This must rank as one of the fastest descents from top to bottom of a big hill. Took me 16.29, coming down the left hand zig zag path route through the quarries, cutting off as many corners as possible. The group I was with at the summit all went down to the right on the steep grass, and were all 2 minutes behind me. Did anyone else time the descent? How does it compare with something like Scafell or Skiddaw. Anyone care to work out minutes per mile or other useless but quiet interesting stats?
I reckon it's the best descent in English fellrunning and there is only one really good line to take (do the Coniston Water Festival race and watch the way the leaders go up and down to see where it goes).
As for descent times - in 1991 or 1992 I was at the top in 1:14 and the finish in 1:28 (not timed to the second I'm afraid) so a 14 minute descent. In 1995 I was at the top in 1:04 but then had a mishap near Miner's Bridge and only did 1:21.19 instead of the 1:18 I should have been on for!
I reckon someone like Ian Holmes must only take about 10 or 11 minutes![]()
last year i was new to this whole malarky and was lucky enough to follow some people down some grass
this year set off all blase in same direction - with not a soul in sight, so improved was my running ability that i ran way past my intended left turn before i realized - on inspection correcting looked like a massive climb back up, a big quarry preventing a cut across at this point. oh well - run down to the wrong path and consider cutting across from there - but looks like walls might be involved - so acknowledging i'd blown it though i might as well have that wee i've been needing for ages - then ran down from walna scar parking into coniston - past the full beergardens to many cheers (me looking like i'm in a race all on my own) and in to the finish 4minutes slower than last year (reckon i lost about 10minutes) - i was at the top at 1:30ish - so it took me more'n half an hour, though this involved some deliberation/laughing at self time.
Going to have a tinkle round this on saturday.
Whats the best line off the Old Man please?