pretty rubbish to be honest but the run did blow out some of the cobwebs. My running partner for the trip was running even rubbisher, having had a long run out yesterday, so it may have been the slowest 10 miles I have ever run. 2 hours 30!!!

The Strid running quite high after all the recent rain

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8238/pb080001.jpg

Looking back towards Appletreewick with Burnsall Fell beyond

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/7858/pb080002.jpg

My 'rubbish' running partner bringing up the rear, viewed from the top of Simon's Seat

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/8581/pb080004.jpg

Fabulous run out and great to see you again Stef :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stolly

8th November - after a week of not feeling quite right - no running but I had the runs if you know what I mean - I finally forced myself out for a run this morning. A 10 miler from Bolton Abbey, following the Wharfe for some way past the abbey ruins, past Cavendish Pavillion, through the woods past the Strid, past Bardon Bridge, past Howgill Campsite before finally hacking up to the top of Simon's Seat. From there is was a lovely muddy and rocky trot across the top of the moor, down through a little pine forest, through the valley of desolation and back for a quick hop back up the Wharfe to the starting point at Bolton Abbey car park (£6 ffs!).

I was feeling pretty rubbish to be honest but the run did blow out some of the cobwebs. My running partner for the trip was running even rubbisher, having had a long run out yesterday, so it may have been the slowest 10 miles I have ever run. 2 hours 30!!!


My 'rubbish' running partner bringing up the rear, viewed from the top of Simon's Seat


Fabulous run out and great to see you again Stef :)

---

You too.....but oy! x 3!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Stolly

8th November - after a week of not feeling quite right - no running but I had the runs if you know what I mean - I finally forced myself out for a run this morning. A 10 miler from Bolton Abbey, following the Wharfe for some way past the abbey ruins, past Cavendish Pavillion, through the woods past the Strid, past Bardon Bridge, past Howgill Campsite before finally hacking up to the top of Simon's Seat. From there is was a lovely muddy and rocky trot across the top of the moor, down through a little pine forest, through the valley of desolation and back for a quick hop back up the Wharfe to the starting point at Bolton Abbey car park (£6 ffs!).

---

Stolly, there's usually a few free parking spots just across the river from Bolton Abbey at Storiths which I've used before for runs along the river and/or up Valley of Desolation/SS/Hazlewood Moor.