Good luck. It could well be quite spread out by the time you get to Blisco. I only had a handful of people in sight and that was in a champs year. If the weather's down there are some tricky sections.
The final descent off Blisco is fantastic though, you can knock up some good speed there, especially after the cattle grid where it eases off a bit and you're nearly at the finish.
Hi all,
Re: route off Blisco
I'm also a first timer on this one and, shamefully, haven't had chance to reccie.
I've found the Strava Heatmap quite informative.
The line emerging at the cattle grid looks the most popular route for starvaists.
Almost ESE initially and then steadily curving round to head straight to the cattle grid.
Down the 'ridge' - avoiding small craglets, staying parallel with (and 300m SE of) the Redacre Gill path for much of the way.
This looks like the one to me.
Looks fun.
Good luck everyone.
Found a new line off crinkle crags yesterday but it took me to little stand so I wouldn't recommend it 👍
A cracking race that had everything, thank you to all those who organised, especially the marshalls on the tops in horrendous conditions.
a big thank you to the marshalls.
in future I might be tempted to take the lesser-used route from Esk Hause to Bowfell to avoid that nasty traverse. I took it steady on there and lost plenty of time and a couple of places, but unfortunately for my mate Dan (DJ Glover on here) he slipped and dis-lo9cated his shoulder. A runner helped him get his waterproof on and get to the tourist path to safety, and his arm just about popped itself back into place as he trudged back to base.
strava fly-bys show a few interesting routes either side of the crinkle crags checkpoint. some routes avoiding bad step (including Will's route via Little Stand!).
Hope DJ Glover is recovering.Originally Posted by benshep
In 2015 I went over the top of Esk Pike rather than taking the traverse, if that's what you're referring to. Despite appearances it's a pretty easy climb up and a fast easy descent. I rejoined the main pack in exactly the same position, and I was really taking my time over that section as well.
I have gone over Esk Pike the last 3 times, and would not take the traverse again unless it had been dry for 3 months - in other words, never. Judging from those around me it takes about the same time, and is far less worrying. It was quite windy this time, but not so windy it was dangerous. This was my 7th time.
Hi, recovering well thanks, soft tissue around the shoulder is sore but I think it will only take a couple of weeks to be 100%. I owe a huge thanks to Bob Johnston from Dark Peak, who gave up his chance of a top 50 place to help me get my kit on and then get me to the tourist path! Especially as the first 5 or 6 runners to pass me ignored my pleas. It was a hard trudge back to base, and I met a GP on the way down who knew instantly what I had done but refused to pop it back in for me on the mountain! His wife did offer me a puffer jacket though.. Weird that, moments later, as I tensed, about to slip on some wet rocks, it went back in on its own (a painful process).
The decision to ask runners to take a long sleeve base layer was spot on, I would have been much colder getting of the mountain without it. I heard that 2 runners were helicoptered off Bowfell last year with the same injury.
I will be going over the pike next time too.
Last edited by djglover; 09-10-2017 at 06:50 PM.
Dan Wilkinson - Ilkley Harriers
Glad your okay! That traverse is horrid. I fell and cracked my knee and leg on it. Ran rest of race with dead leg and near end my knee swelled so couldn't bend it. Been a painful couple of days since. Sounds like I have got off lightly.
I would love to recce that race on a warm clear day after a long dry spell. Can imagine it would be a great run out.
You don't actually need to go over the very tops of Esk Pike - after those two horizontal rock shelves and just as that steep narrow gully leading to the top comes into view on the left there is a grassy trod on the right that is quite runnable and joins the rocky tourist path as it starts to descend - again this descent is almost runnable and much less steep/rough than the descent off Bowfell. And it leaves you fresh for the ascent from Ore Gap.
Good luck with your shoulder.
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