Edale Skyline Fell Race

[Mountain Hare]

Hi everyone

this question may be too technical but my mapping software tells me that it's quicker on the last leg (Grindslow Knoll), to go down to Grindsbrook then coutour across with a slight climb back up to Ringing Roger, than to follow the track back towards Kinder and then continue the routine circuit. For walking it estimates 38min as against 54min and the climb is not much different. Is it allowed? Is it really quicker? has anyone ever done it?
I know, I know - I should go and find out!

Redhead,

I'd love to watch someone walk it in 38 minutes! I believe Lloyd Taggart went 'down and up' to win Edale last year but for most humans the route 'round the edge would be much quicker. I'm not convinced there is any obvious 'down and up' line to take - lots of rocks, bracken etc.

This topic was debated at length on the old forum.

My recces have shown the route around the skyline is more reliable (no navigation required) and much faster, especially at the end of a long, tiring race.

MH

[Redhead]

Common sense prevails. Thank you for bringing it to bear on the wacky idea!

[Joe]

Common sense prevails. Thank you for bringing it to bear on the wacky idea!

Maybe it's wacky, but I'm still going to do it as a recee!

[bigfella]

One other thing to consider is that most mapping software tends to overestimate the ascent and descent for contouring routes. This is to do with the way spot heights are used to estimate the actual elevation of the route.

[Stevie]

Maybe it's wacky, but I'm still going to do it as a recee!

Respectfully, I think you're wasting your time. A clubmate reccied it and found it was about 5 minutes slower than going round. Ok he didn't find a good line through the vegetation but he thought a good line would be hard to find anyway, and really hard to re-find on race day especially in mist.

It will only work for very slow runners who will not be running much faster than they can walk. I will definitely be going round.

[GeoffB]

It will only work for very slow runners who will not be running much faster than they can walk. I will definitely be going round.

I don't really think Lloyd falls into this category. Last year he was miles ahead at Grindslow Knoll & even more miles ahead when he reached Ringing Roger.

It's got to be worth a recce, just to see if it suits you.

[Ali]

Now full, entries closed, according to the website.

[Stagger]

I don't really think Lloyd falls into this category. Last year he was miles ahead at Grindslow Knoll & even more miles ahead when he reached Ringing Roger.

It's got to be worth a recce, just to see if it suits you.

I agree, but one must remember there will have been 19 miles of effort used just to get there, so it will all depend how much petrol is left in the tank.

[this is my real name]

I've never done this race before or any part of the route, so I'd love to join you all on the 18th. Never done a collective recce before either. If there's quite a few of us, presumably there'll be people wanting to go off at different paces. This probably sounds like a ridiculous question, but how do these things work?

[Swoop]

I've never done this race before or any part of the route, so I'd love to join you all on the 18th. Never done a collective recce before either. If there's quite a few of us, presumably there'll be people wanting to go off at different paces. This probably sounds like a ridiculous question, but how do these things work?

Don't worry. Nobody will be left on their own.