Sunday 30 January 2011

I'm a loser baby, so why don't you run me?

The topograph on topo Lose Hill

A couple of days in the Peak with Mrs sbrt was a sure fire cure for the back to work January blues. It was also a chance for a quick recce, of the Mam Nick to Brown Knoll section, of the Edale Skyline (well spotted Kate).
This section is a notorious, almost pathless, bog-fest. Fortunately thanks to freak Peak District weather, the usual thick clag had been replaced with sunshine and the bottomless, Guiness filled bogs were frozen. Perfect conditions for a recce.

 I am not sure if it was a confidence boost or has just made me  more apprehensive. This is just my normal pre race wobble. A balance that swings from  blind optimism and enthusiasm to, what have I let myself in for I am doomed?

Looking to the East, from Rushup Edge


"Hitting the wall"  
 Nah! Just jogging alongside and using it as a handrail.

Legs of a sparrow

 Brown Knoll
Call a plumber, the bog's frozen.



Ringing Roger catching the last few rays of sun 
We also got out for a gentle, sunset stroll along the Pennine way. A short out and back, from Edale to Upper Booth Farm. Clear crisp weather and low winter sun highlighted the hills with some wonderful colours. It was a joy to be out.

From Lose Hill (Ward's Piece) looking West.

Win Hill





Monday 17 January 2011

Mudclaw vs muddy paw


Inov8 Mudclaw 270 vs Billy Bob Dog, aka The Dark Destroyer.


                                              Public mudbath



No contest!

Friday 14 January 2011

Fun size



Rab Mini Mountain Marathon, 09/01/11 Hayfield

Bit Chilly. Just bellow Kinder Low


Team ibuprofens first run of 2011, the Rab Mini MM from Hayfield run by Dark and White Events. It was great to get out again but a bit of a shock. I think we had both gone a bit soft over the festive period and our brains had become addled with the Christmas cheer. 

The race was a mix of, hitting the controls spot on and headless chicken mode, stumbling about  and  running  wrong way. 
Lots of could of, should of, would of's. Which after chatting with others, appears to be what most of us non elite shufflers think of our performances.  


 Kinder Reservoir

Starting from the scout hut in Hayfield, we chose a clockwise route past the Kinder reservoir, up William Clough, then  zig-zagged up and down the south western side of Kinder Scout. It was all going  well until we spent too much time zagging when we should have been zigging and had to make mad dash back to Hayfield, missing out on a juicy 20 point control and incuring a 15 point penalty  for being 9 minutes late.

Reading this write-up on the Dark & White site, it looks like we weren't the only ones that struggled in the low cloud that was cloaking the Swines Back area of Kinder. One poor soul ended up in Edale which was several grid squares off the map.

William Clough


onwards & upwards. Ray Laughing at my map reading.

Icicle works





Video pinched from the Dark & White site



Many thanks to all @ Dark & White Events For putting on the event also to Ray for driving and putting up with me.