On a sunny Sunday morning started the trail in Eskdale Valley.
Up a steep climb to map start then on to CP1. With just over 6 miles to CP2 route choice was fraught.
Went straight over first climb then my intention was to drop down to Mosedale beck pick up the main path to Little Stand and contour round to CP2, But with a almighty thunderclap the heavens opened up, in the heavy rain the marsh looked awfully wet so decided to go straight for the grags and over the top, a poor, hasty, panicked choice on reflection, it was steep. Onto main path up to Crinkle Grags, but couldn’t find the drop off to CP3 with the weather closing in decided to abandoned CP3 and took the long contour under BowFell to the beck, then up onto plateau for CP4. the bearing for CP5 pointed straight to a cairn on a hill so headed for that and this time found the grag without to much difficulty on the open hillside. Across Great Moss and up to cross the path to Slight Side, i didn’t believe the compass bearing that the stream at CP6 was so far to the right, how wrong was i. CP7 was straightforward thankfully. Followed the staight line bearing up and down the many rocky, bracken covered crags to CP8 slow going mountain goat territory. Than down the hill to the wall and the finish for a well deserved cup of tea.
07 hrs 23 mins 17.89 miles 6309ft of ascent
A wet challenging and satisfying day out on the fells.
I have to say the course this year i thought was much more difficult than last years and the results seem to agree with me with only 16 completions on the medium course, the Classic(long) course faired even worst with only 4(four) completions in the allotted 8 1/2 hours the winner covered an amazing
42.8km with a whooping 3400metres of climb in 6hr 21 mins a truly superhuman achievement considering the weather conditions
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well done Stephen- a great achievement
Takes me back to long (wet) days at the KIMM (as it was back then- now the OMM) plus the Capricorn and our own long O events…
Very impressive! I’ve not come across this race before. Given how few actually complete, well done taking it on.