8.45 miles, 3,362 feet, 3 hours 46 minutes: ODG - The Band - Crinkle Crags - Pike o'Blisco - ODG. Wall to wall sunshine; barely a breeze, even on the tops. Terrain anything from dry to saturated - slippery in places. Very few about - two fellow runners seen.
I tried a couple of variations away from the race descent off Blisco - whilst they are not shorter/quicker than the race route they are more enjoyable - until the bracken reappears.
8.29 miles, 3,059 feet, 3 hours 9 minutes: Travellers Rest - Winterseeds - Grisedale Tarn - Cofa Pike - Fairfield - Great Rigg - Heron Pike - Alcock Tarn - Greenhead Gill - Travellers Rest. Blue sky, with some thin high clouds. Windy - from the east - on top. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Lots of walkers about, and half a dozen or so fellow runners. Parking areas and town very busy.
I took the four trods to the right bypassing the rocky tops on the descent from Fairfield; rather then going to Nab Scar and turning sharp right on the usual path I descended directly to Alcock tarn from the fourth trod - no path but easy running on steep grass.
Had an attack of Spring fever today. Went out for a walk, and ended up doing 13-14 miles. Out via Windmill Hill to Old John in Bradgate Park, then through Newtown Linford to John's Lee Wood and the mudbath footpath past Sandhills Lodge, past Ulverscroft Priory to Beacon Hill and back home. 4 hours 22 minutes, including a couple of stops for water and flapjack. Sunny, with a cold east wind, and I didn't take gloves so my hands were very cold by the end.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
10.39 miles, 4,433 feet, 4 hours 3 minutes: Travellers Rest - Winterseeds - path on top of Great Tongue - Grisedale Tarn - Helvellyn - Grisedale Tarn, ascending and descending via the steep grass next to the wall - Seat Sandal - Winterseeds - Travellers Rest. Sunshine, and fluffy clouds above the high tops. A strong cold wind from the south east. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers about, but then I did start early. Eight fellow runners seen.
7.76 miles. 2,845 feet, 2 hours 40 minutes: Wanfsell Pike from two sides, including twice down and once up the race route to/from the kissing gate. Sunny, with some thin high cloud; hazy in the distance. A cool breeze from the south. Terrain dry with good grip. Quite a few walkers on the steps.
A young fit agile runner started descending the steps at the same time I started on my second grassy descent on the race route - he beat me by about 15 seconds. I know which is more fun!
12.11 miles, 3,549 feet, 4 hours 21 minutes: Elterwater Common - Swinescar Pike - Blea Rigg - Sergeant Man - High Raise - Blea Rigg - Swinescar Pike - Lang How - Silver How - Elterwater Common. Sunshine and high clouds, hazy in the distance. A cool wind from the south. Terrain dry with good grip. I saw perhaps a couple of dozen walkers, and six fellow runners. Down to two layers top and bottom - that sun is gorgeous.
9.26 miles, 2,560 feet, 2 hours 54 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including Fishgarths Wood, Todd and Ivy Crags, Lily Tarn, and down to the road at High Close. Sunny and warm, with thin high clouds, and a cool breeze from the south. Terrain dry with excellent grip. Quite a few walkers about, including several school groups.
Down to just a T shirt today - amazing weather.
6.73 miles, 2,610 feet, 2 hours 53 minutes: NDG - zig-zag path - Stickle Tarn - North Rake - Pavey Ark - Thunacar Knot - High Raise - Sergeant Man - Stickle Tarn - zig-zag path - NDG. Sunshine and high clouds, a cool breeze from the south. Terrain dry and firm with good traction. Not that many walkers about, yet the car park was nearly full when I left.
11.55 miles, 3,362 feet, 3 hours 33 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Roman Ruins - Borrans Park - Waterhead steps - Wansfell Pike - Wansfell true top - Kirkstone-Windermere Road - Kirkstone Inn - Red Screes - Roundhill Farm - Ambleside. Blue sky with a few high clouds. A refreshing cool breeze from the south. Terrain dry and firm with good grip. Very few on the fells. The Kirkstone car park had 18 cars in it, so about half full.
T-shirt weather again. We are so lucky.
8.02 miles, 3,140 feet, 3 hours 46 minutes: NDG - Harrison Stickle - Thunacar Knott - Pike of Stickle - High Raise - Sergeant Man - Stickle Tarn - zig-zag path - NDG. Sunshine and high clouds, a lovely cool breeze from the north west. Terrain dry and firm with good grip. Lots of walkers about, and three fellow runners.
The NDG car park was about one third full when I got there at 9 o'clock; when I left, it was full, and there was a sign at the entrance saying this, but people were still driving in.
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