Todays permitted exercise!

[Mike T]

11.36 miles, 3,273 feet, 3 hours 31 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Miller Bridge - Rothay Park - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - Low Pike - High Pike - Scandale - Red Screes - Golden Rule - Ambleside. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,500 feet. A moderate breeze from the north. A few minutes of drizzle. Terrain damp/wet/saturated and slippery inlaces, particularly the rocks. Not many walkers on the fells; I saw about a dozen other runners.

One cuckoo heard today.

A new trod has appeared in the grass away from the wall above the rock step - it looks very useful - I will try it the next time I come down from Low Pike.

[Travs]

Mike..... if i was to recce the descent of the Fairfield Horseshoe, what would you recommend as the quickest/easiest way....?

I just want to have fresh in my head the best route down where it starts to get rocky/up-and-down next to the wall, so from memory i don't really need to go much further than High Pike?

I assume in that case a straight out and back from Ambleside is the most convenient?

[Mike T]

Mike..... if i was to recce the descent of the Fairfield Horseshoe, what would you recommend as the quickest/easiest way....?

I just want to have fresh in my head the best route down where it starts to get rocky/up-and-down next to the wall, so from memory i don't really need to go much further than High Pike?

I assume in that case a straight out and back from Ambleside is the most convenient?

There is certainly no need to recce above High Pike. High Pike of course only looks like a Pike from below - from above it is just the end of a narrowing plateau. The path splits immediately below it - stay on grass right next to the wall until forced to join the other path. Then, in general, the possible paths are pretty close to each other - after that initial section I tend to stay away from the wall as long as I can see an obvious way down. Just before Low Pike a nice trod appears in the grass below - a short sharp descent gets you to it - stay on it until it turns rocky/boggy, then join the path near the wall - above the rock step there a large flat wet area - football field size - there is a visible straight trod heading slight left - a couple of wetter bits can be avoided by doing short loops to the left - then that new trod - when leaving the large flat area go slightly left of the rocky path, and you will see the grassy trod below you. Then - rock step or around it? If happy on wet rock or if it is dry keep next to the wall, if going around the rock stop look for a path heading initially at 90 degrees away from the wall. If you go down the rock step, there is some nice running on grass; if you go around it it is a rough rocky path. When the two route join take the grassy trod on the left after a gap in the wall - then all choice vanishes ....

Yes - Ambleside to High Pike and back is a good idea - ideally a couple of times! Good luck.

[Travs]

Thank you Mike.... i have done the race twice previously, both times going over the rock step...

The rock step isn't necessarily an issue, but i feel that i've not taken the best line generally, as always stayed close to the wall...

[Mike T]

Thank you Mike.... i have done the race twice previously, both times going over the rock step...

The rock step isn't necessarily an issue, but i feel that i've not taken the best line generally, as always stayed close to the wall...

I will go up that section again in the next few days and pop some photos on my FB page.

[Travs]

Much appreciated.... i intend to have a little recce the day before the race.

[Mike T]

7.44 miles, 2,250 feet, 2 hours 52 minutes: Ambleside - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - Low Pike - High Pike - back the same way. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 1,800 feet. No rain; no significant wind. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Very few walkers about; 5 other runners seen.

One cuckoo heard.

[Travs]

Photos are a great help Mike, i look forward to checking it out a week on friday...

[Mike T]

Photos are a great help Mike, i look forward to checking it out a week on friday...

The section between High Pike cairn and pointer rock is straightforward, as is the section - relatively speaking - from Low Pike down, as long as you find the upper grassy shelf. The main section with multiple choices is below pointer rock until the stile crossing - going down the path the rock points to, it then turns out there are several options - in general if you can see a decent path a little below go for it.

And where there are choices, going right next to the wall to "avoid" boggy sections is almost always wrong.

[Mike T]

11.51 miles, 3,486 feet, 4 hours 14 minutes: Elterwater Common to Sergeant man and back, taking in Silver How, Lang How, Swinescar Pike, and Blea Rigg one or both ways. Sunny, with high fluffy clouds. No rain. A moderate breeze from the south west. Terrain mainly dry with good grip. Not many walkers about; two other runners seen.

One cuckoo heard.

Some different paths explored - there are so many in this area.