Todays permitted exercise!

[Mike T]

6.4 miles, 1,835 feet, 2 hours 21 minutes: Wansfell, but not to the Pike; I went through Stagshaw Gardens, and the Champion Tree Trail, up to the 3 way junction - the highest point I got to - down through Blue Hill Woods, up Blue Hill Lane, and down Stock Ghyll Lane. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,000 feet. Intermittent drizzle/light rain. That strong cold wind from the south is still there. Terrain saturated/streaming/slippery; puddles and rivulets everywhere. Very few people about; 1 runner seen.

Some more trees have come down. The one that was almost blocking the path just above Blue Hill Woods has been dealt with very quickly.

[Mike T]

10.44 miles, 3,021 feet, 3 hours 52 minutes: Loughrigg trails from/to Rothay Bridge, ascending via Fishgarths Wood, descending down past the old golf club. Sunshine, blue sky, and fluffy clouds catching some of the tops above 2,500 feet. In places there is a snow line at about 2,000 feet, though nowhere does the snow appear confluent - I have no doubt it is on some tops. No precipitation; a strong cold wind from the north east. Terrain wet/saturaeted and slippery in places. Very few walkers about; 2 runners seen.

[Mike T]

8.54 miles, 2,904 feet, 3 hours 16 minutes: Wansfell Pike from 2 sides, ascending the first time via Stagshaw Gardens, Blue Hill Woods, Blue Hill Lane, and the steps; going along the ridge to the true top, down to the upper part of Nanny Lane, back up to the Pike, then down the race route and Stock Ghyll Lane. Lots of sunshine and blue sky; some fluffy clouds above the tops. No precipitation, no significant wind, no obvious new snow. Terrain firm in places above 500 feet, but mainly wet/saturated/slippery. Not many walkers about; 1 runner seen - he left me for dead ascending the Wansfell steps.

Apparently the tarn at the top of Red Screes is frozen hard and can be skated on!

[Mike T]

10.84 miles, 2,888 feet, 3 hours 41 minutes: Rothay Bridge to Silver How and back, going via Miller Bridge and Loughrigg top both ways; I took the race descent to the road at High Close on the way out, and came back via the steps overlooking Grasmere; I did not go to Lily Tarn. Sunshine, blue sky, and a variety of clouds mainly above the tops. No precipitation, a moderately strong cold wind from the north. Terrain icy/firm in places even as low as the valley floor; wet/saturated elsewhere - slippery. Not many walkers about; 1 runner seen.

The cut-off for the top of Loughrigg in the Loughrigg Silver How race is 35 minutes - it took me 40 - oh dear.

[Mike T]

8.05 miles, 1,929 feet, 2 hours 30 minutes: Rothay Bridge - Roman Ruins - Borrans Park - Stagshaw Gardens - High Skelghyll - Skelghyll Lane - Holbeck Lane - Troutbeck - Nanny Lane - Wansfell Pike - race descent - Stock Ghyll Lane - Ambleside. A mixture of sunshine, blue sky and cloud - the cloud base was at about 2,500 feet. No precipitation, no significant wind. There is new snow above 2,000 feet. Terrain wet/satutated/slippery; in places above 800 feet it was firm with small patches of ice. Not many walkers about; 2 runners seen.

I again wore Injinjis under Inov8 neoprene socks - it is a very successful combination.

[Mike T]

8.19 miles, 2,336 feet, 2 hours 38 minutes: Loughrigg trails, ascending via Fishgarths Wood, Todd Crag, and Lily Tarn, going down the race route to the road at High Close and back up again, and descending via Lily Tarn, the wooden bridge at Brow Head, and Miller Bridge. Mainly overcast, with the cloud base at about 2,500 feet. No rain, no significant wind. I could see very little snow. Terrain dry/damp with good grip. Lots of walkers on the fell; 6 runners seen.

I tried the two different race route variations taking in Lily Tarn - though of course one was in the wrong direction with a bit more uphill - that one took 15 minutes, the other took 14 minutes, so not much in it.

[Mike T]

9.69 miles, 2,919 feet, 3 hours 16 minutes: The Loughrigg Silver How race route, plus the distance between Rothay Bridge and Miller Bridge. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 1,200 feet. A few minutes of drizzle. No significant wind. Terrain damp/wet - the rocks in particular were very slippery. Not many walkers about. I saw lots of those in the race - I tried to stay out of their way. Some made a real mess of the route across to Lily Tarn.

[mr brightside]

Some made a real mess of the route across to Lily Tarn.

I went to the right of a lump after crossing the track IIRC. Wasn't in the race yesterday though.

[Mike T]

10.69 miles, 3,017 feet, 3 hours 50 minutes: Loughrigg Silver How race route, but starting/finishing at Rothay Bridge, and taking in Lily Tarn on the way out via Clappersgate and Todd Crag. Overcast, with the cloud base at about 800 feet initially, rather higher later. A few minutes of drizzle; a moderate breeze from the south west. Terrain wet/saturated/slippery. Not many walkers about; 1 runner seen.

I tried a new line I noticed people taking - after the scramble next to the wall on the way out, having crossed the little stream, there is an obvious path that goes down then up, and an equally obvious - at first - path that goes up then down. I will stick with the former.

[Mike T]

I went to the right of a lump after crossing the track IIRC. Wasn't in the race yesterday though.

There does not seem to be much in going to the left or to the right of that lump, but some were going over it yesterday, and others started off aiming for the route on the right, but then went left. So worth a decent recce.