Ooh Dutch Peaks has finally written up his thesis on the OCT.
http://penninefellrunners.co.uk/wordpress/?p=1479
Yours,
Rich the Rat Slayer ;)
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Ooh Dutch Peaks has finally written up his thesis on the OCT.
http://penninefellrunners.co.uk/wordpress/?p=1479
Yours,
Rich the Rat Slayer ;)
Brilliant ! Had me laughing my porridge oot through my nose.
Brilliant report, heard someone in the toilets on Saturday morning talking bout rats, must have been you ladies. I was up the posh end of the campsite, just had fluffy bunnies to contend with. Well done both, cheerfulness in the the face of adversity:thumbup:
Quality write up Dutch Peaks:thumbup:
Cracking write up there Hanno! I'd love to do this one year, just need to get some distance fitness and find another fool to run with!
Thanks for all your nice feedback - and thanks to the Rat Slayer for sticking my blabberings on here...
Normally I'm a lot more to-the-point, but you can't really do justice to 37 miles and stealing rats in 10 words, can you?
See you all at the next 'why-are-we-doing-this-event' !
Hanno
Just over a week to my first attempt at this race and getting very excited but also a bit daunted by it. After trawling through this and another couple of threads I thought it might be useful for other new-comers to summarise the main route advice. Any corrections, comments or other advice gratefully appreciated:
Checkpoints
Start Newdungeon Ghyll car park 296064
Pathjunction 339098
Helvellyn 341152
Wythburncar park 324136 (342136 on web-site)
Angletarn 245078 (cut off 1:30 recommended)
ScafellPike 215072
CockleyBeck Bridge 247017 (cut off 3:45 mandatory)
ConistonOld Man 272928
3Shires Stone 276027 (276064 on web-site)
NewDungeon Ghyll (finish) 295064
Full Route Summary
From the New Dungeon Ghyll, over to Grasmere, Tongue Gill, Grisedale Tarn & Helvellyn. Down to Wythburn Church where there are excellent refreshments laid on. Then it's up Wythburn, skirt round High Raise to Angle Tarn where there is a kit check. Scafell Pike, down to Great Moss, over to Mosedale & down to Cockley Beck where there is another superb refreshments stop. Then it's up to the Old Man, back to the Three Shires Stone, down to Blea Tarn and you're nearly home.
NewDungeon Ghyll to Helvellyn
Go along the track from the NDG, a short way along the road then over toGrasmere by the path that leaves the road near Harry Place Farm,above Chapel Stile, below Silver Howe dropping into the south end ofthe village.
GridRef for turn off from Chapel Stile: NY31360603
CP1, GR 339098, Path Junction is just after the gate by the gill andimpossible to miss
From Grisedale tarn it is slightly quicker to take a long traversingascent to the west aiming to hit the ridge at the col behind Dollywaggon.
Helvellynto Angle Tarn
Toget from Helvellyn summit to Wythburn go pretty much direct, aimingto hit the path just before it enters the forest.
Thebest line up Wythburn is left of the stream until the last level bitwhere you can cross to the right and then on left again, ascendingthe steep part along the path.
Thereis a path/trod pretty well all the way up to Greenup Edge, althoughvery boggy in places, then contour round High Raise (no trod) anddrop down to Stake Pass and onto the path to Angle Tarn.Climbingabout 100' to stay well above the path to angle tarn then follow alevel traverse gives a lot better running ground than the main path
ScafellPike to Cockley Beck
Fordirect route you sort of drop off the side of Scafell Pike, overRough Crag and to the west of Dow Crag. It isn't as bad as it looks.
Ifyou manage to get off the end of Rough Crag safely, go South downhillwith Dow Crag on your left, crossing the stream on the left lowerdown. If you don't get a chance to recce it and cannot follow anyoneretrace your steps and descend Little Narrowcove; It is onlymarginally slower.
Crossingfrom the base of little narrow cove , straight across the Esk bottomto gain higher ground on the other side before heading towardsMosedale was certainly a lot dryer than the valley floor.
CockleyBeck to Coniston Old Man
FromCockley Beck you may (or may not) follow a stream half way up to thesaddle but in dry conditions there is no water after that untilBleamoss Beck. Take the path up towards Grey Friar, then at abouthalf height where that path swings right, you can swing further leftto dead reckon the coll between Grey Friar and Great Carrs: fromthere there is a path that does a rising traverse to the ridgebypassing Swirl How completely. Stay just right of the ridge path fora good running line (there is a trod used on Duddon race there) butbe careful at Brim Fell: don't take the first traverse path you see:it goes to Dow Crag! There is a high traverse that leads to the OldMan, further up Brim Fell.
ConistonOld Man to 3 Shires
Headingback use left hand side traverse lines but regain the ridge afterGreat Carrs, and don't attempt to drop too early: wait till you seethe cairn.
Returnalong the contouring path but when it drops towards the col betweenGreat Carrs and Grey Friar leave it and head roughly N to join asmall path W of Great Carrs, which runs NE and joins the main ridgepath to the Three Shires stone. It is a faint path and when in ahurry you can cross it without seeing it. There are some small shortcuts around Little Carrs but in bad visibility stick to the mainpath.
3Shires to New Dungeon Ghyll
Fromthestone go down the road (yes, honestly) and when you approach a wallon the right you will see a trod on your left that becomes an obviouspath up the left side of the tarn. This is parallel with the road"Side Gates" and will take you to the cattle grid as thetop of the zig-zags leading down into Great Langdale. Cross the road,follow the path down and across a couple of fields back to NDG.
Water
Watersources include the beck to Grisedale tarn, the tarn, a brook youcross on the way down from Helvellyn, the checkpoint at Wythburn, waytoo much water in wythburn, Angle tarn, Esk Hause, Little Narrowcove,the Esk and Cockley beck checkpoint.
Theonly section without water is high up on Grey Friarnotts col to theold man and down towards three shires - so carry some water there(from Cockley Beck).
Food
Wythburn- tea, squash, water, jam butties, malt loaf and possibly flap jack
CockleyBeck - tea, squash, water, butties - cheese, tuna mayo, egg mayo,bananas, fruit cake
Finish- tea, coffee, squash soup, butties, and cake
Hi, I'm unable to compete in this due to illness but my partner is now stranded. Please get in touch for a spot in the event.
If anyone you know may be interested then please pass this on
Thanks
John