Hot

Hot, originally uploaded by rantoutloud.

Heat haze
Beer
Steak
Barby
Sharp contrasts
Summer has arrived.

Re-Hydration

After the 13.1 miles and over 4,500ft of climbing yesterday in the heat and sunshine yesterday still trying to recover fluid balance.

On days like yesterday it's hard to overestimate the amount of fluid
and energy lost, don't hold back during or afterwards.

Training : Lakeland 3000 Shakedown

The Final Piece of the Jigsaw

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The day started out cool and calm. The photo of Hartsop Dodd captured in a brief stop on the way to Windemere station. On arrival only to find connecting trains late and connections failed, the reliability of Northern Rail brought into question. Would this have happened under good old British Rail?

Re-route via Oxenhome and the delay made up and we're on our way to Borrowdale, via Keswick and the crowds are awakening, some are in Saabs and Volvos and we queue up behind them and process down the road to Seathwaite. This gives us time to view the road and paths which forms one of the road legs of the route itself. It may look easy but I bet there's scope for a balls up and the eight miles from Keswick after the first pull up Skiddaw this will be tough in the heat; if it's as hot as this.

Cresting the hump back bridge at Seatoller and we're brough up a jolt, there are 100's of cars and presumably many hundereds of people too. So much for a Friday being less crowded, it's half term of course.

We're keen to get going and make excellent progress along the path, past the farm where the route crosses the river Derwent at Stockley Bridge. Then on an upwards quite steeply to Styhead Tarn. A quick stop to check the map, it's ages and half a lifetime ago since I've been here. Locating the Coridoor Route another 1500ft and the col at Lingmell is topped. All the while making guesses, which top is that, Scafell, no you can't see it from here.

Great Gable

Its crowded now and the haul up to Scafell Pike is taken as fast as possible, topping out at the cairn 2:10min from the start. Stopping for something to eat and drink, consulting the map and options to be discussed and with decisions made. Scafell is only reached by losing around 850ft and climbing back up, via Fox's Tarn again; then doing it all over again on the way back! The view from the more secluded summit is well worth it.

The route home is via Broad Crag and Esk Hause then Sprinkling Tarn With it's beautiful seclusion and cool and inviting water it's difficult not to linger and swim! Grab a few photos, Gable is impressive from here, then on to Styhead Tarn rejoining the route up, back to the car. Damn it is HOT!

Training : Tyne Green

Bankside along the Tyne

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Tuesday, back running out with the pack, we're short on numbers as it's still half term. Running out of Hexham, west alongside of the river Tyne is especially beautiful this time of year. Sandwiched between the river and the Golf Club the route follows the trail eventually turning left (south) and crosses the A69 before pulling up the steep and unrelenting hill towards 'Low Gate'. Why Low when it's the highestpoint for miles?

Now it's across fields now lush with grass, before the 1st cut silage due late May i.e. any time now. Through the woods than back to the road for the final down hill dash back through Hexham to the leisure centre.

7 miles, plus an extra half warm up which makes all the difference to both the performance and the sense of satisfaction at the end. 6.8mph moving average 5mph overall; not a bad evening out. This is the reverse of this route.

Training : Loop de Loop

Horsley - Whittle Dean - Ovingham Loop

No map today, you know where it goes, or can look at it in this post Whittle Dean. Actually it's a while since I have done this route and now the vegitation has all grown up around the paths and it looks very spring like.

I was glad I'd worn tights, but even these don't stop all the nettles! Taken it easy today, just under 7 miles, it's almost two weeks since I have run like this, excluding the hill running in the Lakes which is different altogether. Stopping frequently to take in the view, some photos and just try to get away from life's difficulties, for a little while at least. Aware always that I need to be careful to avoid injury, the left ankle is still tender sometimes, and to conserve, the Lakeland 3000 is only a few weeks away.

 

Ovingham Bridge

Whittle Dean

The Tyne at Ovingham

Wasdale to the Top of England

Scafell & Pike

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Another new trip for me, Scafell and from Wasdale. Tim and I were to reccy the link between Scafell Pike and Scafell by driving into Wasdale Head and then taking a route from there to Mickeldore, the col between the two tops.

We set off in foul weather from the head of Wasdale at about 9:00, wet and windy, the forecast looking to be accurate. Climbing steeply, skirting Lingmell Gill the route goes straight towards Mickledore via Brown Tongue, into the thickening cloud and showery rain. It's warm work and there's the usual dilemma of 'overtrousers' or 'no-overtrousers'. I adopted the latter dress code.

The path steepens at the head of the cove and the scree underfoot does nothing to help forward / upward progress. When it's saturated like this it's more like walking in wet cement. Then suddenly we're on the col itself, cloud and wind making this spot feel very isolated and dropping the temperature enough for us to add layers. We're glad the wind is not at the forecast 'gales' 50mph level, that would have been too much.

Now the direction is down, the other side of the col towards the bottom of the East Buttress looking for a short cut through the rock and vegetation to a point 1/3rd the way up Fox's Tarn Gully. We see several possibilities but nothing definite and its very wet and slippery and opt for the safer option of the Gully itself. This is waterfall climbing, but it's steady and absorbing so the loss of height is quickly regained and without too much time lost. Fox's Tarn itself is just a peaty pool of water with a huge boulder sat in it but provides a necessary landmark, we bear right up the steep slopes behind to the summit ridge. The well cairned path bearing back around to the left to the summit of Scafell proper.

Time for a refuel, food and coffee in the cloud and wind a photo or two for posterity. Then suddenly the cloud parts and we catch a glimpse of Wasdale below, only a glimpse mind as the cloud rolls back in. This is no place to linger and with no view to keep us there we head off back down the way we have come. Finding the top of the gully easily we drop down the waterfall just as wet going down as up.

Mickledore

At the foot of the gully we have a steep climb back up to Mickledore, this time we hug the base of the gigantic cliffs in a further attempt to find the elusive shortcut. This time we do indeed see where the faint 'path' seems to go right into the heart of the craggy moss. Note the word 'path' is a very lose term and I am not confident that in a tired state this is the way forward, better the safer option even if we lose that extra 20~30m in height.

From the end of Mickeldore, just below Broad Stand we see our next objective in the clearing cloud and mist, Scafell Pike. The highest point in England is gained in short order, its now familiar bulky cairn covered with people of all shapes and colours. There's obviously an event on as there's a marshall with a radio and fell runners appearing every so often, only to disappear at an alarming speed. Our enquiries establish that the event is "The Three County Tops", Helvellyn, Scafell Pike and Coniston Old Man.

Author, Wastwater

The route down is via Lingmell Col and is fairly straight forward, if long and steep at the end. The weather plays tricks, at one time heavy showers and others bright sunshine. The clear spells allow some good photos of the unusual view of Mickledore and down the Wasdale valley all the way to the West Coast and the Irish Sea.

Tim looking down on Wastwater

Great Gable and Styhead Tarn

Wally

The shop was shut but I saw this, the walk was therefore not a wasted one.

Murder Miles

1 dead 6 more

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Yesterday evening's Murder Mile was, well murderous. A sort of handicapped, staggered start times, up hill run up a series of hairpin bends which never seemed to end, from The Dyvels Pub just out side Corbridge to the top of prospect hill. I didn't do as well as I had hoped but there again I'm always self critical. But it was as they say just for fun.
This was followed by a 6+ mile training run over to Dilston and back down along the riverside to the pub. A beautiful evening, sunshine views and everything, did not detract from the fact that this was very hard work. All the best runners from the club were there and it was all on the road, non stop. Normally Tuesday's running is off road, and the odd 30sec stop for gates or stiles makes all the difference. But a good evening was had by all, food and beer at the pub making it all the more enjoyable.

City Sq. Leeds

City Sq. Leeds, originally uploaded by rantoutloud.

Sun Shiny lunchtime in Leeds.

Topical Anesthetic

Topical Anesthetic, uploaded by rantoutloud.

"Well yes it is a bit late, 2:45 but I have been for a long and difficult walk, and I'm very hungry and thirsty and I'm you next door neighbour, please go ask the kitchen to get me some food"

My pleas were to no avail and I was left with the prospect of having to make my own lunch with or with out the Guinness. I decided with and collected my pint and went outside to sit on the terrace. On the way the manager asked me if I was 'OK?'. My reply made it obvious I wasn't and it was mainly because they'd stopped serving food. Hold on he says, I'll see what I can do. Several minutes later a roast pork sandwich together with several roast potatoes magically appear.

The moral, always pull rank and speak the the man or more likely the woman, in charge, not the gay one behind the bar.

Hellvellyn :A walk on the West Side

From Wythburn to Helvellyn, Thirlmere and back

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It's the first time I have attempted Helvellyn from the west side of the mountain. Starting at the Wythburn car park, just behind the very picturesque church, close to the southern end of Thirlmere Reservoir it self, the route climbs straight up the fell side towards Nethermost Pike and then on to the summit. Some 2550 ft of climb in just over 2 miles.

The Path from the car park, bloody car park charges, don't get me started, climbs steeply through the forest and is all the same quite a pleasant walk. Braking out onto the hillside the views down to the reservoir a spectacular. The clouds are rolling in now and again but from this side the view is good all the way up to Keswick. It's steep and warm work despite the light but cold wind but once the shoulder just below Nethermost Pike is reached the path eases and I can start running again.

There's no one about and its quiet apart from the birdsong, skylarks. The views open up through the mist which is by now obscuring part of the view to the summit, and Striding Edge is obvious. A lone walker appears out of the mist just as we reach the shelter.

A brief stop for more photos and then we're off, following what will be the route on the Lakeland 3000 walk. But then I see the time, progress has been good and I realise if I go down now I'll be back to the car before 11:00. I decide to extend the route over White Side and Raise, two tops I have never visited.

This is good the route is great and apart from a drop down from White Side it taken at a run. Passing only a couple of walkers and one mad person with a bicycle, he's pushing it up hill.

The route then takes a fairly unremitting descent to Thirlmere Village. It's hard on the knees and thigh muscles. At the bottom the path then hugs the side of the hill parallel to the road and an aqueduct for 4~5 miles. Some of it is rough going and very tiring especially as I'm now cold and it's started to rain heavily. This is not a good option for the big one. I practice fell falling just as I get to The Swirls car park and in sight of joe public. The path from here is a wide forest track and is much easier going, except for the final hill in the last mile or two, arriving back at the car just under 4 hours after I left, 10.5 miles, 3000ft of climb.

to go or not to go?

The weather forecast for tomorrow looks iffy with rain and high winds until later in the day. The model is obviously complex and confidence low. Sunday is probably a better bet with a short 12 -18 hour window of less windy showery weather predicted.
-via phone blog.

Runnin :The Murder Mile

Next Tuseday outside the Dyvels pub near Corbridge, Tynedale Harriers will hold the annual 'Murder Mile'. A run up a 1:3, a series of hairpins, the road up Prospect Hill. It, according to my runnin chums, is a 'Fun Run', handicapped to make it more interesting. In my book fun and uphill and run don't belong in the same sentence. And not to be taken seriously, oh yeah? Who they kidding? There's food laid on in the pub afterwards, and plenty of craic promised, which is probably worth the 20 mins of pain? Or am I kidding myself?

Training : Loopback

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Training : Walking the Dog

The Mersey Forest

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Running with the dog in and around my parents in Cheshire. The OS map said it was the Mersey Forest but there didn't seem to be enough trees for a forest. Mostly fields of grass and Fresians, the latter taking a distinct dislike to the dog.

We came across this litle pond half way round the circular route, between Crowton and Acton Bridge. It was surrounded by cherry blossom and bull rushes, very picturesque. Stopped just for a photo and a drink before continuing back up the hill to Delamere. Total time just over the hour and 5.7 miles. Hey it's a bank holiday.