Buttermere Sailbeck

[Travs]

What a fantastic race route that is. Trying to compare it to the Four Fans in terms of difficulty, which is difficult due to the different weather conditions (absolute heatwave at FF, and 50mph wind and zero viz today).

I think the position of the Causey Pike climb at mid-point in the race makes it such a challenge, as there's still a long way back to Buttermere on wrecked legs.

Made a good start and had the wind behind me for a short while, and was on top of the first peak (either Knott Rigg or Ard Crags) in 25mins.

Then a typically shambolic descent down to Rigg Beck. Strong on the climb to Causey Pike, hitting the summit in 1hr15...

But then things started to get tough. Was now into a fearsome headwind which bought me to walking pace even on some of the downhills. On reaching Crag Hill I tried to take a bearing but the wind was so strong I couldn't hold the map in place. So had to take the main path down to the "cross-roads" with the path coming down from Grasmoor, and turn hard left for Whiteless Pike.

Knew at this point that 2hrs10 was slipping away, but was spurred on by chasing another couple of runners in front. Descended fairly proficiently off Whiteless Pike, finishing a shade under 2hrs12.

In hindsight I should have ran it yesterday when weather conditions were better, and would undoubtedly saved a chunk of time over the Sail ridge and coming off Crag Hill.

But can't allow that to hide my deficiencies, descending was typically poor off Aitken Knott (admittedly lethally slippy), and even with the wind I should have made a better fist of the Causey-Crag Hill ridge (for example I only managed to run short sections of the zigzags onto Sail).

Well done to DanGilbert on your time... I noted that your finishing time had gone past as I was on my way up to Whiteless Pike!