The weather in the Lakes on Saturday was truly glorious, especially for this time of the year. And it couldn't have been better for Hester to run her Teenager with Altitude fell race, a tough as 'eck, 'ard bastard of a fell race if ever there was one - 16 miles, 7,000 feet of climb and visiting getting on for 10 different tops, starting and ending in the small hamlet of Stair, near Keswick.
Meanwhile me and Harry were taking things nice and steady with our own 15 mile romp around some of the same hills but weren't racing, what with the VLM last weekend and
the Fellsman looming large next weekend. Our route took us over Causey Pike and along the ridge to Crag Hill before doubling back on ourselves a little, dropping down into the valley to Rigg Beck (to get Harry an urgently needed drink of water), over Knott Rigg to Newlands Hause, up Robinson and back to Stair, a swift cup of tea and lump of cake in the village hall, before climbing Catbells to look out for Hester finishing her race.
All in all a grand day out. Hester eventually came romping over Catbells with us then jogging down from Catbells following her to the finish - she did brilliantly of course and was still smiling (perhaps slightly insanely) at the end of what must of been a gruelling race. Free beer afterwards in the village hall too,
Windermere Pale Ale from the Hawkshead Brewery, with beef or veggie stew. Mmmmm.
The Lake District, on a day like that, the best place on earth!
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| Looking towards Robinson from Causey Pike |
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| Haz with the Skiddaw range and Blencathra in the distance beyond |
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| Curley whirley path ahoy! |
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| Knott Rigg, the ridge line that we crossed to Newlands Hause |
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| Harry looking down to Newlands Hause |
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| Climbing Robinson |
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| Buttermere ahoy! |
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| Keswick from the top of Robinson |
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| Descending Robinson (last done at the end of my Bob Graham Round last September) |
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| Where's Wally? |
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| Front runners of the Anniversary Waltz fell race climbing Robinson |
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| Catbells |
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| Fell race marshals waiting at the top of Catbells |
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| Harry pratting about at the top of Catbells |
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| Hester dropping off the side of Catbells with Derwent Water to the right and Skiddaw ahead |
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| Ze route - crafted by hand as the running track from my Ambit didn't upload properly! |
Hello Stolly, that was me accosting you from the silver van at the exit from the parking field. Being stuck in the midlands and working most weekends I don't get to the hills as often as I like so blogs like yours keep me going. I always enjoy your write-ups - thanks for posting. Good to see you in real life.
ReplyDeleteRichard Horner, Mercia FR
Thanks Richard. Nice to see you :)
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