BG 2012 Recce's....

[Splatcher]

I too must put my head above the parapet & admit to planning a May/June attempt (along with another club member & maybe others). I'm up for weekend recces & car sharing from Cheshire, so I'll post our recce plans once we've got some. My first recce was Leg 1 on Saturday. I'm taking the routefinding more seriously for this as it's the bit I'm planning to run in the dark (clockwise, midnight start). I found the routefinding easy as far as Great Calva (i.e. it should be OK in the dark), & I reckon I can get down Hall's Fell. The ascent from the Caldew seems OK as well, as I reckon the right bearing will get you to the right place even without finding the path ESE from the cairn at 312292, & the ground on the steep bit isn't too bad without a path. But...what's the best way down Great Calva at the moment? I headed down a little path that diverged right from the fence near the S summit on about 120/130 degrees. It peters out, then if you keep the same bearing in good visibility you can pick up a continuation path through the heather. But I doubt I'd find it in the dark, and the heather is getting long enough to be slow going. Even on the path, the heather on the lower section now covers the path, so you can't see where your feet are going to land. It's a lot better than no path though. When I got to the valley track I headed straight on - horrible short section to the river. Looking back, it would probably have been better to head right along the track for a short distance to avoid the long heather - can anyone confirm that? And, is it currently easier to take one of the other options off Great Calva? What's the going like east down the fence? Or south initially before heading SE? Any guidance from 2010 runners would be appreciated.

[Hank]

I too must put my head above the parapet & admit to planning a May/June attempt (along with another club member & maybe others). I'm up for weekend recces & car sharing from Cheshire, so I'll post our recce plans once we've got some. My first recce was Leg 1 on Saturday. I'm taking the routefinding more seriously for this as it's the bit I'm planning to run in the dark (clockwise, midnight start). I found the routefinding easy as far as Great Calva (i.e. it should be OK in the dark), & I reckon I can get down Hall's Fell. The ascent from the Caldew seems OK as well, as I reckon the right bearing will get you to the right place even without finding the path ESE from the cairn at 312292, & the ground on the steep bit isn't too bad without a path. But...what's the best way down Great Calva at the moment? I headed down a little path that diverged right from the fence near the S summit on about 120/130 degrees. It peters out, then if you keep the same bearing in good visibility you can pick up a continuation path through the heather. But I doubt I'd find it in the dark, and the heather is getting long enough to be slow going. Even on the path, the heather on the lower section now covers the path, so you can't see where your feet are going to land. It's a lot better than no path though. When I got to the valley track I headed straight on - horrible short section to the river. Looking back, it would probably have been better to head right along the track for a short distance to avoid the long heather - can anyone confirm that? And, is it currently easier to take one of the other options off Great Calva? What's the going like east down the fence? Or south initially before heading SE? Any guidance from 2010 runners would be appreciated.

Having supported on leg 1, recced it several times and done it on my own attempt, I reckon the best way is to jump the fence on the summit (i.e. north summit) and take a slanting line down across the slope SE to pick up the small path running by the fence E down to Wiley Gill. Cross the fence at the bottom of the slope and follow the path/trod past the big sheepfold and on to the Caldew. Cross where you hit the river and head off up the slope on a bearing taking you towards the cairn on Mungrisdale Common. I do not believe the route south off of Calva to be quicker... I think it's too much hard work through the heather for no benefit. I've always found a good trod from the junction of Wiley Gill and the fence E off of Calva going right down to the Caldew.

[Splatcher]

Great- thanks Hank. I'll recce that leg again in the spring & take your route.

[Martyn P]

Having supported on leg 1, recced it several times and done it on my own attempt, I reckon the best way is to jump the fence on the summit (i.e. north summit) and take a slanting line down across the slope SE to pick up the small path running by the fence E down to Wiley Gill. Cross the fence at the bottom of the slope and follow the path/trod past the big sheepfold and on to the Caldew. Cross where you hit the river and head off up the slope on a bearing taking you towards the cairn on Mungrisdale Common. I do not believe the route south off of Calva to be quicker... I think it's too much hard work through the heather for no benefit. I've always found a good trod from the junction of Wiley Gill and the fence E off of Calva going right down to the Caldew.

That's it. I recce'd it with some friends a few weeks back in good visibility and I had a look at the line South off the summit and it looked horrible to me. Best to jump the fence and follow the path down to Wiley Gill, it's pretty eroded down towards the bottom - you'll know you're in the right place alright.

[Theolneywayisup]

Splatcher,

I did successful c/w this year starting at 12.30am so pretty much the same as you are aiming for. I did several recce's of leg 1 as well as some support and whilst I used the path through the heather in a lot of the recce's, we decided (it was a joint attempt) that it was too difficult to find in the dark so we did just as Hank said and took a diagonal line down to the fence from the summit.

Worked well for us - until I feel over crossing the river

[Mark L]

Having supported on leg 1, recced it several times and done it on my own attempt, I reckon the best way is to jump the fence on the summit (i.e. north summit) and take a slanting line down across the slope SE to pick up the small path running by the fence E down to Wiley Gill. Cross the fence at the bottom of the slope and follow the path/trod past the big sheepfold and on to the Caldew. Cross where you hit the river and head off up the slope on a bearing taking you towards the cairn on Mungrisdale Common. I do not believe the route south off of Calva to be quicker... I think it's too much hard work through the heather for no benefit. I've always found a good trod from the junction of Wiley Gill and the fence E off of Calva going right down to the Caldew.

I completely agree with Hank. You could do this route blindfold and it's relatively easy underfoot. On my round this year I left Calver summit at the same time as another attempt went for the direct route. I was half way up to Mungrisedale Common while they were still crossing the Caldew.
Good luck everyone - I think it's good that you're raring to get out reccying/training so early. I'll be hoping to help with reccies and support where I can.

[AndreaS]

Looking at the calendar it seems that a recce of one of the legs, (whichever is easier to organise) on either the 2nd or 3rd November would be good. Depending on the weather of course!
Andrea

http://conversationsalongtheway.wordpress.com

[dave13]

Up for a look over any of the stages,live in cumbria so easy to travel to:thumbup:

[Gaz]

I too must put my head above the parapet & admit to planning a May/June attempt (along with another club member & maybe others). I'm up for weekend recces & car sharing from Cheshire, so I'll post our recce plans once we've got some. My first recce was Leg 1 on Saturday. I'm taking the routefinding more seriously for this as it's the bit I'm planning to run in the dark (clockwise, midnight start). I found the routefinding easy as far as Great Calva (i.e. it should be OK in the dark), & I reckon I can get down Hall's Fell. The ascent from the Caldew seems OK as well, as I reckon the right bearing will get you to the right place even without finding the path ESE from the cairn at 312292, & the ground on the steep bit isn't too bad without a path. But...what's the best way down Great Calva at the moment? I headed down a little path that diverged right from the fence near the S summit on about 120/130 degrees. It peters out, then if you keep the same bearing in good visibility you can pick up a continuation path through the heather. But I doubt I'd find it in the dark, and the heather is getting long enough to be slow going. Even on the path, the heather on the lower section now covers the path, so you can't see where your feet are going to land. It's a lot better than no path though. When I got to the valley track I headed straight on - horrible short section to the river. Looking back, it would probably have been better to head right along the track for a short distance to avoid the long heather - can anyone confirm that? And, is it currently easier to take one of the other options off Great Calva? What's the going like east down the fence? Or south initially before heading SE? Any guidance from 2010 runners would be appreciated.

Spaltcher, I did this route a couple of weeks ago with 2 other runners chasing me (approx 3 - 400m behaind) up Great calva. When I was 2/3 rds the way up mungrisdale they appeared above me and over to the left. When I got to Thelkeld they were there so quizzed them about their route; they took the line following the fence down off Calva to the sheep pen then crossed the river. So in all they were probably 10 - 15 minutes faster whislt I floundered in the heather and bogs when trying to cross the river. Will be having a run out over the dodds this saturday morning; anybody know if there are any buses back to keswick / Threlkeld to get the car?

[Hank]

Spaltcher, I did this route a couple of weeks ago with 2 other runners chasing me (approx 3 - 400m behaind) up Great calva. When I was 2/3 rds the way up mungrisdale they appeared above me and over to the left. When I got to Thelkeld they were there so quizzed them about their route; they took the line following the fence down off Calva to the sheep pen then crossed the river. So in all they were probably 10 - 15 minutes faster whislt I floundered in the heather and bogs when trying to cross the river. Will be having a run out over the dodds this saturday morning; anybody know if there are any buses back to keswick / Threlkeld to get the car?

I'm pretty sure the 555 stops at Dunmail and then goes on to Keswick. Google buses in Cumbria for timetable, etc. They're pretty frequent. They're also pretty pricey!