For the second year running, the annual trip to the hills organised by my cousin Adrian was based in Wasdale Head. Some pretty dull weather only lifted by the usual good craic that goes on between ten stout fellows. A wonderful time, as usual, peppered with great banter and the odd occasional meaningful chat. The hills are a brilliant place to enable you to do that, especially in a large group of walkers; flitting between people and picking up chats where you left off. The good dose of fresh air also helps the appetite (as if that needed any encouragement) and the yearning for ale.

The power cut that gripped upper Wasdale the whole weekend meant that we had to pile into two cars (thanks again, drivers) to take evening sustenance in Netherwasdale, some 5 miles away. What this lacked in convenience, it more than made up for in truly excellent food and home brewed fantastic beer. I even think I got away with fully masking my disappointment at clearly ordering the wrong pudding.

Three things learnt over the weekend, mainly from John:

1. It’s wise to take knitting needles into public toilets
2. Check for ants nests before settling down Horton in Ribblesdale hollows.
3. The tough green bit in the middle of a tomato is a good indicator on manliness

Photos here.

Saturday’s Walk:

View in Google Earth

Sunday’s Walk:

View in Google Earth

Update:Adrian’s photos here.
Adrian’s blog post here.

It may feel like utter death on toast when you’re doing it, and you swear you’l never do it again through the blood you’re coughing up each time you do it, but having a GPS with a heart rate monitor makes hill reps something interesting to look at…

1900 feet of climbing and descending compressed into a zip ride.

Wow! I’d forgotten how good that felt. Today was my first Mountain Bike event since… erm.. about 1994. I seem to have got so caught up in other things that use up my time (a lot of which is cycling of one sort or another) that I haven’t got a mountain bike any more.

My team mates Lewis and Stuart told me that the Grizedale Mountain bike challenge had to become an essential part of my Three Peaks training, so, always keen to learn from those better than me, I listened. Stuart’s extensive contacts kindly meant that I had loan of a Kona Kula 2-9 - £1,500’s worth of hard tail mountain bike with extra big wheels for extra gangly people. It was just beautiful. Having never been paired with this bike, I was naturally a bit worried about tackling the 31 mile loop in drizzly on-and-off rain with what turned out to be 6053 feet of climb and descent (see graph).

The course of the challenge ride itself varies from year to year. The Lake District National Park Authority banned Mountian Bike Racing many years ago, so this is strictly a ‘challenge’ ride, albeit with a timing system and a mass start.

My 37 year old engine takes a while to get going on what turned out to be about 20 minutes of solid climbing, and I wasn’t really into my stride until about half an hour in. I gradually picked off a few people and eventually finished 16th in 2hrs 57. Lewis finished first, waiting a full nine minutes until Barrie Clarke came in behind him. Bodes very well for the three peaks.

I can’t emphasise enough what a great feeling it was to twist and turn on the diving singletrack descents on such a great feeling bike. My legs were missing a few beats from time to time on the steep climbs, but I didn’t panic and kept the bit between my teeth. Almost three hours to complete the course at an average heart rate of 165bpm was great preparation for the three peaks, and I think I’ve left enough time to fine tune the hammering into a bit of form.

View the ride here in Google Earth (recommended!)

I rode the Fred Whitton Challenge again today. It’s by far he hardest day out I can imagine on a bike. It’s basically a route around the Lake District’s road passes, Kirkstone - Honister - Newlands - Whinlatter - Hard Knott and Wrynose. The ridiculous about of climbing (about 12,500 feet) takes its toll, but it’s somehow satisfying. (Read on …)

Belmont Winter Hill race Results now here (PDF) courtesy of Dave Bateson.

I had a great race with less than 24 hours notice it was actually happening (yep - dozy) at Belmont yesterday. An idyllic summer village fête and about 120 runners all togged up in not much. Great classic 4.5 mile fell race starting and finishing on the village playing field. We’re so lucky round here with so many of there going on all the time. I worked hard during the race and felt justly rewarded with a pretty good position. Lacking in some areas, but I enjoy it, and that’s got to be what counts.

View the route in Google Earth: Belmont - Winter Hill Fell Race 2007 Google Earth KML File

Watch willfoxere2k7’s video of the race departure and arrival on youtube (you can see why fell running’s not a TV sport!)