Thanks................... you're not being sarcastic are you? ;) :DQuote:
Originally Posted by So Wood
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Thanks................... you're not being sarcastic are you? ;) :DQuote:
Originally Posted by So Wood
25. Old Cote Moor Top, Buckden and Buckden Pike loop from Kettlewell
Date: 14th April 2009
Distance: As near as damn it 13 miles
Ascent/descent: 3,050 ft
Route
Time: 2 hours and 35 mins
And what a brilliant route! With two pretty tough climbs too. I started off by the bridge over the river Wharfe in Kettlewell and hacked up the path that heads steeply up and over the ridge towards Arncliffe but, instead of going over the top, once I hit the wall that runs along the ridge I followed a clear trod there along the top heading north, eventually to the trig at Old Cote Moor Top. Looking back at Kettlewell shortly after setting off:
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1107/p4140453u.jpg
Through some trick of the angle it might seem that I was running 'free' and without bottoms from this picture but, rest assured, I was wearing my running shorts!
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/2491/p4140456.jpg
I reached the trig after about 45 minutes and then set about whizzing down a glorious descent all the way to Buckden. Taken from the start of my climb up the opposite ridge to Buckden Pike, this picture shows my route down off of Old Cote Moor, starting on the horizon very top left, skirting straight right behind the tree line before dropping down a long grassy bank to Wharfe level:
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/7180/p4140459.jpg
I'd never been up Buckden Pike before and both paths out of Buckden itself shown on my map seemed to take huge loops around the houses getting there, one going way to my left and the other way right before cutting back. Rather than fanny about with that, I decided to hack straight up the ridge line to the right of a mini gorge (down through which flows Buckden Beck), climbing a couple of walls before hitting the right hand path as it looped back and headed more directly, first for Buckden Lead Mine and then on and up to the top of Buckden Pike itself. My line wasn't too bad all things considered but I might have done just as well following Buckden Beck itself to the mine.
I got to the trig after about 1 hour and 45 minutes and I was feeling totally shagged out; I'd started late morning and not brought any snacks with me, originally thinking of doing a shorter, less gruelling run. Not to worry though in that I was on top of the second (of two) ridges and all I needed to do was follow the ridgeline all the way back to Kettlewell. How difficult could it be?
Unfortunately, very. This ridgeline suddenly turned into the peak district at its boggiest best with all sorts meres, mires, bogs and crap to run through. To make matters worst I turned my right ankle again, giving me one of those full body electric shocks as the pain shot through me. It did force me to limp for a moment or two but, hey presto, after that I was okay to bash on, albeit slightly more warily when planting my right foot.
With Great Wharfedale staring at me to my left, daring me to add that on as an added 4 mile, 1500 feet extra, I finally started to run down towards Kettlewell following what looked to be some sort of drover's path of yore. The view here of Kettlewell and my starting path, the green line to the right, up the opposite ridge.
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6919/p4140466.jpg
A brilliant route, never done before, with an obvious Great Whernside extension just waiting to be done next time. Now that will be a humdinger.
Sounds like a 'must try' route.:)
You should have gone for the Gt. Whernside extra. Assuming you're following the Fellsman route, the climb from Park Rash to top of Gt. Whernside isn't bad... and the run down to Kettlewell is GREAT!!:D
26. Pen y Ghent from Langclffe, via Stainforth Scar (and the back of beyond) going up and Stainforth Force and the Ribble coming back
Date: 21st April 2009
Distance: 13.75 miles
Ascent/descent: 1,750 ft
Route
Time: 2 hours and 33 mins
I was talking to Goldie from the forum at the Anniversary Waltz, who also lives in Settle, and he mentioned that he often ran up and back to Pen y Ghent as a training run from home. He would follow the Ribble out to Stainforth and then hack up the ridge all the way, before returning the same way. This sounded a great run as I hadn't been along this ridge before but, rather than do a there and back again run, I decided to plot a circular route. Although I could have run starting from Settle, I didn't really have enough time yesterday and I was also a little bit wary of over cooking things, what with the 3 peaks this Saturday and all.
So starting from the car park in Langcliffe I hacked north and, first off, up the side of Stainforth Scar:
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3476/p4210036.jpg
The weather, which had been lovely earlier, started clouding over as I left home but, by the time I'd run above the scar, the cloud was down with a soggy drizzle falling and visibility fast closing in. Certainly I could no longer see hide nor hair of Pen y Ghent ahead of me and it would normally stand out like a sore thumb.
My original planned route took me to the Henside Road, looking to then follow a farm track via a farm called Rough Close on the map, before looping north and north west and eventually plonking me where the Silverdale road meets the pennine way up Pen y Ghent proper. Unfortunately when I got to Henside Road, the track I wanted to use was closed to public access with obvious signs saying so, that I couldn't realistically pretend not to have seen. This presented me with a bit of a dilemma as I hadn't bothered taking my map with me, couldn't see Pen y Ghent in the gloom for a directional rudder and I didn't particularly want to follow the road if I could help it. In the end I just followed the Henside road for a couple of hundred yards to my left to a (locked) gate and then hacked off over open fellside pointing myself in the best guess direction of Pen y Ghent and my farm track, but obviously skirting the farm itself.
Somewhere out there is a 2,300 foot mountain!
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/8995/p4210038.jpg
This plan worked like a dream and, after a fair stretch of rough running, I hopped over a wall and onto my track. This track did go on (and on) though but eventually I hit the Silverdale road and hacked all the way up to the trig on Pen y Ghent, getting there after about 1 hour and a half of running. Visibility was crap up here and continued to be poor for much of my run back along the ridge line towards Stainforth but after a while I popped out, with Stainforth and the green Ribble valley before me:
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9030/p4210043.jpg
Having dropped down into Stainforth and crossed the main road, I then went down to Stainforth Force on the river for the final scenic run in back to Langcliffe:
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2149/p4210045.jpg
A good un then! Ironically the skies cleared and the sun came out almost seconds after I had finished.
Seems like your 3p prep has gone well. I'll be somewhere up the the stony track out of Horton with mi camera. 3:59 or less should be on the cards......have a good one.
The same view taken on a beautifully sunny walk, while my sister was up visiting on Saturday, just above the waterfall at Catrigg, compared to the same, but miserable, view as the clouds started to come down yesterday :D
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/2851/p4190042.jpg
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/8580/p4210037.jpg
Pen y Ghent is the blob top left in the first picture with Fountains Fell to the right.
How will we reconise you?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ady In Accy
I plan on a really slow start so I will be well back on the track.
I will have a blue cycle helmet on and there will be a CX bike somewhere near me (I hope!!)Quote:
Originally Posted by IanDarkpeak
'ows the bike?Quote:
Originally Posted by Ady In Accy
27. The Three Peaks Fell Race
Date: 25th April 2009
Distance: 23.5 miles
Ascent/descent: 5,200ft
Route map
Time: Did not finish :(
So yesterday morning, the hills looks fantastic, the weather was ideal, I was feeling fit and raring to go. I had a pretty good game plan, hoping to take it easy up Pen y Ghent, and pick up time after that, especially in the last half of the race. And I went up Pen y Ghent quite well, turning at the checkpoint after 41 minutes and then blitzing my way down, overtaking loads of more 'prudent' runners.
Unfortunately, just at the corner of the 45 degree path off of the side of Pen y Ghent, I turned my right ankle on a tussock and boy did it hurt. I originally did this ankle in at the Edale Skyline, not enough to stop me running, but enough to have four or five episodes of it giving way since, none of which were bad but all painfully reminding me of the ankle's unreliability. I knew straight away that yesterday's injury was worse though and, despite trying to carry on running, my pace was shot, every time I planted my right foot I could feel it and I was really worried about it going again and turning it into a major injury. All the 'prudent' runners from before now whizzed past me so I jogged down to Whitber Hill and called it a day.
I've been keeping my foot up since....
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/8010/p4260040.jpg
... but things are really touch and go for the Fellsman now :mad: