Tales from Duddon 2012

[Bobster]

An interesting day round the Duddon yesterday. Lots of people seemed to be taking all kinds of lines and all over the place, not always where they intended to be. So, who dropped the biggest clangers?

For me, I made a schoolby error coming off Harter Fell ending up above the Birks. I should have used a bearing rather than following others! Secondly, I got hopelessly lost between White Pikes and Caw. I managed to relocate myself at a stream wall junction and go off a bearing from there, but this leg took me 54 minutes - anyone take longer than that? Can anyone give any magic tips for this section. I took a bearing between White Pike and Caw but I think this was too long of a leg to hit Caw accurately, particularly when the mist was as thick as it was. Would dropping to hit the wall be a better option?

I was surprised at how many people did not have a compass and were reliant upon following others - there seems ( I say hesitantly) to be a lack of mountain sense/judgement amongst some runners (?).

There was certainly some interesting discussion post-race going on.

[Witton Park]

Sounds like an interesting day up there. I'm sure there'll be some more tales coming in through the day.

I think I made a good decision not to go. I'd have been 5 hours on a good day and could well have been out there for 6 hours + had I gone.

[Bobster]

An interesting point WittonPark. making the decision whether to run or not is quite important. I chose not to do the Butteremere race earler in the year given the weather and that I wasn't feeling too good. On a good weather day I could have pulled myself along but given that I wasn't 100% decided not to go. I do wonder whether some just go along regardless of navigational skills etc. I was a little concerned yesterday that some people were tagging along. If you get lost from the pack in thick clag, turn/break and ankle you could be out for a long time whilst people locate you. Given that most people only carry the minimum kit requirements that could be a cold wait. I know I am taking this far too seriously and the vast majority of runners are highly competent and self-sufficient. But, for example, if you get crap weather on a very tricky route such as the Great Lakes next weekend people have to be self-sufficient and have the confidence to be able to navigate themselves. As I found out yesterday following people off Harter Fell (despite having done the route 4 times) should not be a reliable route-finding tool. The over-confidence and slackness I had early on in the route was stupid and bad mountain-judgement.

[alf.t]

An interesting day round the Duddon yesterday. Lots of people seemed to be taking all kinds of lines and all over the place, not always where they intended to be. So, who dropped the biggest clangers?

For me, I made a schoolby error coming off Harter Fell ending up above the Birks. I should have used a bearing rather than following others! Secondly, I got hopelessly lost between White Pikes and Caw. I managed to relocate myself at a stream wall junction and go off a bearing from there, but this leg took me 54 minutes - anyone take longer than that? Can anyone give any magic tips for this section. I took a bearing between White Pike and Caw but I think this was too long of a leg to hit Caw accurately, particularly when the mist was as thick as it was. Would dropping to hit the wall be a better option?

I was surprised at how many people did not have a compass and were reliant upon following others - there seems ( I say hesitantly) to be a lack of mountain sense/judgement amongst some runners (?).

There was certainly some interesting discussion post-race going on.

,

NOT the fastest route but more reliable. After the summit drop left through a small gully (on a clear day you would be looking at Morecambe Bay in this direction), then a faint trod swings right to the slate scree, at the bottom of the scree there is a small knoll in the direction of CAW, go right of it and see a faint trod which will safely get you to the moss (bog) below, look right and see the wall handrail, follow it, climb with it, but when you start to descend leave the wall, have a gulp from the beck, follow a bearing to the summit. The alternative is too complicated to describe but both ways are similar in time. 18 mins yesterday.

[Bobster]

,

NOT the fastest route but more reliable. After the summit drop left through a small gully (on a clear day you would be looking at Morecambe Bay in this direction), then a faint trod swings right to the slate scree, at the bottom of the scree there is a small knoll in the direction of CAW, go right of it and see a faint trod which will safely get you to the moss (bog) below, look right and see the wall handrail, follow it, climb with it, but when you start to descend leave the wall, have a gulp from the beck, follow a bearing to the summit. The alternative is too complicated to describe but both ways are similar in time. 18 mins yesterday.

Cheers Alf. I think it was that wall/beck junction that I navigated to after relocating myself. 18 mins is a very good time given the weather. I was just looking at the splits for 2010 which from memory was a good clear but hot day and the top 10 finishers took between 16 and 18 minutes. Are you one of the fast boys or is this line just very good. I am impressed!

[wheezing donkey]

Take a look at:- www.bowlandfellrunners.org.uk
or the blog at: http://bowlandfellrunners.wordpress.com

[Amex]

Me me me i win i win with the biggest dropped bo$$£$k

[Stolly]

Take a look at:- www.bowlandfellrunners.org.uk
or the blog at: http://bowlandfellrunners.wordpress.com

Great to see that Emmilou is still alive and kicking

[IanDarkpeak]

Great to see that Emmilou is still alive and kicking

Good report Emmi, come back all is forgiven

[Bobster]

Me me me i win i win with the biggest dropped bo$$£$k

read some accounts on another thread in race section. sounds like some big b0$$£$s were dropped. Did you really drop a bigger one than dropping down to Wrynose or Seathwaite Tarn? Would have been great to have tagged everyone and viewed the downloaded routes later.