Legs 3-5 This Weekend

[AlanB]

Well folks, the forecasts good and that's fell perfectly for the weekend in the Lakes I've had planned for a while.
If anyone is up there and fancies hooking up, let me know. Steady pace as I'll be carrying tent and wildcamping !
Leave Dunmail Raise first thing Saturday morning.

[AlanB]

Hi folks,
Please don't get the wrong impression with me replying to my own post on here - I really am not one for liking the sound of my own voice - just wanted to share an epic weekend of running the BGR 3-5.
Original intention was to reccie with tent and get to gable area then carry on the next day to get back to car at Dunmail.
As it happened, the fells were littered with people reccying. Initially bumping into Ray and Ian (?) who were clearing up lines round Bowfell before their joint attempt 15 June. They did me proud across Stake Pass / Rossett and Bowfell and owe them one. Then we all came across Duncan's sub 20hr attempt whilst on Bowfell so I hooked up with them and wished the other Ray/Ian luck mid June. I knew the others would be heading Keswick way so I thought I'd uncover a few of their lines. 3 legs later I was still running (yes with tent!) with em into Keswick with Duncan doing an amazing 19h32 starting 1am, finishing 830pm. Serious effort with perfect conditions.
I've now reccied the whole route and observations which may be of interest to some of you ;
* I seriously underestimated leg 4. I knew of Yewbarrow, but Red Pike and Gable were a surprise. I think we must have ended up the Ennerdale scree gully which didn't seem good on gable ? Anything better ?
* The nav to Seargeant Man required me to look at my map which I wasn't expecting! I'd not really come across pathless stuff before on the BGR 1-3, but a few 'moments' saw me meadering off small trods and into tussocks. Need to concentrate here {repeat and repeat}
* The descent off gable was bad. Is it a bearing direct to the Green Gable col ? We headed more to tarns then left to col but not good.
* I underestimated water needs on leg 4 and ran out around Steeple - not ideal ! Duncan's supporters ran out before gable - even worse !
* It was great to finally see Broad Stand after many years of heading to the lakes in clag - not too bad although I didn't do it.
Awesome weather and company all day made this one of my best days out in the lakes. Oh yeah and lots of miles in my legs made me feel more confident too.
If anyone has thoughts on the above couple of points, I would love to hear - thanks

[ashstroller]

Sound slike you had a good weekend of training! :thumbup:

I just did some training on the North York Moors last weekend, but I will be in the Lakes again this weekend
I am also going on 15th June at 6pm.

Fantastic time by Duncan

[Baggins]

Hi Alan

I was on leg 4 on Sat, was on Yewbarrow when a BG attempt went through.
I got ahead going to Red pike then waited there then at Scoat taking photos before heading off was that Duncans round?

I think we must have ended up the Ennerdale scree gully which didn't seem good on gable

Not sure what gully are you on about Kirkfell? I prefer either Red gully or the ridge direct on Kirkfell do not use Joss's gully, I went that way Sat loose scree and awkward rock step.

The nav to Seargeant Man required me to look at my map

There is a large flat area just before the summit coming from Calf Crag (you will descend slightly to it) on the left side is a path that leads to Seargeant Man

The descent off gable was bad

Follow the Styhead path down until the large boulder where the path turns 90 degrees "new variation" keep heading down on grass for 30m then traverse left (you are now slightly above the height of windy gap) until you join the main path below the rocky section. Once you know it easy to follow in thick cloud or the dark.

I

underestimated water needs on leg 4

At Blacksail there is a spring about 100m on the Wasdale side by the main path.

It was great to finally see Broad Stand after many years of heading to the lakes in clag - not too bad although I didn't do it

I went over the Scafells after Gable and did Lords rake and the west wall traverse, Broad stand would have to be warm and dry for me to do it (I'm a climber)
Nor sure on WWT mind, did it with snow in the gully and it was ok but on Sat no snow and a lot of loose rocks/scree, wouldn't like to be in there with a lot pf people above me.
The rest of Lords rake is ok though after a small scramble down.

[AlanB]

Hi Baggins,
It could have been Duncans round yes - there was about 5 of us. I noticed pairs of people on Yewbarrow and Scoat but couldn't tell you any more than that !
See I may be getting confused, but I seem to remember Kirkfell being an easy plod up increasingly rocky terrain then down past some tarns. Gable I think is where we ended up on a steep gully full of scree. Does that sound right ? The descent you describe from Gable sounds exactly like the line we took.
Good tip about the Blacksail pass spring - thanks!

[Baggins]

Attachment 6110

This was the BG attempt?

I follow the main path up Gable then around half way up across to a small gully on the right (over looking Wasdale)

[AlanB]

Yep - that's us Baggins ! Bart, Chad, Duncan (hero) me (big pack and balding!) and Matt. Nice one. I didn't even see you I don't think at the top. Yeah - gable was clearly a cock up as the guys didn't remember the bad gully up either.

[Duncan Steen]

Hi Alan. It was great to have you along for most of the second half. You are obviously mega fit as that bag looked quite heavy. The whole round will be no more difficult than that run except as you said, the conditions on Saturday were near perfect.
The gully climb was on Kirkfell and was significantly more difficult than I remembered from my recce. Are there 2 gullies?
The descent off Great Gable was a bit of a mess. I was lured right by a grassy line then took a bad traverse line which resulted in my tumble. There's a rocky path further left and potentially a better line down the grassy bit.
Adam Stirk and Andy Higgins also completed on Saturday off a 1am start in 20:07 and 20:12 respectively. We ran the first leg together but had separate support from then on.

[AlanB]

Nice one Duncan. Shows u how good the conditions were. PM'd u

[Baggins]

The steep gully near the ridge is the one to avoid, red gully is further across much more solid under foot.

I put a few photos up of your BG if you'd like them?