14.03 miles, 3,128 feet, 4 hours 3 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Bog Lane - Skelwith Bridge - High Park - Little Langdale - Lingmoor - Elterwater - High Close - Loughrigg top - Miller Bridge - Rothay Bridge. Lots of high clouds, some periods of sunshine/blue sky. No rain. An intermittent cool breeze from various directions. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Very few walkers about. I met the AAC Tuesday/Friday runners - 6 of them - and ran with them for a bit. 3 other runners seen as well.
10.6 miles, 2,587 feet, 2 hours 55 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Roman Ruins - Borrans Park - Stagshaw Gardens - High Skelghyll - Mirk Lane - Wain Lane - Fell Lane - Robin Lane - Troutbeck - Nanny Lane - Wansfell Pike - race route descent - Ambleside. Initially overcast and drizzly, with the cloud base at about 500 feet. It gradually cleared to an extent, with the cloud base rising to above some of the high tops. A moderate breeze from the south. Terrain wet/saturated/slippery. Lots of walkers and runners about - there is an event on that comes up from Troutbeck to Wansfell true top, along the ridge to the Pike, and down towards Ambleside.
11.48 miles, 3,076 feet, 3 hours 36 minutes: Rothay bridge - Roman Ruins - Borrans Park - Lake Road - Rydal Park - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - High Sweden Bridge - Scandale - Red Screes - south ridge - Golden Rule Pub - Ambleside. Overcast, with banks of cloud at multiple levels - I was in or between cloud layers from 500 feet on the way up to 1,100 feet on the way down. Constant drizzle/light rain. A moderate breeze from the south. Terrain wet/saturated/streaming/slippery. Very few walkers about; 6 runners seen, 3 of whom had just finished their outing.
Luckily, despite the rain and that breeze it was not cold.
Bit of an extended recce of the Gt Whernside route yesterday, 6m/2000'. I've found a faster route down the scar behind hag dike, but getting to it is troublesome and involves negotiating some very slow and rough ground. There's a big bog too and i went in up to my knees. You can't really get past anyone if you take the tourist path down the scar, so if i overtake even one person it will be worth it. I took the wrong line down off the summit and went too far right again, missing the path by quite a way. I ended up in the middle of nowhere with nothing but fog and bogs in sight, i had to use the wind direction to navigate back on course. It might pay to take the footpath for a short way, then cut off right in good time to avoid the rock steps, keeping runners on the path in view to stop me going too far right. I'm going for sub 40m.
Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent
11.39 miles, 3,335 feet, 3 hours 52 minutes: Wansfell Pike and Loughrigg, including up and down the Wansfell Pike race route, along the ridge to the true top, then ascending Loughrigg via Fox Ghyll, and descending via the old golf club and Miller Bridge. Sunshine, blue sky and high mainly streaky clouds. Initially there was fog in the valley, but it did not last long. No rain, no significant wind. Terrain wet/saturated/slippery. Not many walkers about - surprisingly few given what a lovely day it is. 4 runners seen.
On the Wansfell ridge I came across a couple from Kent on their first visit to the Lakes - he was about 60, she a bit younger. Wow, leaving it a bit late, but better late than never.
I almost forgot, guess how much the Blue Bell in kettlewell wanted for 4 yorkshire puddings and a bowl of gravy? £13.95! The same thing at the Queens Arms in Littondale costs £5. Needless to say i went for the soup instead which wasn't that great TBH.
Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent
Originally Posted by mr brightside
I was in Paris airport yesterday, and paid 28 Euros for a bowl of Rabbit food (basically a couple of pieces of chicken, tomato and salad, which i had to heat myself in the microwave), and two mini-baguettes (one of which was virtually inedible).
One of the major world airports, and the only hot food options in the largest terminal are that, and a Pret Coffee Shop.
12.59 miles, 3,252 feet, 3 hours 58 minutes: Rydal Round, starting and finishing in Ambleside, going past, rather than through, the sports field. I went around Great Rigg but over the other tops on the ascent, then south west of Dove Crag, down the left/east/race side of the wall, and the rock step. Wall to wall blue sky, apart from some streaky clouds and haze on the horizon. No rain nor wind. Terrain dry/damp with mainly good grip. Quite a few walkers on the fells; 3 runners seen.
46 minutes from the race start to Nab Scar today.
Oh Brett has a story about the Blue Bell...
"...as dry as the Atacama desert".
Did he see you in there paying a lot of money for some food and think 'i pity that guy whoever he is'?
Luke Appleyard (Wharfedale)- quick on the dissent
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