Derek Fryer (M65) - 09 June 19

A little background first - I was brought up to enjoy the fells and also joined West Cumberland OC 50 years ago (when Joss was already a member). I have happy memories of going out watching him on the Lake District Mountain Trial in the late 60s/early 70s and being very impressed. Despite that background I never came close to training enough to attempt the Bob Graham and I stuck largely to orienteering with just occasional fell races  and mountain marathons. However, the combination of retirement, imminent 65^th birthday, and significant encouragement/persuasion from my Lakeland OC friends on our regular Tuesday morning runs convinced me last November that I might just stand a chance of completing the JNLC. Amongst the LOC friends were a good number that had done the JNLC themselves and who were happy to commit to joining me building up the training mileage. Not least amongst this group was Dick Towler who decided he would like to repeat the JNLC around his 70^th birthday, having previously done it at 65. Their level of support made it easy to put together a fine support team and I appreciated the fact that their average age matched mine.

I’d picked Friday 7^th June for the attempt before realising it was the 75^th Anniversary of D Day. However, with a poor weather forecast it seemed reasonable to use the precedent of D-Day being deferred 24 hours by a bad weather forecast to do likewise. Hence the planned 11pm start on Friday became 11pm on Saturday. I’m grateful that all my support crew were able to adapt. The weather still started off unpleasant but gradually improved after the night leg down to Kirkstone.I had two people with me on each leg starting off with Andy Robinson and Richard Tiley. We were chauffeured up to Pooley Bridge by Chris Kemp, who started fellwalking and orienteering with me in the 1960s. I carried a tracker from Open Tracking which proved to be very useful for people patiently monitoring my progress – particularly my daughter Lucy who, despite being down in Essex, coordinated the team and supporters by phone throughout. After keeping clear of injury for months my knee had started hurting after the Tuesday run that week which put sufficient doubt in my mind that my sleep was affected. It really was a relief to get started, albeit with a series of painkillers, and we made good progress, considering the weather, reaching Kirkstone 8 minutes down on my 20 hour schedule. Tom Barkas and Chris were there and provided welcome shelter and sustenance. Dick had set off later than me but appeared shortly before I set off up Red Screes, with Jackie Chapman and Roger Smith jollying me along.

07:30 at Dunmail Raise

 I knew food intake was important but for whatever reason didn’t feel able to eat much and was disappointed to lose a bit more time before the welcome sight of Dunmail. Wife Sue and daughter Alison were on duty here with Tom to spoil me with food and drink. I managed a jam butty and plenty of tea and it was then up to Simon Filmore and Jerry Purkis to keep me going over the central fells – which they did admirably. I was also delighted to see Carol McNeill appear at the top of Rossett Ghyll with tea and custard. 

With Carol’s encouragement I felt I just had to keep going despite any doubts. The cool wind meant I was still wearing thermals, shirt and jacket – in fact they stayed on all the way - as did my socks and shoes which fortunately were comfortable enough to do the full route without changing. Importantly there was no more rain so Bowfell, Esk Pike and Great End came and went before meeting Sue, Alison and co at Sty Head. I was now over an hour behind schedule and feeling sorry to keep my team waiting in the cold.

14:15 at Sty Head

For leg 4 I had the benefit of being led by Dave Neild and Rosie Law, both previous JNLC completers. Dave had said to me more than once beforehand that once you get past Sty Head you know you’ll finish – it was a good thing to say and I even started to believe it. The legs were still good even if the rest of my body wasn’t feeling very normal (no comments thank you). I’d forced down some rice pud and fruit salad at Sty Head – sadly it didn’t get very far up Gable but on we went. 

Eventually my mental tiredness really started to show between Kirk Fell and Pillar and I decided that, with 3+ hours to go, I needed a power nap – in the wind shelter on Pillar summit! Dave and Rosie allowed me 20 minutes and sent a message to Lucy to explain the stationary tracker. Lucy duly shared the message and not long after I started again there was a text message from Joss to say ‘stick in there and I’ll see you at the bridge’. Suffice to say the last 5 summits were ticked off as per my original schedule. The nap may have been unconventional but it was just what I needed.

True to his word Joss was waiting with Peter Ferris and my entourage at Greendale – a wonderful moment. Dick Towler had finished quite a bit earlier but had also stayed to see me finish. It was further enhanced by the evening sun over Wasdale and daughter Alison providing some background music as I ran in – Handel’s ‘See, the Conquering Hero Comes’ – a favourite of mine since watching many a Guides Race finish at Grasmere (usually from the top of Butter Crag).

With Joss at Greendale 21:22

 It was a fantastic end to an incredible experience. Thank you to everyone who supported me in any way, including those who kindly contributed to St Mary’s Hospice in Ulverston. Most of all, thanks to Joss – a great man and inspiration.