We all read them, Mike. Mainly in awe!
We all read them, Mike. Mainly in awe!
He doesn't consume anywhere near enough alcohol IMHO.Originally Posted by PeteS
A run round the Round Hill Fell race route, checking it out before the race and showing my son his marshalling position. Getting quite overgrown in part which should make it more fun. The two offroad vehicles have been removed from the bog of doom, after a couple of months soaking in bog water - silly boys.
9.32 miles, 2,424 feet, 3 hours 4 minutes: Loughrigg trails - unusually, I only went to the top once, but went up and down through Fishgarths Wood twice. Initially very overcast, with the cloud base as low as 500 feet, and intermittent drizzle. Later it cleared somewhat with some weak sunshine and the cloud base rose to around 2,000 feet. No wind. Terrain wet/saturated/slippery. Not many walkers on the fell; 4 runners seen, one of whom was clearly feeling the humidity as he just had shorts on.
19.35 miles, 4,136 feet, 5 hours 38 minutes: Ambleside - Stagshaw Gardens - High Skelghyll - Skelghyll Lane - Troutbeck - Garburn Pass - Dubbs Road - High Borrans - Kentmere - Garburn Pass - Sallowa - Sour Howes - Limefitt Park - Mortal Man Pub - Nanny Lane - Wansfell Pike - Ambleside. Lots of high fluffy clouds, some sunshine/blue sky, no rain, a most welcome intermittent breeze from the south. Terrain very variable, slippery in places. Quite a few walkers on Wansfell, not many elsewhere. I came across the AAC Tuesday/Friday runners and walkers - there were about a dozen of the former, and perhaps 6 of the latter. No other runners seen.
I had a look for a path leading to Sallows on the high track leading into Kentmere - there is only 1 reasonably attractive option, going through what looks like an old quarry from the highest point of the track. I will try it one day!
10.27 miles, 2,440 feet, 3 hours 2 minutes: Loughrigg trails, including up to the top from the caves, down the race route and down through Deerbolts Woods to Grasmere shore, then back up to the top via Loughrigg Terrace and the steps overlooking Grasmere. Lots of high fluffy/streaky clouds; most of the high tops were cloud free. What sunshine there was was quite weak. No rain, no significant wind, terrain mainly dry with good grip. Lots of walkers on the fell; 3 runners seen, all in the valley.
12.96 miles, 3,307 feet, 4 hours 19 minutes: Rydal Round route, but starting/finishing in Ambleside, and not entering the sports field. Overcast, with the cloud base initially at about 1,400 feet; 1,000 feet higher later. Intermittent drizzle whilst ascending. A strong wind from the south west. Terrain wet/saturated/slippery. Very few walkers on the fells. The first 2 Rydal Round finishers came past me just before I got back to Rydal Park. I saw 2 other runners on the fells, and 2 in the valley.
I took the 1st, 2nd and 4th trods to the left/west on the ascent, went south west of Dove Crag, and descended on the race/east side of the wall, going down the rock step. The rocks in particular were very slippery, and required great care.
I see that in the race there is a cut-off at 45 minutes at Nab Scar - it took me 47 minutes today - oh dear.
10.39 miles, 3,382 feet, 3 hours 34 minutes: Wansfell Pike from 2 sides, including along the ridge to the true top, down to the upper section of Nanny lane, back up to the Pike, and down the race descent. A mixture of high clouds and weak sunshine, a few minutes of drizzle, a moderate refreshing breeze from the south. Terrain dry/damp with mainly good grip. Quite a few walkers on the fell; 4 runners seen.
Much to my surprise the race descent from the Pike remains well and truly viable. Maybe the extra traffic during the Covid era has prevented some of the bracken from growing through the compressed soil.
12.13 miles, 3,188 feet, 3 hours 30 minutes: Wansfell Pike and Loughrigg top, ascending the Pike via Blue Hill road/Lane and the steps, then ascending Loughrigg via Fishgarths Wood, Todd Crag, and Lily Tarn. Initially very overcast, with the cloud base at about 1,000 feet, and intermittent drizzle/light rain; it then cleared up somewhat with the cloud base several hundred feet higher, some patches of blue sky, and the rain ceased. No wind. Terrain saturated and slippery in places. Not many walkers on the fell; 2 runners seen.
There is a checkpoint/food stop for the ultras in Rothay Park - they cheered me both times I went through it.
10.08 miles, 2,904 feet, 3 hours 9 minutes: Ambleside to Red Screes and back, ascending via Low Sweden Bridge, the rock step, High Sweden Bridge, and Scandale, and descending via the south ridge. Mainly overcast, with the cloud base varying between 2,000 and 3,000 feet. No wind nor rain. Terrain very variable - dry in places, wet/saturated/slippery elsewhere. Not many walkers high up on the fells, though I did see some large groups low down. 3 runners seen.
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