Todays permitted exercise!

[Mike T]

11.67 miles, 4,657 feet, 4 hours 34 minutes: Travellers Rest - Winterseeds - Grisedale Hause - Cofa Pike - Fairfield - Grisedale Hause - Seat Sandal - Dunmail raise - Steel Fell - Calf crag - Pike of Carrs - Green Burn Bottom - Travellers Rest. Overcast, with the cloud base just catching the high tops. A few minutes of light drizzle. A moderate breeze from the west. Terrain damp/wet/saturated and slippery in places. I saw about a dozen walkers on the fells, and no other runners.

I was again swooped going through Winterseeds - I managed to get a photo and hopefully somebody on FB will be able to identify it.

The club is doing some BG relays in late June in memory of some members who are no longer with us. I find the timings for even the 22.30 schedule tough if not impossible - for example Steel Fell to Calf Crag in 20 minutes - no way - it takes me 26.

PS - it looks like the swooping bird is a buzzard.

[Mike T]

10.87 miles, 2,507 feet, 3 hours 17 minutes: Wansfell Pike, including along the ridge to the true top and back, and up/down the race route from/to the kissing gate. The first 5 miles were around the Roman Ruins, and in Borrans Park, doing drills and 2 miles worth of strides at about 15 to the mile. Sunshine and clouds, with the cloud base above the tops. A gentle breeze from the south. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Lots of dog walkers in Borrans Park; the dogs were all very well behaved - basically they completely ignored me. The Wansfell steps were busy.

One cuckoo heard - still saying cuckoo.

[Mike T]

12.99 miles, 4,500 feet, 5 hours 25 minutes: NDG - Sergeant Man - High Raise - Thunacar Knott - Harrison Stickle - Pike o' Stickle - Martcrag Moor - Black Crags - Martcrag Moor - Thunacar Knott - Sergeant Man - NDG. Sunshine and high clouds. No wind nor rain. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. I saw about 8 other runners; not that many walkers about.

I really enjoyed a drink - cold water from the fridge - when I got home. And a couple of reheated scones.

[Mike T]

13.42 miles, 5,288 feet, 6 hours 17 minutes: NDG - Stickle Tarn - North Rake - Thunacar Knott - Martcrag Moor - Black Crags - Rossett Pike - Bowfell - Ore Gap - Angle Tarn - Rossett Pike - Martcrag Moor - Thunacar Knott -Sergeant Man - Stickle Tarn - NDG. Sunshine and high clouds, the latter becoming more widespread as the day progressed. A most welcome breeze from the south. No rain. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers about; only one the runner seen - he was going through town.

This was the first time I was reasonably happy with the line I took up Bowfell from the Rossett Pass. It helped that it was a clear day, and I could see the layout of the rocky ramps from the top of Rossett Pike.

Again, that water from the fridge was so good - as was a cold shower.

[Mike T]

9.76 miles, 3,797 feet, 4 hours 13 minutes: NDG - Stickle Tarn - Martcrag Moor - Rossett Pike - Bowfell - the Band - NDG. Overcast, with the cloud base initially above the tops, but whilst on Bowfell the clouds thickened/lowered, and there were a few drops of rain. A strong wind from the west. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Very few walkers about; I came across seven other fell runners.

I clarified 4 things today: 1/ the initial ascent in the Langdale Horseshoe 2/ part of the descent in the Dungeon Ghyll race 3/ going over rather than around the ridge to the top of Rossett Pike 4/ staying on the first ramp on the ascent to Bowfell is better than changing ramps.

[Travs]

My mate fell and broke his arm on Bowfell recently whilst out running... luckily he was able to walk down The Band into Langdale relatively easily... was quite fortunate that it happened there.

[Mike T]

My mate fell and broke his arm on Bowfell recently whilst out running... luckily he was able to walk down The Band into Langdale relatively easily... was quite fortunate that it happened there.

Poor chap - but yes, I can think of far worse descents with such an injury.

[Mike T]

12.92 miles, 3,311 feet, 3 hours 48 minutes: Fairfield Horseshoe c/w from Rothay Bridge, going to the left of the three tops on the ascent, on the Fairfield plateau, and on the descent to Link Hause; and going to the right on Hart and Dove Crags, and to the right of the wall on the descent. I went down the rock step. Sunshine and high clouds, mainly the latter. A lovely cool moderate wind from the south west. It did not rain, though it looked like it was about to a couple of times. Terrain dry with excellent grip. Not that many walkers about, given the good forecast and the fact that it is the weekend. I saw seven other runners, all on the roads.

Today's learning was trying to memorise the layout of the various rocks on the trods around Great Rigg and Dove Crag.

[Mike T]

10.79 miles, 4,581 feet, 4 hours 19 minutes: Travellers Rest - Little Tongue - Grisedale Hause - Fairfield - Grisedale Hause - Seat Sandal - Dunmail Raise - Steel Fell - Calf Crag - Green Burn Bottom - Travellers Rest. Sunshine and clouds, mainly the latter initially, with the clouds just catching some of the high tops; there was intermittent light drizzle for the first couple of hours. A cold moderately strong wind from the north - I put my waterproof top on from Fairfield to Dunmail. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers about, though a large group was heading up via Green Burn as I came down. No other runners seen on the fells, though I did see a couple on the roads.

Steel Fell to Calf Crag took me 25 minutes today - there is hope for me yet.

[Mike T]

15.4 miles, 5,620 feet, 6 hours 50 minutes: NDG - Stickle Tarn - Sergeant Man - Thunacar Knott - Martcrag Moor - Black Crags - Rossett Pike - Bowfell - Ore Gap - trod just to the left of the top of Esk Pike - Esk Hause shelter - Angle Tarn - Martcrag Moor - Thunacar Knott - Sergeant Man - Stickle Tarn - NDG. Sunshine with scattered high clouds. Virtually no wind; no rain. Terrain dry with excellent grip. Very few walkers about; I saw 2 other runners.

Today's lessons were 1/ taking the 4th path up to Stickle Tarn - something I had not done for years 2/ going up and down the Wainwright Stickle Tarn - Sergeant Man route that doesn't go near Blea Rigg 3/ Bowfell from the Rossett Pass - each time I do it I go a different way, usually unintentionally; it is an interesting challenge.