Hardly AC - Sale Fell

Running at night is great fun, the darkness, distant stars, the lights of nearby towns and villages, the moon, the outline of fells and clouds are all beautiful in their own way.  Taking photos of these things is very difficult.

Tonight six hardy hardly souls set off out for a quick circuit of Sale Fell.  A few nice hill climbs and a steady descent.  People gradually admitted they'd had enough after one lap and we agreed to head back to the cars with only Pete deciding to head back up to the top to put a bit more of a run in.

It's always nice to get out, no matter how short the run.  This was just shy of three miles and, although I would have been happy to go on, I was just as happy to head back, thinking of my plantar fasciitis which, so far, has been kept at bay through plenty of stretching, some strapping up but mainly I think, through keeping runs short and efforts easy.

Good times.

Castle Crag #afterworkwainwrights

Jonathan on top of Castle Crag

After a weekend lacking of motivation and feeling generally glum, I have bounced back this week with some after work runs.  The newly dark nights are a perfect excuse for some head torch exploration and the outlay of the Petzl Nao is starting to pay for itself.

Yesterday, we headed to Rosthwaite for a run up to Castle Crag and back.  It's a very familiar course but the darkness adds a bit of a challenge.  Flooded roads through Borrowdale were an indicator of the conditions we were due to experience.  Plenty of big puddles, high rivers and some outright flooded (up to knee height at one location) footpaths.  Once you've acknowledged your feet are going to get wet, you just let them get wet and get on with it.  Route finding was largely without incident.  In fact, the biggest challenge was taking a photo and keeping our eyes open when the flash on my phone went off.  This is a nice route and will be banked for a future Hardly AC run.  Big props to Jonathan for being a good running buddy and helping me past the blerch of the sofa.

I'm stood on the footpath

Jonathan trying to keep his eyes open

Langstrath

heading over to Watendlath Tarn

I got out of work early today and headed to Borrowdale.  I parked at Stonethwaite and followed the route which I think is the route of the Langstrath fell race.  It climbs steeply through the woods and then over to Dock Tarn.  The path gets very muddy and rocky here as it skirts the tarn, then it heads down to Watendlath, running alongside Watendlath Tarn before climbing back over to pick up the bridleway between Watendlath and Rosthwaite.  The final mile or so is along single track back to the bridge to Stonethwaite.

Five miles all in all, some steep climbs, particularly at the start and some very technical paths.  My heel is feeling a little better so hopefully will be back up to some decent distance on my runs before long.

Eagle Crag from Stonethwaite

Dock Tarn

a steep descent to pick up the path to Watendlath

at Watendlath Tarn, couple of people fly fishing from the boat

circling round into the jaws of Borrowdale

at the start of the steep descent

Sale Fell #afterworkwainwrights

Sale Fell looking towards SKiddaw

#afterworkwainwrights is my new idea.  To complete all the Wainwrights with runs or walks after work.  I get a fair few fells in after work.  Obviously more so in the summer months but I'm also hoping to carry on through the winter with the use of my dead smart new head torch.

I need to work out which I have already done but Sale Fell is a regular after work treat.

Today I was on my way back from Carlisle.  I got to Whythrop Mill at about 5.15 and managed to get the full run in before it got dark.  I've been off my feet a bit, with a sore foot, so running yesterday with Hardly AC around Catbells and then again tonight on Sale Fell is a real treat.  Hoping to head out tomorrow as well.

Hardly AC - Catbells

coming off the rocky top of Catbells

head torch train across the top - lights of Keswick behind

Hardly AC continue to roam the fells on a Wednesday evening.  A group of eight headed over family favourite, Catbells this week.  The dusky views over Derwentwater were beautiful but I lack the photographic skills to capture said beauty.  it was properly dark by the time we got to the top and, after the rocky shelf on the summit, we sped along the rolling trail of the top.  Before very long, we reached the turn off to the left and set off down the windy, rocky, slippery path down and then a left turn off this path to pick up the trail shelf above the road.  A slight hiccup here where most of the pack went a different way to me but we soon righted this and had a nice run back to the cars.

Less than four miles and just about an hour.  Fells in the dark are pretty cool.

Hardly AC - Latrigg

top of Latrigg

A really good turn out this week, I think we had 12 runners.  Simple enough route around Latrigg, going up from Spooneygreen Lane to the summit, although we still managed some navigational calamities in the dark.  It rained an awful lot and it was dark and everybody had a great time.

coming back along the old railway line

Route in red

Sale Fell with Hardly AC

top of Sale Fell, my most visited Wainwright

A select group had a nice run around Sale Fell tonight.  From the usual starting point, up and starting a clockwise loop, climbing steeply to the wall then over to Lothwaite, along to Rivings and back up to the summit.  We then took the long downhill turning left at the bottom wall running round through Kelswick and through the woods before taking a steep climb back up to Lothwaite and back around the front of Sale Fell.  I took the ledge path across the front of the fell through the old quarry which was a bit slippery but ok, I was thankful for my super bright head torch.

Good running, nice to get out as always.  A number of wounded soldiers toughing it out tonight.  Well done team!

Sale Fell from afar