10.75 miles, 3,101 feet, 3 hours 30 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including down from the top to Grasmere shore and back up again. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,000 feet; a few minutes of drizzle, a few more minutes of sunshine/blue sky. Terrain wet; the rocks were slippery, but otherwise grip was good - the length of the grass helps. Not many walkers about, though I came across a couple of large school groups. 4 runners seen.
Tall wet bracken added to the enjoyment!
10.09 miles, 3,148 feet, 3 hours 24 minutes: Wansfell Pike, including up the race route from the kissing gate. Overcast - I was in cloud/mist above 1,250 feet. No sunshine. A few minutes of drizzle. Terrain wet/saturated and slippery in places. A moderate breeze from the south. Very few walkers on the fell; no runners seen.
14.22 miles, 3,920 feet, 4 hours 20 minutes: Fairfield Horseshoe anti-clockwise from/to Ambleside. Sunshine and high clouds, no significant wind, no rain. Terrain dry/damp and slippery in places. Quite a few walkers on the fells, and Alcock Tarn, White Moss and the caves were very busy. 4 runners seen.
I went up the rock step, and up the non race side of the wall. Descending, I took the 4 trods to the right/west around the tops, except that on the 4th I went directly down to Alcock Tarn from half way along it. To avoid the crowds near Rydal I went up from the caves over the shoulder of Loughrigg and down past the old golf club.
10.74 miles, 1,089 feet, 2 hours 6 minutes: Drunken Duck loop from Rothay Bridge, going via Bog Lane and Skelwith Fold/Bridge, and adding 5 out and back sections to increase the distance. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,000 feet. No wind at this level, no sunshine nor blue sky. Constant drizzle/light rain. All on bitumen, so grip not an issue. I saw a few walkers and cyclists, and 4 runners.
A typical wet day in the Lakes - as long as you have the right kit, you can still have an adventure.
A walk over Beacon Hill, Copt Oak, Timberwood Hill and Ives Head; about 14-15 miles, including some fairly rough ground, in 4h19m. Tried in vain to minimise contact with nettles; nearly an hour after returning, my legs are still tingling. But worth it for this glorious countryside, so close to my home, with the highlight being the paths through Charnwood Lodge nature reserve (which includes Timberwood Hill); and great views over Derbyshire and Notts from the high points on the walk.
In his lifetime he suffered from unreality, as do so many Englishmen.
Jorge Luis Borges
12.44 miles, 3,420 feet, 3 hours 56 minutes: Fairfield Horseshoe clockwise from/to Ambleside, going to the left/west of Great Rigg, the south west of Dove Crag, down the non race side of the wall, and around and back up and under the rock step. Initially overcast and drizzly, with the cloud base at about 2,000 feet, later it cleared up considerably and there was some lovely sunshine/blue sky. A moderately strong wind from the south west. Terrain wet/saturated; the rocks in particular were slippery. Quite a few walkers on the fells. 3 runners seen, 1 in the valley.
A poor lady asked me the way to Rydal Hall - she was approaching the rock step. She said she had been told she could get there this way. Oh dear. At least her young son seemed to be enjoying the route.
11.6 miles, 3,134 feet, 3 hours 31 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Clappersgate - Fishgarths Wood - Todd Crag - Lily Tarn - Loughrigg top - down the race route to the road at High Close - Deerbolts Woods - Grasmere shore - Loughrigg Terrace - up the steps overlooking Grasmere to the top - down past the old golf club - Miller Bridge - Rothay Bridge. Overcast, with the cloud base at 600 - 800 feet. Almost constant drizzle/light rain. No significant wind. Terrain wet/saturated and slippery. Very few walkers about - I saw the AAC Tuesday/Friday group in the distance - there must have been about 10 of them; no other runners seen.
10.44 miles, 2,929 feet, 3 hours 34 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Miller Bridge - Rydal Park - Low Sweden Bridge - rock step - High Sweden Bridge - Scandale - Red Screes - south ridge - Golden Rule Pub - Ambleside. Overcast - I was in cloud/mist from 2,200 feet on the way up until 1,700 feet on the way down. Intermittent drizzle. A moderate breeze from the south west. Terrain wet/saturated/streaming/slippery. Very few walkers about; no runners seen.
10.19 miles, 2,655 feet, 3 hours 15 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including down the race route to the road at High Close, down through Deerbolts Woods to Grasmere shore, and back up to the top via Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere. Sunshine and high clouds, no rain, a moderate breeze from the north. Terrain damp/wet/saturated and slippery in places. A lot of walkers about, but of course it is half term holidays. No runners seen.
My 3 "zip repaired" items of kit have been returned from Alpkit - it looks like they have done a decent job, but it was not cheap at a total of £85. The total cost of the kit when new was about £350 so I think it is worth it.
14.29 miles, 3,678 feet, 4 hours 10 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Roman Ruins - Borrans Park - Stagshaw Gardens - Skelghyll Lane - Troutbeck - Garburn Pass - Sallows - Sour Howes - Troutbeck - Nanny Lane - Wansfell Pike - race route descent - Ambleside. Sunshine and high clouds, slightly misty, no rain, a refreshing breeze from the north. Terrain anything from dry to saturated - slippery in places. Quite a few walkers about; only 1 runner seen, though we did cross paths 3 times.
There is a tempting grassy path going south east from the top of Sallows - I went along it for 1/4 mile or so - I must go further next time.
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