Quote Originally Posted by goose fat View Post
The dark was not an issue. Hall's Fell is just like scrambling so you'll never do it quickly and I'd rather be going up it steadily than trying to descend at speed. The run down to the Caldew is downhill; there is a fence to drag yourself up Great Calva on plus it's only a smallish top; a nice run off down to the bottom and then it's just one foot in front of the other 'til you arrive at the fence near the summit plateau of Skiddaw which is made easier as it's your last top.
I think you're right about Hall's Fell - fine going anticlockwise. Doddick Fell is better for the clockwise round as it's so much more runnable.

I didn't ever really consider an anticlockwise round as I was adopted by the well oiled Pennine clockwise BG machine, and I suppose I also thought that if the majority go clockwise, who am I to say that anticlockwise is better?

I'd been told that on a clockwise round, if you can get to the top of Great Gable more or less on time, you're home and dry because it isn't too big a drop to Honister, and Clough Head isn't a hard climb. For me, Gable was 4 hours and 10 minutes (our schedule says 4 hours 29 mins), 13.4 miles and 2750ft climb before I finished. Compare that with Threlkeld to Keswick of 13.3 miles and 5000ft climb. I know which I'd rather do on tired legs.