Todays permitted exercise!

[Mike T]

10.32 miles, 3,016 feet, 3 hours 34 minutes: Wansfell Pike from 2 sides, including along the ridge to the true top. Overcast, with thin very high clouds, and fluffy clouds below them - the cloud base was at about 2,500 feet. Some brief episodes of sunshine. No rain. A moderate wind from the south. Terrain anything from dry to wet/saturated; slippery in places. Not many walkers on the fell; 1 runner seen - in the valley.

[Mike T]

10.35 miles, 2,607 feet, 3 hours 3 minutes: Loughrigg trails. Overcast with the main cloud base at about 2,000 feet; banks of cloud/mist below that. Constant drizzle/light rain. No significant wind. Terrain wet/saturated/streaming and slippery. Very few walkers about; 2 runners seen.

[Mike T]

10.68 miles, 3,010 feet, 3 hours 43 minutes: Wansfell Pike twice, the first ascent being via High Skelghyll Farm, the second from the upper part of Hundreds Road via the true top and the ridge. Overcast - a mixture of clouds above the tops. A few minutes of drizzle. A moderate wind from the south east. Terrain damp/wet and slippery in places. Not many walkers about; 3 runners seen; 3 cuckoos heard.

I was going to do a drill and speed session in Borrans Park but there were so many dogs around I did hill reps on the fell side instead - 30 seconds effort, 30 seconds rest covering 750 feet of ascent.

[Mike T]

11.06 miles, 2,780 feet, 3 hours 27 minutes: Loughrigg trails, ascending via Fox Ghyll, going down the race route from the top to the road at High Close, through Deerbolts Woods to Grasmere shore, back up again via Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere, then descending past the old golf club. Overcast, with the cloud base just catching some of the high tops. No significant wind. A few minutes of drizzle. Terrain damp with good grip. Not many walkers on the fell; no runners seen. 2 cuckoos heard today.

The bracken is almost waist high in places. It will be blocking some paths soon.

[Mike T]

10.63 miles, 2,360 feet, 3 hours 43 minutes: drills and speed work in Borrans Park, then Wansfell Pike. Very overcast; I did not take note of the cloud base level. A moderate breeze from the north east. No rain. Terrain dry/damp with excellent grip. Very few walkers on the fell, though there were lots in the valley. No runners seen.

I did 0.63 miles worth of various drills, then 30 second efforts/30 seconds rest x 36 = 2.07 miles.

I wore a new pair of X-Talon Ultra 260 V2s today, as the studs on my old pair are looking a bit sad - at least the shoes are still intact.

[Mike T]

10.56 miles, 3,348 feet, 3 hours 23 minutes: Ambleside - Rydal park - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - Low/High Pikes - Scandale - Red Screes - south ridge - Golden Rule Pub - Ambleside. A mixture of sunshine and high clouds. A refreshing breeze from the north. No rain. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. I saw 3 runners, 2 in the valley and 1 on the fell. There were literally hundreds of walkers ascending from Rydal park towards and beyond Dove Crag - they were wearing numbers so clearly there was an event on - they were ascending the race side of the wall so I went up the other side.

[Mike T]

12.39 miles, 3,173 feet, 3 hours 53 minutes: Fairfield Horseshoe clockwise from/to Ambleside. Lots of sunshine, some high fluffy clouds. A lovely refreshing breeze from the east. No rain. Terrain mainly dry and soft with excellent grip. Lots of walkers on the fells - some must have set out very early. 1 runner seen.

I took the trods to the left/west of the 1st, 2nd and 4th tops after Nab Scar, to the south west of Dove Crag, and descended the non race side of the wall, going down the rock step.

[Mike T]

10.25 miles, 3,094 feet, 3 hours 31 minutes: Loughrigg trails, ascending from Clappersgate, descending past the old golf club, and going down the race route from the top to the road at High Close and back up again. Sunshine and high clouds, the latter just obscuring some of the high tops. It became more overcast as the day progressed. No rain. A lovely breeze from the south. Terrain dry with good grip. Lots of walkers on the fell; no runners seen. Only 1 cuckoo heard today.

The bracken is now chest high in places, and is starting to block some of my favourite trods.