After the marshland of South Wales Preseli Hills time trial i was looking forward to better ground in the Lake’s
A steep climb to contol 1,than a steady decent and climb to contol 2 on reaching the footpath alot of runners appeared going left to summit i followed but on dibbing realised control number was not mine control 2 was across the valley where I was heading before being distracted. A lesson i never seem to learn from. Down & than up on footpath to gap in wall where i planned to go right in a horseshoe.to tarn than follow footpath down through valley to Mires beck, but on seeing Sheffield Pike towering in front of me, i lost my nerve and turned left to follow stone wall down to valley bottom, across the stream then contour round Glenridding Dodd to Mires beck, but it was a mistake because once off the open fell the bottom 3rd of the valley was covered in thick 5foot tall bracken which I had to beat my way through. On nearing the sheepfold i realised i dropped my glasses, on asking the Helvellyn triathlon runners coming up one kind soul replied he spotted them on the track & put them on a large stone to the rhs of path at the base of the climb, so down i went, soul destroying. With the triathlon runners going up Swirral edge fearing a bottle neck at top i went left up Striding Edge for a hairy scrabble on tired legs. Control 5 proved a bit tricky to find, much further down the valley than expected than the long haul back up on to ridge path to contol 6 and the finish, where a hot cup of sweet tea was greatly appreciated. Finished in 07.31.06 unsurprisingly last in my class oh! but things can only get better
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Sounds like a great day out on the hills, thanks for sharing Stephen