We're a group of VERY old runners who every year do a 'challenge'
We're thinking of the 2000ft tops in the Howgills for 2009.
Any suggestions for starting point and route would be very gratefully received.
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We're a group of VERY old runners who every year do a 'challenge'
We're thinking of the 2000ft tops in the Howgills for 2009.
Any suggestions for starting point and route would be very gratefully received.
Start at Bowderdale - go south along the ridge to the east of Bowderdale onto Randygill Top(624m) - over Kensgriff to Yarlside(639m) - down to the top of Cautley Spout and along the top of Cautley Crag to Great Dummacks (663) - onto Calders and Bram Rigg Top (672m) - onto the Calf(676m) - over Bush Howe and out to Fell Head(623m) - down to Black Force then back over Uldale Head and Rispa Pike with a bit of cross country to get back to Bowderdale.
Visits all the 2000ft tops and the more interesting parts of the Howgills. Not measured it but probably around 16 miles
Epocian, if you PM me I'll let you have the route of my "Howgill Fells and Folds" route. This may yet become a race but for now it's just an idea...
19 miles / 10,000ft :eek:
I'd be interested in that route Trundler.....:)
What a great idea. I'll have a look at the maps but both Trundler's and Bob's routes look good. Starting and finishing at Cautley would be a nice option.Quote:
Originally Posted by Epocian
Thought of starting at Cautley but there'd be quite a bit of backtracking as there's a few outliers. Either that or a cross valleys up and down section.
If you aren't going up and down (and up and down and up and down) then you're not in the Howgills. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob
me too, it would make a good training run in new area for me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Swiss Toni
OK then, it isn't a secret or anything... :p
It is a very contorted route that I devised as a possible race - the intention being to create a mega-event on the Howgills and showcase how many big steep slopes are concentrated in a small area on these fells. The magic figure of 10,000ft of climbing was always a target (more than any other race of similar length) and the following route achieves it - albeit by means of some Tour of Pendle style contrivance!
Here are the checkpoints:
Howgill Fells and Folds (18.5 miles / 10,000ft)
Start SD629978 Fairmile Gate CP1 NY644001 Sheepfold in Uldale 0.25 miles NW of Blakethwaite Stone CP2 NY641014 Sheepfold in Uldale E of Rispa Pike CP3 NY652012 Trig Point. Summit of Middleton CP4 NY657016 Nevygill Fold in Langdale CP5 NY677001 Sheepfold on W side of Bowderdale CP6 SD672996 Summit of Hazelgill Knott CP7 SD681980 Sheepfold at Bowderdale Head CP8 SD697980 Sheepfold in Westerdale CP9 SD989971 Sheepfold in Cautley valley CP10 SD676971 Sheepfold by Red Gill Beck CP11 SD676946 Hobdale Fold in Hobdale Gill CP12 SD666940 Ashbeck Fold in Ashbeck Gill CP13 SD660958 Sheepfold at foot of Calders Rigg (by Bram Rigg Beck) CP14 SD661966 Sheepfold in head of Calf Beck Gill CP15 SD666976 Sheepfold in head of Middle Grain CP16 SD650970 Long Rigg Fold at foot of Long Rigg (by Long Rigg Beck) CP17 SD649982 Cairn at Summit of Fell Head Finish SD629978 Fairmile Gate.
PS - figures are from MemoryMap.
PPS - Sorry the tabulation seems to have been lost in the pasting ;-)
That just looks evil :rolleyes:
Here's a route that Ali and I did when training for the BG:
Sedbergh - Arant Haw - Chapel Beck - White Fell - Bush Howe - Fell Head - Black Force - Uldale Head - Rispa Pike - Junction of Uldale and Langdale becks - Langdale Knott - West Fell - Hazelgill Knott - The Calf - Calders - Winder - Sedbergh
Another one:
Sedberg - path to Cautley - Great Dummacks - top of Cautley Spout - Yarlside - Hazelgill Knott - Cobles - Bush Howe - The Calf - Bridleway down Bram Rigg - back up to Arant Haw - Sedbergh
Epocian, I did this round between Christmas & New Year 1988. I'd been fell running for nearly 6 years, but believe it or not I'd just bought my first pair of Brasher Boots and my first fleece jacket and they acquitted themselves well. I parked on the green triangle at Town Head, Ravenstonedale - approx NGR 722037 - and took the PFP past Kilnmire and Wye Garth into the col between Knoutberry & Greenbell to visit the 'Lune head springs on the NE flank of Greenbell - "the source of the Lune" - being a true Lancastrian. Then it was Greenbell 605m, Stockless, Randygill Top 610m, Kensgriff, Yarlside 639m, Hare Shaw, Great Dummacks 663m, Calders 674m, Bram Rigg Top 672m, The Calf 676m, White Fell Head 636m, Heights Of Bush Howe, Bush Howe 623m, Breaks Head, Breaks, Bleagill Head, Weathercalf Moss, West Grain - East Grain junction (Langdale), col to N of Hazelgill Knott, Bowderdale, ascent onto Leathgill Bridge (had to visit it this feature after reading Wainwright), countour N slopes of Randygill Top, Stockless, descending contour across S slopes of Greenbell to pick up the outward PFP to return to Town Head. A good day out (within the hours of winter daylight) for my first ever visit to the Howgills.Quote:
Originally Posted by Epocian
Many thanks for all the suggestions - my fellow 'wrinklies' and I will study all the routes and take a collective decision - We'll let you know how we get on!
I opened this thread hoping you'd made it up this week. It would be fantastic up there at the moment; crisp, cold, no wind and clear. I hope you pick a good day.