Rab Mountain Marathon, Howgill Fells

Race: Rab Mountain Marathon, Day 2
Peaks: Wandale Hill, Grere Fell, Hazelgill Knott, The Calf, Calders, Arant How
Time/Position: 190 pts in 5:41/7th SM overall
Woke to a misty morning after a cold but reasonably comfortable night. Set off after a good breakfast, and picked up the day's controls. The basic outline of my route leapt out from the map after just a few minutes thought, more so than yesterday - it seemed pretty obvious to head north to the edge of the Howgills, before returning to Sedbergh after another giant loop. So I headed up Wandale Hill in the mist, before skirting Adamthwaite to a control on a spur of Grere Fell. Easy going really, and it remained so for the big descent north to High Cocklake. Again, I was now committed to going for big value remote controls towards the north of the range - with very few other runners for company: great stuff. An easy ascent over the northern shoulder of Green Bell gained the steep side valley of Turn End, and a sharp climb to a control above Weasdale Beck. Then easily north to a hidden control in a drystone wall. I opted to take the easy bridleway south up Bowderdale Beck, so I could eat and rest a bit, although possibly should have been more ambitious. The weather was very different today, overcast, rather chilly and windy on the tops. Pleasingly, I continued easily north until Hazel Gill (the lowest col on the ridge) before beginning the brutally steep climb west into Langdale - the next valley over - for two obvious controls, before another very steep climb back up to the shoulder of the Calf. Quite windy and cold at this point. After contouring down to a control in a re-entrant I found myself faced with a classic mountain marathon dilemma: staring down into the steep valley of Hobdale Beck, 40 minutes left, knowing I could get two controls in the valley and knowing that would probably have given me a podium place. However, it was obviously going to be a very steep climb out, so I played it safe and headed for home via the north side of Winder and two compulsory controls. Finished with 20 mins spare, so perhaps should have gone for it. It would have meant third place, I think, but I also think it would have made me 5-10 mins late, which would have meant points penalties - and I was told that people were on their hands and knees climbing out of the valley, so perhaps it was the right call! In the event, I finished 7th from around 70 teams in the category (solo runners and pairs were mixed again). Perhaps 15th in all categories, several hundred runners, so quite pleasing. I think my route planning and nav was reasonably good, and I was pleased to have the legs throughout (felt comfortable and able to keep running and climbing for the duration) but I could perhaps have been a little less cautious in terms of the time penalties. A superb event again, which ticks all of my boxes in big bold ink.

Rab Mountain Marathon, Howgill Fells

Race: Rab Mountain Marathon, Day 1
Peaks: Arant Haw, Calders, The Calf, Green Bell
Time/Position: 265 pts in 5:40/8th after day one
This is rapidly turning into my favourite event of all. It seemed much bigger and more serious this year, with around 500 runners, but it still managed to retain the low-key, relaxed ambience that made last year's event Back o'Skidda so pleasant. The race began in superb weather on Saturday morning, a cloud inversion clearing the Sedbergh valley as I marked up the map and headed up Winder - the little hill that shelters Sedbergh. Picked up a control on its shoulder then headed to the col to drop into Ashbeck Gill - not entirely convinced this control was worth the effort, but lots of teams did the same thing. Followed the stream up to Arant Haw, picked up more points before contouring just below the summit of Calders and The Calf (highpoint of the Howgills) to get the first big value control at the top of Calf Beck. An exhilerating steep descent into the enclosed valley of Middle Grain through broken cloud gained a tricky-to-find control hidden in a dry re-entrant (map detail of the streams here was insufficient). I opted to contour north round the peak of Cobbles before heading up West Grain and the obvious, brutally steep climb to the col below Simon's Seat to gain another control in Churngill Beck. The scenery here was surprisingly dramatic, the hills surprisingly steep. I was now committed to the big value, remote controls at the far north end of the Howgills - a long way from the overnight camp. So I ploughed quickly up the 468m hill east, with a control at the trigpoint, flew down to Langdale and up to a 30-pointer on a remote knoll. Then came a huge (5k?) leg across boggy wilderness east to Pinksey Gill. Only one other competitor visible for most of these controls, so I suspected I was doing quite well. I was then able to head for home up the obvious bridleway heading up Green Bell, passing another control below Knoutberry before easy running gained an obvious col giving access to Bowderdale Beck. One final long climb up to Hare Shaw gained a tricky to find control on a vague spur, before a steep descent past Cautley Spout waterfall to a sun-drenched campsite in the Rawthey valley. Wonderful to unwind with views back up to Cautley Crag and Yarlside. Even managed a dip in the river! When the day 1 results were posted, I was in third place initially, although had dropped to fifth by the evening.

Retreat to Craig y Gesail

Crag: Craig y Gesail, Tremadog
Routes: Bramble Buttress (VD:led p.1,3), Princess (VS 4a,4b,4b:led p.1,2,3)
This crag is very much Tremadog's poor relation, and was merely a bad weather retreat for us. The game plan for the day had been to do some big mountain routes on Y Garn (Nantlle). It was dry as we started the steep walk in from Nantlle (rather painful after a fast sub 3:20 intervals session last night) but it began to rain almost immediately. Cue a tricky decision: we decided to continue up to the drystone wall below the crag, waited as the rain got heavier, before finally accepting that to continue would have been miserable. So, a long descent and detour to Penmorfa and quick slog up to Gesail as the weather cleared. Bramble Buttress was still wet as I led the first pitch up a series of blocky steps to a short groove and pinnacle, where I dined on blackberries. Alwyn led through up a nice clean groove to vegetation. The last pitch was lovely: up a little wall, with the rock already drying out, to gain a really delightful and photogenic crack just left of the crest. An ideal route for children and novices I would have thought: very easy indeed, yet still interesting. After a long descent, we jungle bashed through to the start of Princess, further right. I led the first pitch, up peculiar slaty rock on the rib to a traverse right into a groove, then up to a nasty vegetated stance with gorse belay! No difficulty, but rather unpleasant and slightly run-out. I was tempted to retreat, but brought up Alwyn and led the second over more vegetation to gain the arete on the left. Nice climbing up this led to a ledge, followed by a steepish crack to a stance. A short final pitch take the steep corner crack to an easy, open finish. With lots of traffic, shorn of vegetation, this would probably make a nice route: in its current state, it's a rather unpleasant experience. We ran out of time after this, probably this summer's least successful climbing trip!

World's End climbing

Crag: World's End, Eglwyseg
Routes: Ivy Crack (S 4a:led), Sting (HS 4b:led), Open Book (S:led), JTP (HVS 5a:sec), Ivy Groove (VS 4b:led), Crystal (E1 5b:sec)
The high pressure disappeared just before this brief late visit with Alwyn: light rain throughout, windy too, although never really enough to spoil the climbing. I've done most of the routes here below E1, so tried to fill in some gaps still remaining after 20 years. Began with a lead of the undistinguished Ivy Crack on the exposed left hand of the crag, a wide semi-layback crack. Sting was much better, a good climb up the big flake to gain a ledge - then the surprisingly enjoyable wide crack up to an excellent jug and easy finish. Well positioned above the valley, an obvious line. Open Book is an old favourite, done many times, some rain as I led through after Alwyn backed off. JTP takes the corner further left via a strenuous but quite easy layback, just about stays independent as a line. Ivy Groove looks scrappy, but is a surprisingly good VS. Not too polished, with some nice crisp moves once the tree is passed and the sharp little groove gained. Crystal is top-end E1, felt hard, certainly steep and strenuous. Slipped after the powerful layback, and the thin crack above this keeps on coming - quite sustained, although the holds are all there.

Carreg Wastad climbs, Famau run

Crag: Carreg Wastad, Llanberis
Routes: Skylon (HS 4b,4b:led p.1), Shadow Wall (VS 4a,4c:sec), Ribstone Crack (VS 4c,4a: led p.2), Crackstone Rib (S:led p.1,2)
A splendid collection of routes, and - combined with an evening hill run - a very full day in glorious late summer sunshine. Particularly pleasing to get these routes in as we were a rope of three, which is always slower, and we had a self-assigned deadline of 4pm. The first pitch of Skylon was a perfect aperitif - an easy but satisfying and absorbing pitch up the left edge of the crag. Sharp jugs lead to an excellent nut below the little roof, then great steep moves up a thin crack on the right until it becomes possible to step delicately left on to the overhang. A lovely rising traverse on good holds then leads gently to the belay ledge. Just one tricky move, but great climbing. Mick then led a second pitch direct through the bulge above. After a quick bite, I revisited Shadow Wall for the first time since I led it in 1993. Mick merged both pitches to the tree and I followed, finding the sequence of gaining and leaving the three shelves below the roof unpleasantly polished, constricted and surprisingly awkward: not my favourite route! We abbed off for Vic's lead, up the excellent Ribstone Crack. This is a fine pitch, much better than Shadow Wall - and, in my view, considerably easier. It is steep, and certainly top end VS, but apart from one or two tricky side pulls towards the top is fairly easy. Really satisfying and sustained crack climbing though, positive holds and a good test of footwork to keep the climbing non-thrutchy and vaguely elegant. I then led p.2 on a single 9mm, up to a tree and a huge, steep flake to the top. We had half an hour before having to leave to get to the Collie, and uber-classic Crackstone Rib looked so tempting and sun-drenched that it begged to be climbed, so we jogged down to the foot of the crag and I sprinted up the route in five minutes. Probably 17 years since I last did this route - but if ever there was a route to repeat endlessly it's this one. The gloriously simple traverse left was a delight, as was the move on to the wonderfully juggy and sun-drenched rib. Scampered up this, double-quick, and brought Vic and Mick up simultaneously before Mick led through the groove and mini hand-traverse to the top. Really satisfying to squeeze this route in, particularly as I have a feeling I didn't lead the key traverse/rib pitch all those years ago. Jogged to the car, drove back across the moors, and arrived at the Collie bang on 6 for the run up Famau in the hazy evening sunshine - beginning to tire as we arrived at the summit! Kept it going all the way though, and rehydrated with some hop-based energy drinks.

Stretton Skyline fell race

Race: Stretton Skyline (19m/4500ft)
Peaks: Long Mynd, Ragleth, Caer Caradoc, The Lawley, Long Mynd
Time/Position: 3:01:35 (12th/94)
As a defensive measure, I didn't really confront the reality of this race - or even think about it - until I was at the start in Carding Mill. I was conscious that my last long run was the Borrowdale fell race six weeks ago, and fully expected to suffer badly as a result. In the event, Neil and I were both surprised by reasonable performances - treated it as a training run for forthcoming mountain marathons and, as a result, felt comfortable and relaxed throughout and really enjoyed the event which ticks all my boxes as a logical and obvious loop around these lovely hills. Perhaps not quite as scenic as the Long Mynd Valleys race, done in wonderful snowy conditions last February, but a delightful warm and sunny contrast. An easy climb out of Carding Mill leads up the valley to the Long Mynd plateau, then SW to the highpoint at Pole Bank. Glorious running along grassy tracks then contours Round Hill and Callow - perfect sunny views down to Ashes Hollow (familiar from last February). Relaxed and chatting as we ran through Little Stretton and crossed the A49 before the first really steep climb up Ragleth. All the steep bits are short-lived, however, and a run along the ridge led to a descent through Ragleth Wood to water in Church Stretton. Caer Caradoc was next on the agenda, a gradual climb up fields leads to the steep haul to the top before a great, fast descent down to Comley. Still really comfortable, able to eat and relax during the out-and-back climb to The Lawley at the far NE of the Skyline. Realised that we were now surprisingly well placed, but still felt very relaxed for the interminable series of stiles leading across the valley bottom to Dudgeley farm and the final very long (but gradual) climb back up Long Mynd to the final checkpoint at Mott's Road. Kept it going reasonably well on the climb, then enjoyed the excellent descent back down the valley to Carding Mill. Assumed I would break 3 hours easily, but then realised the finish was not where the start was - it was actually back in the town.

Maeshafn climbs

Crag: Maeshafn
Routes: Rambler (HS 4a:sol), Puppy Power (VS 4b:led), Layback on Me (VS 4c:sec), The Minstrel (E1 5b:sec)
Another beautiful evening, and another quick work-out on some old favourites, squeezed in between work and leaving for Manchester. Soloed the absurdly over-graded Rambler on the Main Wall to begin - a nice V Diff. Vic then arrived, and I led Puppy Power, a pleasant and slabby VS with some enjoyable moves (also done before). Seconded Vic up the 'layback' crack which is so thin that it is virtually impossible to layback, even with my boney fingers - awkward as a result. Then stormed up The Minstrel with rope above - a fine sustained Clwyd classic, which seemed much easier than when I last did it many years ago. Steep but juggy and positive throughout. However, Flying Block - at the same grade - was a different story, found myself baffled and annoyingly pumped by the overhang.

World's End climbs, Cyrn y Brain run

Crag: World's End, Eglwyseg
Routes: Recession Blues (VS 4c:sh), Coltsfoot Crack (HVS 5a:sh), End Flake (HVD:sh), Squirm (D:sol!), Insecure (HVS 5a:sh), Incompetence (HVD:sh), A Cheval (VD:des)
High pressure at last, so made a very brief solo trip to this beautiful crag for some shunted routes. Quite early in the morning, so dew and midges made life uncomfortable until the sun hit the crag. All these routes are quite badly polished now - Recession Blues is a reasonable, but short, climb up a tiny overhang to an easier wall. Coltsfoot Crack is low-end HVS, although a polished initial corner is still quite steep and strenuous. Easy and quite juggy above. Did End Flake for old times sake, then enjoyed Insecure - which I don't think I've done before - fairly steep crack climbing on good holds to a move left up a final easier wall. Finished with the old thrutchy favourite Incompetence. Then ran from the crag across the moor via OD to the top of Cyrn y Brain in beautiful sunshine, a welcome change from recent weeks, and back via Watkin's Tower.

Llanberis slate climbs

Crag: Llanberis Slate
Routes: 362 (f5b:led), Seamstress (VS 4c:led), Seams the Same (E1 5b:sec), One for All (f4c:sec), All for One (f5a:sec), Looning the Tube (E1 5a:led), Maximum Tariff (f6b:led*), Holy Holy Holy (E2 5c:sec), La Famille (f4c:led), Slate Arrivals (f4a:led), Slate Arrivals Left (f5a:sec)
Something of a whistle-stop tour of the quarries. Rather than cleaning up scrappy routes in one area, as we have on previous visits, we focused a bit more on the classics here and had a far more memorable day as a result. Light drizzle was clearing as we arrived, the last remnants of days of rain, which meant several of my intended routes were a bit damp. Headed for the huge slab of Never Never Land where I warmed up on the undistinguished 362, an easy line up the left arete of the slab. The 7m top pitch was soaking wet, so we moved up to Serengeti where I led Seamstress. I have no memory of ever doing this before, which seems extraordinary given its status as the ultimate slate trade route. A splendid pitch up a perfect crack, beautifully sustained at a gentle middle-of-the-grade VS standard and therefore interesting throughout. Satisfying positive little jugs all the way up. Warmed up, I then romped up Seams the Same at E1 5b. Another excellent little pitch - a few awkward moves at the start followed by a juggy romp to a long reach and high step to an easy finish. Alwyn then led a couple of easy routes, very scrappy with loose rock, in a fine position overlooking Never Never Land and the mountains beyond. After lunch, we moved up to California. Looning the Tube is the kind of compelling line that forces you to climb it, and I've wanted to do it since we first came up here last year. The first moves were wet, which made the delicate reach up to the traverse line and first bolt tricky. But then wonderful positive little edges allow the traverse right to the chain to be completed quite comfortably. From here, nice moves up the left-slanting crack lead to a cam placement and awkward crux - a high constricted step off an unhelpful pinched hold. After clipping the second bolt, easier moves gain a wonderful jug and the top. An unusual but excellent climb, tricky to grade although probably a bit soft for E1. I then had a go at Maximum Tariff at 6b but couldn't commit to the final move - good steep climbing though. Finished off by seconding the hopelessly wet Holy, Holy, Holy at Dali's Hole, the corner right of Launching Pad (led in June). A strenuous and fingery layback led quite easily to the central crux section. The crack here was wet, and the wall left is very polished, so this was a desperate struggle which saw me slip twice before gaining the crucial hold and easier climbing to the top. Some pointless scrappy routes and a walk through the tunnels to atmospheric California completed the day.