Sunday 25 November 2012

420 + 2

The dizzying heights of Bunkers Hill


422 Feet above sea level 
(Plus another four if we are counting paws). 

Saturday morning, supping the first cuppa of the day. There is mist and a good frost outside. Time for a run with the hound.

The B-listers, out in the jungles of Oz, may have to contend with some serious creepy crawlies but that is nowt, compared to frozen cobwebs. I am not a celebrity and I quite like it here.


I am hoping for views of the Derwent valley, with sunshine slowly burning off the mist that fills the bottom of the valley.....

Not today. Today stays a mist and frost morning, which has a charm all of its own.











Sunday 18 November 2012

Bluebird


 Rab Mini Mountain Marathon
Coniston


Organised by Dark & White, this was round two of their Autumn Mini MM series and what a stunner it turned out to be.

 D&W had tweeked the format slightly. For this event we were given  four hours, instead of the usual three and the mapping was by Harveys, as opposed to Ordnance Survey. Both of which we were chuffed about. O. S.  maps are good, with fantastic detail on their 1:25000 maps but I find the stripped back orienteering style Harveys much easier to read, when running and the extra hour, what is not to like about more time in the hills?

Herdys enjoying the views towards  Grisedale and a mist covered Windermere
Race day- A quick blast up the M6 to the lakes, our reward for the early start and long drive. Mist/low cloud in the valleys, blue skies and sunshine above. Autumn in the Lakes at its best.

The start was from Miners Bridge where Ray and I were handed a map and a list of control descriptions. Being a score event, the map was pre-marked up with 20 controls(check points). the challenge, to visit as many controls as we could in 4 hours.

Martin Bagness says in his book Mountain Navigation for Runners  Factors to consider when planning  route choice are ; Height climb, ease of running( the shortest route between checkpoints may not be the quickest), points values  etc. 

Ray and I usually simplify this to  'clockwise or anticlockwise?'  'What d ya reckon mate?'  'Er, that way'.

We went for anti clockwise this time and had a cracking day out, visiting; Red Gill head, Weatherlam, Black Sails Swirl How, Goats Hause, Goats Water, Little Arrow moor, Torver Bottom. Rounding it off with a short, sharp climb up to The Bell and a steady run in to the finish. 

No dramas or nav issues just a classic day of running (well shuffling about) in the Coniston fells.



Strait up




































Photo pinched from Dark & White Challenge Events
Time for a cuppa T

Tea is nice but.........

Other highlights and randoms













Sunday 4 November 2012

Hell for heather





              Rab Mountain Marathon 2012, the Cheviots

Ray and I started out doing Dark and White's Mini MMs in the Peak District, so wandering around and getting lost at the other end of the Penines, seemed like a good idea.  

Looking on the interweb the Cheviots appeared similar to the Peak, just a bit bigger, bleaker, emptier and that's how it was. Bigger, bleaker, emptier, and sunnier. Yes, the good folks at Dark & White, had  arranged another Rab MM weekend of good weather. How do they do that? Pact with the devil, sacrifice a virgin on the second Tuesday of the month. Who knows? We were grateful all the same.

The Cheviots were also much heatherier. Soft underfoot but very trip-upable

On your marks, set, collect your maps, control descriptions, plan your route and ......GO!

The first two controls went well, maybe too well. On the way to our third checkpoint, I switched off. Everything looked good, we picked up a footpath and ahead of us we could see a line of MMers. Unfortunately it was the wrong footpath and the people wearing running tights and carrying rucksacks, were not heading to the same control as us.

Sorry Ray, that one was all  my fault. Being a score event it didn't matter too much but it was a reminder that I am a numpty and should concentrate harder.

We got our own back later on, by leading a group daft enough to follow us, to the wrong crag.


On the way to one we got right

On the edges of the Cheviot

Turn right at the crashed Quad bike, for the most picturesque control of the weekend


'I believe that its called al fresco'



Hanno introduces George, a fellow Nederlander  to the galmorous world of Mountain Marathons


Day one over, time to fire up the Pocket Rocket and to enjoy the delights of dehydrated food.

It turned out to be my comfiest, mountain marathon overnight camp so far. The tussocky grass was most luxurious. It was bloody cold in the morning though and day two started with a dusting of frost coating our tent.

Day two went well, once we thawed out. Our overnight camp was down in a valley, so the sun didn't share its warmth until we were well on our way.
No dramas just a slight wobble/lack of confidence, going from Easter Tor to control 44. I knew where we were and where we wanted to be. It was how to get there that was the problem. A  prompt from a fellow competitor and suddenly, the contour lines on the map, looked like the view in front of us. Tks mate.




Ray heather bashing with the Cheviot in the background.


As usual, we took a conservative route and arived back at the finish line with over an hour to spare. We could have picked up a few more points on the way but Sunday dinner was calling.
 All in all a good weekend

      Other highlights and randoms:

  • Catching up with Kate and Jane. I have missed Tea and Cake

  • Sundays Stovie(stew). The meat version and the veggie one went down well with Ray and I.

  • Some great place-names like Hedgehope Hill and Bizzle Crag.

  • Chatting with the flying Dutchmen Hanno and George. 

  • Learned a new mm top tip. Sleep with the gas canister in your sleeping bag. It will work better when warm.









































Many thanks to all those who helped make it happen. Especially the good folks at Dark and White Events