Return to the Lake District (aka She Died On The Fells) - Part 1

Having been to the Lake District in September to recce part of the Lakeland 50 route with Nici, when she asked if I'd like to go back in November I said "Ah Jesus, really? Must I?"   HAHA fuck no, I counted the weeks and then the days and then the hours!

We stayed at the Ambleside YHA this time. A train up to Oxenholme, train to Windermere, then a taxi to the hostel. First impressions - arriving there on a Friday evening - was that it wasn't as friendly or runner/hiker orientated as the Coppermines one, the bar seemed to attract a lot of people just out for a drink rather than there for outdoorsy type stuff, but it was warm, clean, just a mile and a bit from the town and so it worked well.  More runners and hikers arrived on the Saturday so it felt more like our kind of place.

After checking in to our palatial bunkroom we ran into Ambleside to stock up on some food for the weekend.  Had dinner in the bar, got our stuff ready for the morning, set the alarm for 04.45 and went to bed.

On the Saturday we were doing another recce of the Ambleside to Coniston legs of the LL50. Here's my description of that:-

Ambleside to Chapel Stile (CP12-13)

We had about a 1.5mile run to the start of the actual route going down into Rothay Park. That was far more pleasant done via headtorch than last time in daylight with lots of people around. After a slog up a bridleway and a few gates with various differing methods of opening same (which is great stuff when tired and brainfogged during a race) we were out onto the fell.  Awesome downhill running along here, we woke every bog creature around with our yells of joy.  Sunrise didn't really happen as such, it was very clouded over so eventually we just got to a point where the headtorches weren't needed anymore and put back in our vests.

Onward we went, past the Skelwith Bridge Hotel, Chesters, Elterwater and onto the path opposite the cave entrance.  We had planned to restock on water at Wainwright's Inn as we'd run out before Tilberthwaite the last time and had a bit of an ordeal getting some from a mardy farmer woman. But we got to this point far faster than on the last recce and so the pub wasn't open.  Their 'outside tap' for dogs was cleverly piped down into a bowl thing and neither of us much felt like filling up from that so we carried on.  We were both carrying an extra 500ml anyway and it was far colder and wetter so we weren't too concerned.  The Baysbrown campsite hadn't even a tent in it letalone a tap so meh to that too.

"Straight on footpath thru houses (QUIET PLEASE) and down walled path, through gate".

^^ a direction that will never be forgotten thanks to some twonks in September :p

Along here we once again resisted the lure of the Most Dangerous Swing in Britain.  Here the legend of the tale of She Died On The Fells was born.  Nici fell off the swing and had her eyeball pecked out by a crow.  Just one of several near fatal mishaps on our journey.

We took note of where CP13 would be located in a field on the right at Great Langdale Beck, and then I saw some of my favourite creatures....

Loads of them actually. I'd been quite disappointed not to see any from the train the day before, it doesn't feel properly like Cumbria till I've seen a Herdie, so I did literally jump for joy on entering this part of the course.  They have such friendly faces and they stop what they're doing to look at you - it feels rude not to greet them.  After encountering about 7 or 8 of them and waving at each I said to Nici "ooh I feel like the queen!".  Nice work if you can get it eh.

Chapel Stile to Tilberthwaite 

"Continue on track and bear L to Oak Howe Farm (QUIET PLEASE). Turn R on public footpath after main barn (SP New Dungeon Gill). Continue on clear track for 1.2km to gate in wall........"

Hah!! Doesn't mention the feckin rabid bullocks we encountered in September though does it.  I was very relieved to see an empty field this time, though we did still run faster through that part.

On through boggy fields, over streams (lots of extra water up there this weekend) and over two mothers of stiles (I'd call them ladders myself).  And at that stage of a 50 mile race they're fair sadistic.

Italian Hill was next.  This was a killer in the heat before, and pretty tough going this time too, but we got up faster and knowing just how long it was made it a bit easier. Over a cattle grid at the summit of Side Pike Pass and then some smashing downhill trail to Blea Tarn. The terrain around here is lovely - downhill stony/rocky trail, narrow paths alongside a drop down to a stream, nice ankle turning territory, loads of bracken, slopes on the right, mini waterfalls, truly a great place for running.

"Very boggy ground of Bleamoss" - the poles were taken out for the first time here, and we were quite glad to have them, the ground was saturated and the bog was hungry for shoes. *She Died On The Fells. We got through ok though, did the check on the wooden gate, then had some downhill road running for a bit.  This bloody hurt but my new 212s did better than my other shoes would've done.

Soon we were on the track to the white NT cottage. This place is a crock of shit.  There's no water tap so why exactly is it even worth a mention?  Somebody died around here, I won't post the pic, it's too emotional :p but that NT b.s. needs to be removed.  Her little legs carried her far but she still DOTF :p

Uphill a bit on track, then some stony slippy downhill to Mardy Farmer Woman's place. We cocked a snoop at Her Mardiness and ran on.

Then followed a bit of country lane running to Tilberthwaite car park where CP14 will be located. The steps up out of this didn't seem half as long or as bad as we'd remembered but that made no odds to me, I knew what was coming.

Tilberthwaite to Coniston

"At triple fork, 300m from CP, take middle track uphill (SSW). DO NOT enter quarry on LH track, DO NOT take lower path down to Crook Beck. Continue up for 200m (CARE - steep unfenced quarry side to L of track) to cross small waterfall/stream bed. Continue 500m, up rocky section"  - aka the Wall of Death

We had taken lots of photos here before, looking around the quarries etc, and had decided to plough on through this time. Still all very scenic and such but as it was the lead up to the WoD my guts were already trembling.  The small waterfall was raging after all the rainfall lately, I was so shitted up nervous that I put my foot straight into it rather than stretch enough to reach a dry rock. Made no odds, my feet were soggy by then anyway, but it didn't help the nerves.  I must admit the WoD wasn't quite as horrendous second time around as I knew IT WOULD END and I wouldn't die.  Unless I slipped off the right edge into the ravine. But I got up it anyway and was able to speak afterwards, unlike the last time and Nici gave me lots of praise even though we'd misconstrued which bit exactly was the WoD :-)

Having lived through the hell of WoD and the 2 inch wide path after that, still running along beside the ravine, we started to have fun again. Clag was descending but it felt great.

The section up here (between Low Weather Crag and Yewdale Fells) is one of my favourites.  No sign of humans, animals, buildings, electricity lines, nothing - just pure open fell.  Perfection.  The stream by the tree was too deep and fast to cross so we cut across through some boggy reedy stuff, found a narrower bit and got across that way.

We stopped briefly at Scab Rock for some food (did very well on this recce, hourly refuelling and it made a hell of a difference to the last time) and to see if my sacrifice was still there. Nothing but some crow skeletons. Silly birds. *SDOTF

"with valley of Crook Beck again on R. Past small tarn on R to summit. Over summit and continue steeply down L (SSE) on rough path to reach main track"

It's funny how often it is true that words can paint a picture and yet with the Lake District they just can't paint enough. You have to be there. The atmosphere, the feeling of clean air, the rain, the space, the joy, the pain, the tiredness, the joy.  The joy.

Eurgh. I'm getting silly.  Carry on.

Ok, So we carry on over the summit and then see one of my favourite places ever, Coniston Coppermines Valley. I won't go off into one about the beauty of this place again.  Just visit it. Down down down a steep rocky track, taking in the sights and enjoying being back there again. Couldn't see Old Man Coniston, he was all clagged up :-) 

Down a steep concrete track/road, OUCH, into Coniston village and the end.  I messed up on bus times and so we found ourselves with an hour or more to spare. Had to go to the pub, godammit :-) Then we caught a bus back to Ambleside, chilled a bit and got ready for the next day's adventure.

Awesome second recce. Felt faster and stronger, we fuelled better and had more fun. Happy with that one.

(I've saved the swearing for Return to the Lake District (aka SDOTF) Part 2) 

Finding 'Happy' on the Chilterns

Having run from Overton Hill to Goring at Easter I'd always intended to go back and finish off The Ridgeway at some point, though in my mind it had now moved to a weekend next year, when I'm fitter. On Wednesday this week I thought "bugger it, I need a break from the madness, I'm doing it" so I booked a room in Wendover for Saturday night and train tickets. Didn't really have time for prep, just a quick look at distances and a rough plan. 

Come Saturday morning my alarm clock got laughed at when it started it's racket at 6am. It got laughed at for a few hours, with the result that I set off to Goring much later than planned.  By the time I got off the train in G&S I realised that I might have to play it by ear with regards to where I stopped running for the night.  

Running along beside the river was pleasant enough - rivers and flat don't really rock my boat though. Then I came to a field full of cows. Right across where I had to run. Jesus wept. A man had already gone through with his dog so I was thinking 'shit they're going to be alert now'.  But there was nowhere else to go, the river was on my left and more fields of cows to the right.  So I walked through them, heart in my mouth.  Two of the bastards were over on the left right beside the river so I couldn't keep on that edge, I had to go between them.  I've never been so happy to reach a gate.  Where I stopped to take a photo and start breathing again.  

I'd had a good look at the map on the way up (and actually measured distances!) so I knew when I should be hitting South Stoke, North Stoke, turning east etc.

  

Grim's Ditch was a bit disappointing to start with, the name conjures up images that reality just didn't deliver.  Again, pleasant but not earthshattering. 

This is more like it! 

After a while it turned into the kind of terrain I was hoping for ^^^

It was surprisingly humid so I was glad to fill up my bottles at Grimsdyke Cottage, a litre gone in just 8 or so miles. I'd met a couple of dog walkers along the way but other than that it was quite deserted. 

Nuffield Golf Course was a mare!!!  I ran in, saw a sign for the Ridgeway pointing left across what looked like a practice green, so off I went. Got to the edge of that and really could not see a way through the brambles etc. Shit. So I went back to the club house.  The map seemed to indicate to take a tight left and I'd seen a couple of hikers stopping there, consulting their map and going down the path, so I went that way.

Came out on a road. Ok, now cross and look for the Ridgeway sign.  Hmmm. The two hikers were up the road a bit so I ran up to them and asked if they were going the same way.  They were.  A lovely young Dutch couple who were hiking to Watlington.  The guy asked if I had ALL my stuff for 2 days in the S-lab??!!  He had to take it to feel the weight lol.  We had a nice chat while wandering around the poxy golf course trying to find the right path. Anyway, the least said about Nuffield the better. Never trust a golfer who gives you directions, suffice it to say that much. We eventually found the way and I left them to it as I needed to get a move on.

A few nice ups and downs through crop fields ensued.  A little bit of road, some mini hills and onto Swan's Way. Pfft. Running on a trail between two ditches of bushes/trees that were so thick you couldn't see any scenery. It was pretty uninspiring.  And straggly.  Not pretty at all. I met a lady walker and I thought well I'm not going to get to Wendover before darkness falls and I sure as f*** don't want to be running through this on my own in the dark (it didn't feel very friendly) so I'll find out from her where's the best place to stop.

Jaysus. "I walked from Ivinghoe Beacon to Watlington once. It was soul destroying".  After a minute I was trying to end the conversation and politely leave!  I asked her about Chinnor, would I be able to get a cab to Wendover from there?  "The path is awful, it's horrible, there's nothing there".  Omg. Managed to get away and upped the speed!  I was very low on water by now so I decided to drop down into Watlington and get to the hotel for an early dinner and night.  On the way I asked a man if I'd be able to get a cab in Watlington. "Ohhhh, no, there's nothing there. You might get a bus. But it's a Saturday. So probably not".  He had hairs growing from the top of his nose. He wasn't old enough to have an excuse for that!  I was expecting his next line to be "we only have local shops for local people".  Fuck me they're a miserable bunch around there!

So I went back up onto the Ridgeway and decided to head for Chinnor come what may. 

Taken at one of the rare open spots along here

Looking at the map I noticed that Lewknor had a PUB symbol, woohey, civilisation.  Decision made, drop down into Lewknor and take it from there.  The landlady called a cab for me and I had a pint of cider while I waited. 20.5 miles run, longest run since June, can't complain about that!

Got to Wendover, had a pint, had a shower, had some dinner, another pint and up to bed. I was in two minds about what to do next - get a cab back to Lewknor in the morning and carry on from there, or start on Sunday from Wendover.  Working out the price per mile that going back to Lewknor would cost me made the decision fairly easy!  It had been a nice day of running and fresh air but missing out on running through a quarry and Chequers (where I'd probably get arrested for peeing in his garden) wasn't going to upset me much in the long run.

Had a nice sleep and then woke up around 8 on Sunday morning.  A full cooked vegetarian minus the sausage, boom, set me up nicely for the day.  The receptionist told me a shortcut to get onto the Ridgeway rather than strictly following the map. Jaysus. Put me in the middle of houses and alleyways and shite like that and I'm buggered, I had the compass out twice just to get out of town!  But I was going the right way after all and soon was out in the countryside again. 

I met a lovely blonde lady runner along here, in her 60s, fab pink top, cheery hellos - how else would you want to start a run on a Sunday morning :-) 

Today (Sunday) was definitely my favourite of the two. Where Saturday disappointed Sunday more than made up for it. The woods on Cock's Hill were gorgeous.  And Uphill was like running through light green gossamer threads.  Beautiful. Calming. Relaxing. 

Met a few mountain bikers speeding down this bit, it did look like good fun. I was going uphill though. It felt like being in the Lord of the Rings. Loved this part. I think the magic started to happen from here. 

Had to do a bit of road running through Hastoe but it was raining so that made it ok :-)  And Tring Park, what a lovely place.  Met lots of walkers here, and all friendly.  

A bit more running down the sides of fields now on the way to Tring station, nothing special but it was downhill so I got through quickly. 

Ran over this bridge then realised what it was so went back to take a photo. It's the only way I'll be running anywhere near it!  

Grand Union Canal 

Past Tring station and up onto one of the best sections of the entire run. More lovely uphill forests and a nature reserve. I'd seen lots of butterflies and a few rabbits but very little other wildlife until here.  

 

Then 3 deer ran across my path, so quickly and ethereally I gasped aloud.  God it was beautiful up there. Running through those woods I really started to feel the history of the Ridgeway again. I'd felt it before in Uffington, awe inspiring stuff, and now I felt how the Roman Centurions might have felt all those centuries ago marching from place to place. Didn't think it could get much better than this. 

Until I came out onto Pitstone Hill. You know when somewhere just takes your breath away? This was that place. Looking at my photos now they just don't, they can't, convey what it was like, you have to be there. It was so amazing. 

I was blown away by now, I'd had my camera in my hand for the last few miles as there was no point putting it back in my pack only to have to stop and take it out again. And then into the final couple of miles, I really didn't want it to end, but at least I was going to be running back this way to get to Tring station and there were some fab downhills through the woods to look forward to. 

Going towards Incombe Hole there were more feckin cows in a field to pass, but these guys were all lying down and looked pretty chilled. I let a walker run the gauntlet first!

   

Up Steps Hill, through some narrow trails surrounded by gorse and wildflowers and scrub. Perfect.

And finally, destination reached. I won't lie, it was emotional. I don't even care that I can't say I've run every inch of the Ridgeway, I've run 88 miles on or around it, and definitely got to see the best parts. Yesterday was nice, not a stretch I'd bother doing again in itself, but it got me to today and today has been fantastic. And when I'm feeling stressed or can't get out for a decent run I'll just look back on this and feel it all again

Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen....

A very different race this, second time around....

May 11th 2013, first ultra, first trail race, first big race without any friends or family around. Nervously arriving at Race HQ at 7am and entering a hall full of hardened experienced ultra runners talking about the Fellsman and Hardmoors and all of these other races that I'd only read about in magazines and to me at the time seemed way beyond anything I'd ever do. 

May 11th 2014, a few races later, rocked up, looked around, loads of friendly faces, runners.  Simple as that.  Sat down, looked through the maps etc again and chatted to the runners around me.  Turned out the guy sitting beside me had read my race report from last year.  So, bearing that in mind, I'll try to watch my language on this one :-) 

We didn't have race bibs this year, which was a pity as I like to keep them, instead we got a nifty wrist tag thing which was swiped at each CP.  I wore mine till this evening (2 days later) as I didn't want to cut through it, but I eventually managed to stretch the ribbon a bit and get it over my hand.  I'll keep it in lieu of a bib.  And maybe wear it at weekends lol. 

Quick race briefing and off we went at 8am into the rain.  The first couple of miles were an out and back narrow sandy trail.  Same as last year I went out a bit too quick, but it felt ok so I went with it.

Race Prep

A few miles of trails and running through woods and fields, the rain had stopped and it was feeling quite warm so I took off my smock.  Had a real high at around the 10k mark, one of those raise your arms in the air and whoop moments.  CP1 was at 8.2 miles, I got here half an hour ahead of the time I'd estimated beforehand, but felt good so wasn't too worried. I stopped and got busy sending a text, one of the volunteers asked "are you sending an email?!".  "Nah, gotta write my blog" says I.  I think he believed me :-)  Filled the water bottles up, bemoaned a chipped nail and off I went again.  

Next CP was 10 miles away. I'd been very disappointed to hear from my wingman Ian a few days before that he was injured and would have to pull out of the race.  I realised that today was going to be a tough one mentally if I'd to run alone for the whole 40 miles but with such a small field it was more than likely and so I'd just have to MTFU and get on with it.  

  

Made my way to the infamous turn off in the vicinity of the Major Oak, where last year I'd diverted to take a photo and disoriented myself completely.  This year I just said "yeah Tree I've been there, got the photo, laters" and successfully found the right path.   

I knew that it was a pretty straightforward run for a few miles now to the next marker so my plan was to just zone out here and relax and run for a while without having to check anything.  Grand, till a spider dropped on me from the sky and shocked my bladder into overdrive.  Bastard.  Road on the other side of the hedge and a wire fence and trees to the other side.  Fuck it, I needed to go. So I went.  Luckily no-one came along. I met a dog walker shortly afterwards. He'll never know what he missed! 

Another high running through some truly lovely woods, happily going along thinking ooh how lucky am I to be here doing this.....

... Mile 15 suddenly felt sick as an effing pig. It was a bit humid but I hadn't a headache, it didn't feel like the overheating type sickness I'd had at SDW.  Just a "I'm going to puke now" feeling.  That was minging, so I decided to walk for a bit till it passed.  Took out my bag of crisps but they didn't help. Mile 16 "Wish you were here" started on the iPod and I burst into tears.  Christ Almighty. The sickness eased off a bit so I started running again.  Took a wrong turn, realised fairly quickly, luckily, and turned back. 

Arrived at CP2, which was CP1 approached from a different direction. I'd to whack more tape on the knee at this point as it was being a gimp so I asked the lady to fill my bottles while I did that.  Ate some banana and off I went, 6 miles to the next CP and the luxury of a real indoors toilet woohoo.  I think it was along here there was quite a stretch of country road, which fucked me off as I really didn't feel like bloody road running.  A man strimming a hedge or doing something grassy at the other side of the road said hello and then asked me about the race, I was quite happy to stop for a bit and take a break from running on this poxy road. His cousins are Irish. I don't remember how that came up.

So a bit more road type crap and then back on trails and I was at the halfway point :-)  and then you'd to cross a lane and go onto a track to the side of a cottage. Got there and there were a few cottages going up the side of a hill. Buggered if I could remember which cottage to go to the side of so I decided I better run up the hill and check them all. Having done that the first one seemed the most likely culprit and, as I was deciding to go that way, another runner came along and confirmed that this was the one.  

Ah, the lovely Rachel, within a few sentences she'd cursed several times and I knew we were going to get along.  She appeared at just the right time too as I was fucked off with how much the knee was already aching so the distraction of having another human being around was marvellous.  

Cresswell Crags 

So we ran and chatted and got to CP3.  Rachel's parents and husband were driving around in support, we used the luxury loos at Cresswell Crags then had a quick catch up. Rachel's Mum gave me a delicious cakepop, as I was eating it a quarter fell off onto the ground, "5 second rule!!!" shouted Rachel so I grabbed it up again. Would've been a sin to waste it.  Changed my socks here, they were pretty damp and muddy, and off we went. 

Blair Witch Tree

6 or so miles later Rachel announced she'd now done her furthest distance ever, which quite surprised me as she seemed very calm and experienced at this lark.  Underfoot was muddy, boggy and wet, in varying degrees.  I managed to sink into a few boggy bits so the change of socks was redundant quite quickly. Ah well.  Got to the start of Limetree Avenue, which I had not been looking forward to at all, and this year it was 2 miles instead of 1, so double the fucking grim. 

Limetree Avenue - looks pretty doesn't it.  Nah. It's a bastard.

And Ian yes it wasn't just us last year, it was neverending and shite this year too!  Got off it eventually thank God.  I'd another hummus wrap and very shortly afterwards felt sick again.  I do have to wonder if it was the hummus. Never been a problem before but who knows.  

At this point I was running like an automaton, just get me to the fucking CP and get me some Cola, some banana, anything to make this feeling go away.  Rachel's Mum came along the trail a bit to meet us, couldn't even talk to the poor woman, good thing Rachel was still upbeat and smiley.  Got swiped at the CP then went off into a corner to puke.  Didn't eat anything there.  Got the water bottles filled up, we crossed the road and set off again.  

We were both tiring now, "fuck the trees, fuck the mud, fuck the woods and fuck Robin Hood" was the general feeling and we did shout some of that aloud, which made us laugh.  Thank God I had company during those last 10 miles especially, because all I really wanted to do was vomit and have a nap, whereas the sight of Rachel soldiering on made me soldier on.  Got sick again in a field, sorry Rachel for subjecting you to that, and then took a bastard wrong turn or missed a turn or did something wrong anyway along here again. We got ourselves back on track after a bit of faffing through fields and eventually met up with Rachel's family at the point they'd arranged to see her, so that was pretty nice. Rachel the little angel had Kendal mint cake in her pack, which was an absolute godsend as I'd been wishing for a mint or anything to clean my mouth out with, I couldn't have been happier if she'd pulled out a toothbrush and toothpaste on the trail!  

Another 2 or was it 3 miles, and we were in the village and on the home stretch.  Ah the joy of taking that final left turn and seeing the finish!  Straight into the Ladies for another vom, ridiculous behaviour.  Then I collected my finisher's mug and sat down to have pie and peas with the gang. 

Got a lift back to the Travelodge with Rachel's parents and then proceeded to start refuelling till I had the energy to shower  :-)   I was glad to get to the end, I won't deny, it was tougher than I had expected it to be, but still a great day overall. 

Hadn't been sure what to wear shoewise as the feet have taken a battering over the last month, I went with TNF shoes pretty much straight out of the box, they'd only had 15 miles done on them the previous Monday, so I was happy with how they performed on the various surfaces.  

Still there after 5 weeks so I guess I better trim it :p 

And there you have it.  Had a good night's sleep and came back to London this afternoon. Am pretty tired and the feet are swelling now, they seem to be ok for 24 hours and then start ballooning.  Gobshites.  But hey ho.  I'll wear trousers and wide shoes to work tomorrow! 

This race has shown me I definitely need to make more of an effort get the knee fixed, even if it means rethinking my summer schedule.  It's been dragging on now since the end of November, which is just plain stupid.  Physio told me on Friday I'm delaying recovery by constantly loading and fatiguing it but she's not about to tell me to stop running completely as I'd lose my marbles, so I just have to keep on with the rehab stuff.  Nah, I can't keep on with the 'just get to the start line in one piece and then get through the race with brute determination' mentality I've adopted, I'm not doing myself any favours. I need to train a lot more and a lot harder and I know what I need to do to get there. Eurgh.   

Fuck, enough whinging, end on a high note quick lol.... 

I'd a great time overall, glad I went back to do this race on my ultra birthday, it's brought the first year round in a nice circle.   I had a lot of laughs and some very good high points, great company and even more lessons learned.  Roll on the next one!