lazyotter

Photos from the Langdale Skyline Challenge Walk.

Many thanks to Steve for organising a great weekend. Poor weather did little to hamper two fun days of excellent walking in the Lakes.

Pictures from Sunday’s walk in Cheshire - The Peovers, Jodrell Bank and Toft. Thanks to Jay for a very good day out. Shame we finished a bit later than expected…as the supermarket was closed I had to get takeaway

A few photos from the evening walk on Saturday night. I’m afraid most of my pictures didn’t come out due to poor light.

As it was just up the road I couldn’t miss out on taking part in “The Druid” fell race, starting from the Druid pub in Llanferres. This was an “AS” race of 5 miles and 1200ft. Unfortunately for the participants (or perhaps fortunately, if like me you prefer more punishment) today has been one of the wettest and windiest in weeks. This made the going quite tough as there was a good quantity of rain, wind and mud served up.

I wasn’t particularly strong in the first half of the race and generally felt a bit listless. I also can’t remember where the route went exactly but I do recall being narrowly missed by a charging bull when we ran through his field (the chap in front of me was wearing a red shirt). Surely running on mountains is risky enough, without further threat from the wildlife?

For some time I was kept busy battling with a stitch that I picked up on the first big climb. Having successfully managed to get this under control (and amazingly without losing any places) I managed to find my legs a bit just before shrewdly leading my trailing pursuers the wrong way! This was promptly fixed by several suicidal bounds down the mountain in thick heather to the correct path. After about 3 miles the descending started and I made up a few places here and there by disengaging my common sense, and then settled in a good strong pace for the last few miles. Lots of fun, but not my best race.

Think I finished somewhere in the top 30, in about 40.5 mins approx.

(Photo courtesy of Dave Pinnington Photography)

Pictures from the Druids Circle walk which started in Penmaenmawr (click the pic below for more).
Big thanks to Alfred for organising an excellent walk and lovely day.

My friend Ian and I just spent the weekend camping and walking in Snowdonia. We stayed at the Gwern Gof Isaf Campsite in the Ogwen Valley. Facilities were good and may consider staying there again. Shame about the couple of problematic and anti-social young groups that turned up on the Saturday, spoiling everyone’s weekend with their drunken raving and playing of loud car stereos when they should be asleep!

On Saturday we did a quite a long walk up Cnicht and the Moelwyns. The view from these mountains is second to none. It was possible to see nearly all the 3000ft peaks of Snowdonia, the Berwyns, and also right up the Llyn peninsula. Photo’s I took from the weekend are below (click the image to see all).

I may have mentioned that I’ve recently lost weight and occasionally experience periods of insomnia. Obviously I need toughening up a lot more…both physically and mentally, to cope with the worst that life dishes out (yes I am being sarcastic!).

Did two runs today, 40 mins round the Heath at lunch with my mate Steve, and a hard 5 mile training session on Moel Famau this evening (see map).

Hopefully some demons will rest, and I’ll sleep tonight!

Tonight I ran the “Trail Race up the Beast”, a 4 mile fell run taking in 1200ft. It started from the Miners pub in Maeshafn, near my current home in Mold, so would have been rude not to go. Afraid I was feeling pretty lousy during the day, quite tired and with an upset stomach, and this made the going even tougher! I really seemed to be lacking energy from the off, and struggled with 2 stitches along the way. Despite this, it was still great fun.

The route was mostly on forest paths with some exciting descending through the trees, just steep enough to go flat out without falling off! There were also some fallen logs to hurdle, just to add to the mix. The “Beast” turned out to be a very steep and long grassy bank which appeared out nowhere. It certainly lived up to it’s name. There was also some rather pleasant fells and several strength-sapping steps back up through the woods.

I’m not sure where I finished yet, but will update this when I find out.

Having just weighed myself I also seem to have lost a few pounds (that I didn’t really need to lose!). Either through running or my dodgy tummy it turns out I’m down to 8 stone 9 lbs. Bit worrying. There’s not much left on me to lose…

Furthering my reconnaissance of the Welsh 3000ft peaks, this saturday I tackled more mountains in the Glyderau. Ascending up the Devils Kitchen from Idwal Cottage, then in order… Glyder Fawr (995m), Glyder Fach (994m) and Tryfan (915m). The scramble down the Bristly ridge was very challenging.
Click the photo below for more.

Photos taken while walking in Snowdonia… Click the picture below for more.