Fellsman

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Originally Posted by Stolly

I went over Ingleborough and up Whernside...

Here's hoping its just as fine and clear (but without the chilly wind) next weekend :)

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On Sunday I was in Hawes so drove up the Fleet Moss road and went over Dodd Fell and back. At 7pm it was extremely cold with flecks of ice in the bitter East wind and I was glad to be back in the car after such a short trip. If the weather forecast for the event says very cold then be prepared!

It's a shame there's the requirement to follow a beaconed route after the Dodd Fell checkpoint because it obliges you to cross a stone wall at the foot of DF. Consequently there's now a big hole in this fine structure. Climbing dry stone walls should be banned, or in this case a temporary crossing style installed.

Same going up DF, hope people don't go climbing when there's a good route following the Pennine Way then popping up a track just before the gulley (with cairn just the other side).

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Originally Posted by Freeloader

Gore Tex isn't strictly waterproof. How very subjective.

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I wasn't thinking of whatever the kit check rules are; I was more thinking about you wanting to keep dry. Last year a humdinger of a rain storm hit over Blea Moor and it was freezing, horizontal stair rods of lashing rain too. If I hadn't have put on my waterproofs and seal skin gloves in the woods after Blea Moor I could have gone hyperthermic, seriously.

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Originally Posted by Stolly

I went over Ingleborough and up Whernside following the start of the fellsman today. If you know where to look you can see Gragareth, Great Coum, Whernside, Blea Moor, Great Knoutberry, Dodd Fell and the forested valley of Littondale by following the horizon left to right in this picture taken from the top of Ingleborough.

http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/5...0140stitch.jpg

Here's hoping its just as fine and clear (but without the chilly wind) next weekend :)

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Nice photo. Best keep this picture in mind, as the forecast for the week end 's not good. The're saying, moderate northeasterly (head wind) rain (vis?),4to 7deg (half that on the tops!) and with wind chill!!!! They "always" get it wrong!!! dont they?

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Originally Posted by chris brown

Nice photo. Best keep this picture in mind, as the forecast for the week end 's not good. The're saying, moderate northeasterly (head wind) rain (vis?),4to 7deg (half that on the tops!) and with wind chill!!!! They "always" get it wrong!!! dont they?

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I hope so! I reccy'd some of the route from Buckden Pike on Saturday and it was (relatively) warm and (mainly) dry. There's a write-up and some pictures on my blog (link in my signature).

I found out that a 5 pack of Double Deckers weighs exactly 300g. Emergency ration and munch for the journey home sorted.

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Originally Posted by chris brown

The're saying, moderate northeasterly (head wind) rain (vis?),4to 7deg (half that on the tops!) and with wind chill!!!! They "always" get it wrong!!! dont they?

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I hope they always get it wrong, as the Met Office forecast for Saturday currently says the NE wind will continue, 20mph gusting 33 even at low levels - and there'll be heavy rain all day :-)

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Originally Posted by Hank

I hope so! I reccy'd some of the route from Buckden Pike on Saturday and it was (relatively) warm and (mainly) dry. There's a write-up and some pictures on my blog (link in my signature).

I found out that a 5 pack of Double Deckers weighs exactly 300g. Emergency ration and munch for the journey home sorted.

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A 5 pack of Snickers weighs 290g. They won't be that finicky will they?

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Originally Posted by Toreador

I hope they always get it wrong, as the Met Office forecast for Saturday currently says the NE wind will continue, 20mph gusting 33 even at low levels - and there'll be heavy rain all day :-)

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3 peaks was too warm. But that looks like the other extreme.

Things could be tough going; the outlook for Saturday in the Dales from the Met Office says:

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Cloudy and wet with rain for most of the day, some of which could be heavy. Widespread hill fog and poor visibility. Strong and gusty northeasterly wind

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Ignoring the heavy rain and strong wind for a second, the poor visibility could make things more than tricky on the navigation front. I reckon I know the first 35 miles left, front and sideways so the visibilty doesn't really worry me there and, at a push, I can hopefully muddle over Dodd Fell and Fleet Moss although that last checkpoint before following the track down to Cray could be fun to find, especially as other runners will be well spread out by this point; I know one runner got disqualified for not finding it last year and that was in broad daylight!

Buckden and Great Whernside again I'm fairly okay with too although funnily enough the bit between Capplestone Gate and Yarnbury worries me a little; was this the bit that was marked and had lights last year?

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Originally Posted by Muddy Retriever

A 5 pack of Snickers weighs 290g. They won't be that finicky will they?

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I've not done the event before, but I understand that they're very strict on kit, etc. I'd certainly bring something extra to add to that at kit-check just in case. I was scouring the supermarket shelves yesterday and it seems most multipacks are 290g, hence my joy at finding the Double Deckers are bang on 300g!

In terms of nav I reckon most of the route looks ok. Fleet Moss may be a bit tricky... not in terms of getting lost, but finding the best line. The latter sections look like a case of taking the right tracks at various junctions. Easier said than done though I suppose with 50+ miles in the legs/brain.

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Originally Posted by Stolly

Ignoring the heavy rain and strong wind for a second

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Easier said than done!

I'm pinning my hopes on the MWIS outlook which says
"There will be snow showers to low levels in exposed north and easterly areas [of the UK], but elsewhere it will be mainly dry with hills largely cloud free and very cold."

I don't mind cold, and I don't mind clag, but rain is a different matter :(