It was a clear morning around 11°c as we pulled into Pooley Bridge at 3.40am so I headed straight to the bridge as the support team got ready, as I stood for 5 minutes alone gathering my thoughts an owl could be heard hooting in the trees not far away.
We set off on time at 4am with Nick Latham, Barrie Kirtley
and Martin Wilson as pacers on this leg. The night air was still and cool, just
perfect as we headed out onto the open fell
not a soul in sight as we kept a steady pace keeping to the 15.5 hour
schedule. As we approached High raise we spotted a herd of deer around 8 in
number and shortly after dawn broke over the fells this lifted my spirits
The next leg was with Charles Harries as the only pacer as this is fairly short but plenty of long climbs consisting of Red Screes, Hart Crag, Fairfield and Seat Sandal. I still felt pretty fresh apart from some stomach issues and Nav from Red Screes to Hart Crag went really well but the clag descended on the final ascent of Hart Crag but this only lasted for a short while until the descent of Fairfield, we were steadily gaining time on the schedule and as we approached Dunmail Raise through the heather at the bottom of Seat Sandal I found myself 14 minutes up on my schedule, I took around 10 minutes to eat and change tops here with John Bean still on road support .
Leg 3 pacers James Garland, Stuart Scott and Tom Bray plus John Bean also joined us up to High Raise. The Steep accent of Steel fell went well until I took a drink near the top were it all came straight back up but I carried on regardless across the long wet and boggy section towards High Raise, just before I got to the summit I had worked out the problem with my stomach issues (Tail wind) so I stopped drinking this and started on water, salt tablets and gels and the issue was rectified almost immediately.
Rossett Pike and Bowfell went well and I chatted with Tom
as James and Stuart concentrated on the Navigation up Bowfell.
Feeling good on the dry rock over Esk Pike and Great End
(unlike my wet weather BG round earlier in the year) we made up some good time
although the long descent over rough terrain down to the stretcher box, that I
certainly did not enjoy but still ended up 51 minutes ahead of schedule on
arrival. Waiting at the stretcher box Esther and Susan on ‘road support' with a
picnic laid out also Geoffrey Davis and
Trisha Everett, my leg 4 support team.
Last leg with Geoff and Trish the most scenic with great
visibility but the wind steadily increasing.
I enjoyed the climb up Great Gable chatting with Trish,
probably my favourite peak with the beautiful views across Wastwater and we all
paused for a moment on the descent to take in the wonderful views. I was still
feeling relatively good at this point considering the mileage and elevation
already achieved, Kirk Fell came and went but some fatigue started to set in on
the long haul up Pillar and the wind now playing its part.
Geoff reminded me not to push too hard as we still had a
long steep climb up Seatallan and this certainly proved to be very difficult in
tricky conditions with the wind pushing me off
Ballance several times.At the bottom of Seatallan Susan was
waiting to support us up Middle
Fell and this gave me a big lift for the final push up and
back down Middle Fell into
Greendale finishing in 14 hours 38 minutes.
Words can not sum up how grateful I am for the first class
Fell and road support again from my wonderful friends and family.
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