9.03 miles, 3,359 feet, 3 hours 43 minutes: ODG - The Band - Three Tarns - Crinkle Crags - Red Tarn - Long Scar - Pike o' Blisco - ODG. Sunshine and high clouds, the latter mainly above the high tops, though I was in cloud/mist on the Crinkles. A welcome breeze from the west. No rain. Terrain dry/damp with mainly good grip. Not many walkers about, but I did set off early; no runners seen.
For Travs!
That was the area i learnt my first real lesson about mountain weather.
Climbed up to Red Tarn and over the Crinkles in absolutely perfect weather... by the time i got to summit of Bowfell i couldn't see a thing, somehow ended up doing a 180 and ending up back at Three Tarns instead of Ore Gap.
Fairly sure i've done a 180 on Bowfell coming from the other direction as well.... it seemed a tricky fell in poor visibilty for me!!
I have done a similar thing myself, ending up at Angle Tarn when I was aiming for Three Tarns. One of the problems with Bowfell, as illustrated on Wainwright's Bowfell chapter page 12, the top is not on the main tourist path, but to the west of it. I find the large sail like rock on the top useful for orientation - from the area where people gather, it points more or less to the Langdale Pikes.Originally Posted by Travs
I think until you have experienced the fear that comes from making a - until then inconceivable - mistake and saving yourself you aren't a proper fell runner.
Until you find yourself alone/ cold/ hungry/ "lost"/ fighting back a degree of panic... your running life can have always been following someone else or enjoying good weather or running on well known territory - and then suddenly it isn't.
The most important technical skill in fell running might be navigation but the most important human quality is humility.
Last edited by Graham Breeze; 24-06-2024 at 08:33 PM.
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
This talk of 180-degree errors reminds me of something that happened two years ago.
The day after the Scafell Pike race, I went for a walk, visiting England's highest mountain for the second time in the weekend, but this time via Scafell, Foxes Tarn and Mickledore. On the path up to Scafell Pike summit, a group of five walkers were coming the other way, loudly debating whether they were going the right way. I loudly announced that this was the path to Mickledore, and carried on. A few minutes later, they passed me as I sat eating my lunch at the summit; I overtook them again, shortly before Esk Hause.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
10.43 miles, 3,716 feet, 3 hours 47 minutes: Travellers Rest - Winterseeds - Grisedale Tarn - Helvellyn - Grisedale Tarn - Seat Sandal - south ridge - Travellers Rest. Sunshine and clouds, the cloud base was at about 2,500 feet. No rain, no significant wind. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers about; 1 runner seen.
From Grisedale Hause I went clockwise around the tarn and ascended by the zig-zag steps; returning I descended on the steep grass next to the old wall before ascending Seat Sandal.
I was buzzed several times by the Winterseeds buzzard!.
I went down that steep grass descent a few weeks ago.... its a good descent.
Reminds me of the descent off Yearlet on the Callow race in Shropshire, but a bit longer.
11.34 miles, 3,010 feet, 3 hours 42 minutes: Travellers Rest - Helm Crag - Gibson Knott - Calf Crag - Steel Fell - Calf Crag - Bracken Hause - down the zig-zags - Travellers Rest. Sunshine and high clouds, hazy in the distance. No rain, no significant wind, terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers about, but I did set off early to avoid the heat; 2 runners seen.
There are so many variations on the ridge between Bracken Hause and Calf Crag - if in a hurry I think it is best to stay on the left side of the ridge heading towards Calf Crag, with one minor detour to the right to avoid some large muddy rocks near Pike of Carrs.
The zig-zag descent from Bracken Hause to Green Burn is still viable - enjoyable even - despite the bracken.
13.15 miles, 3,620 feet, 3 hours 56 minutes: Rothay Bridge to Silver How and back, taking in Loughrigg top both ways; Fishgarths Wood, Todd Crag and Lily Tarn on the way out; and Deerbolts Woods, Grasmere shore, Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere on the way back. Overcast with high clouds, misty in the distance. A few minutes of drizzle. A strong surprisingly cold wind from the south. Terrain dry/damp with good grip. Very few walkers about; 1 runner seen.
As a fellow AAC runner once said - "Who put all this bracken here!"
Gong up the steps overlooking Grasmere, there is a nice mainly grassy trod on the left, starting at 830 feet above sea level, and joining the main track again at 960 feet. It avoids a lot of tedious rocks.
11.36 miles, 3,010 feet, 3 hours 42 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Miller Bridge - Rydal Park - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - High Sweden Bridge - Scandale - Red Screes - south ridge - Golden Rule Pub - Miller Bridge - Rothay Bridge. Overcast with high clouds, misty in the distance, intermittent sunshine, intermittent drizzle. A moderately strong still cold wind from the south. Terrain wet/saturated/slippery. Very few people on the fells; no runners seen.
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