Robbie Webster's Wobbler

Race: Robbie Webster's Wobbler, Frodsham (6m)
Time/Position: 43.53 (10th from 146)
Torrential rain earlier in the day had reduced these usually sandy paths to muddy quagmires in places. I did the race two years ago, and train on these paths quite regularly, but the race route is so complex and twisty that it would be very hard to reproduce! Great fun though - with a start in Frodsham and a finish on top of Beacon Hill. It also takes in the steep Woodhouses Hill and several other smaller climbs around the Helsby/Frodsham hills. In terms of overall feel, it is like a long and hard XC race with some longer fell race style climbs thrown in: an intense session which is hard to pace. My time was well down on two years ago, perhaps because of the mud, or the lower start, or general lack of race fitness. This race feels a bit like a rollercoaster at times, quick descents, sharp turns and short climbs: all rather exciting. Buckley won the team prize, with Jez, Simon E and myself counting.

Moel y Gamelin fell race

Race: Moel y Gamelin (10m+/3000ft/AM)
Time/Position: 1.24.34 (8th from 70)
There was a time when I really enjoyed this course, but in recent years I always seem to struggle to pace it. I must have done it 7 or 8 times, and once ran 1.20. But last year I blew quite badly on the long XC section above Carrog where I used to pick up places. This year, I took it steadily across the ridge over Moel y Faen, Gamelin and Morfydd, and did at least enjoy the long flatter section at the far end. I did pick up a few places but then lost them again for the steep climb back over Gamelin where I really suffered, yet again! Ideal conditions, cool and cloudy.

Carreg Wastad climbing

Crag: Carreg Wastad, Llanberis Pass
Routes: Skylon (HS 4b,4a:led p.2), Crackstone Rib (S 4a:led p.2), Ribstone Crack (VS 4c,4a:sec)
All routes I have done before, but a valuable and enjoyable session none the less. A bit of light drizzle as we sat with a coffee in Nant Peris, but prospects looked quite good as Vic led the first pitch of Skylon. I led this a few years ago, finding it easy. Today, I was initially puzzled by the crux, probably an indication that I haven't done much recently. It goes easily to the small overhang, which I wrongly probed to the right. Going left gives a distinct, but short, crux: much harder than the rest of the route. A few shelves lead to the belay, after which I led the slabby top pitch on sloping holds. It was then time for the classic Crackstone Rib, probably the best Severe in Wales, for the third time (spread over a quarter of a century). Vic led the traverse pitch which leads to the glorious juggy rib, beautifully positioned above the valley. I then led the top pitch, up the chimney to a large flake, then the very brief technical hand traverse - probably the only tricky move on the route - to another flake and the finish. We just had time to nip up the strenuous Ribstone Crack in one giant pitch: another climb I have done before and one that demands a certain amount of technique to climb comfortably. Top of the grade, steep and awkward with two distinct cruxes.

Tattenhall Tough Team race

Race: Tattenhall Tough Team (9m+)
Time/Position: 63.56 (7th from 185 [2nd team from 65: 1st Veteran team])
This event had been chosen as one for Buckley to blitz with as many teams as possible. Our team ('Blue Genes') reprised the line-up of four years ago: me, Jez, Eric. Always a very enjoyable team event, and only the third time I've done it. A full five minutes down on my two previous outings on this race, although the course has changed slightly with a longer run-in back to the social club. We all ran together for the long road section up towards the Peckforton hills, beautiful sunny weather, not too hot. Jez sped off as we reached the off-road section, which is not Eric's favoured terrain. It takes a great route through these hills, weaving round until reaching the infamous railway. I waited for Eric at the top, and he recovered well through the flatter fields which eventually lead back down to the road. We seemed to have a decent gap on the third placed runner from a few other clubs and eventually finished second team overall, and first veteran's team.

Limoges airport-centre runs

Probably more accurate to call these 'jogs' blended with fast walking. Still, three different routes between the city centre of Limoges and the airport in 27 hours must be some kind of record (albeit an utterly pointless one). I remember reading Will Self's Psychogeography account of walking from London to Heathrow and then from JFK to NYC, and thought this would make a provincial French alternative! I landed in the rather less glamorous Limoges airport before 9.30am with a lot of time to kill, so had a relaxing coffee and croissant at the airport, sitting outside, just to acclimatise. No public transport into town, so I planned to get last night's race out of my legs with a specially constructed route taking the country lanes into the city centre. It worked fairly well. I didn't have much baggage, so could move fairly quickly down quiet roads. My route to the centre went on an indirect southerly loop via La Breuil, La Foret and Landouge - where I entered the Limoges suburbs. I arrived in the market near the old Rue de la Boucherie just before midday: perfect timing for a superb lunch of Limousin charcuterie followed by veal breast with a rosemary jus and frites maison. The odd glass of claret too. The next day, I ran back via a different northerly loop along the Rue de St Gence. This was an even more affluent suburban area, so I had to double back to find my favourite kind of local restaurant. Again, I struck gold - this time on the Rue de Bellac. Basse Cote, local goat's cheese, unlimited wine, pain perdu and myriad other culinary delights, before I continued along the even longer northern loop back to the airport to meet Steve and Ceri. A legendary weekend ensued.

The Beast race

Race: Up the Beast fell race (7.5k/2000ft)
Time/Position: 40.47 (6th from 91)
Tonight's outing, although badly timed just before my trip to France, at least kept up my record of running in every one of these races since it was launched: this is the ninth year I think. A route change this year, with a harder finish which doubles back into the highpoint of the woods above Maeshafn. I didn't run very well, but didn't expect to. Probably started a bit too quickly, so was blowing on the Beast itself and never really recovered. The extra hill in the woods finished me off, although it didn't make any difference to the final positions as I couldn't catch Simon E ahead and I just held off those behind. After a shower and meal at home, I drove direct to Leeds-Bradford airport for a few hours sleep in the car before my flight to Limoges.

Sron na Creise scramble

Peaks: Sron na Creise, Stob a' Ghlais Choire (996m)
Area: Black Mount/Glencoe, Scotland
Routes: North Ridge (M/III:sol), North East Ridge (II:sol)
I have driven past Sron na Creise dozens of times and often eyed the obvious north ridge straight up the peak, which is a well-known scramble. The plan was for K to drop me off in Glen Etive, then I would complete this obvious scrambling mini-circuit as quickly as possible, then meet them all in the White Corries ski cafe - from where we would continue our homeward journey. It worked very well as a short and intense outing, with a great deal of rock to enjoy. From Glen Etive, I crossed the river then ran along the fairly gently inclined moor straight towards the ridge that runs down to the left of the obvious stream gully. There was an obvious alternative right of the gully, but the true ridge line left of the gully gets to grips with rock quite quickly and is much steeper. It took around 20 minutes of running to get to the base. The scrambling was excellent: good, clean rock, and a lot of it. An initial section of steep, clean slabs, leads to an easing before a series of shorter walls leads up to a more intimidating tower clearly visible as the steepest section from the valley. The rock runs to superb holds and remains clean and solid throughout. Hugely enjoyable, with good scrambling even as the ridge line begins to fragment higher up: less than an hour from glen to summit. Temperatures were cooler on the summit, with good views across to the Buachaille, and over the Mamores to Ben Nevis. The occasional shaft of sunlight peeking through the high cloud. From the top of Sron na Creise, I ran over to Stob a'Ghlais Choire, then straight down the NE Ridge - with the northern end of the Black Mount beyond. The NE ridge gives an easier and less distinctive route on to the Black Mount than the North, but still gives some scrambling. With no prior knowledge, it is slightly intimidating initially in descent, but a bit of weaving enables the base of the valley (Cam Ghleann) to be gained by a couple of enjoyable rocky gullies. A long run with an unavoidable diversion round the bottom of the side spur of Creag Dhubh eventually gains an indistinct path east to the White Corries, where we continued the journey home with me pouring with sweat. Around 95 minutes for this round.

Beinn na Seilg run and climbing

Peak/Crag: Beinn na Seilg, Ardnamurchan
Routes: Gabbro Slab (D:sol), Faradh Dubh (VD:sol/sh), Identity Crisis (VS 4c:sh), South-West Buttress (M:sol), Trident (VD/HS 4c:sh)
This was the hardest crag of all to find, given the paucity of information I had (just a scrawled note that it lay on the 'western slopes'). As the local Kilchoan crag, however, I was determined to find it and headed out in the late afternoon after sailing back from a lovely day in Tobermory. The weather remained perfect: warm, crystal clear, light easterly winds. I ran up to the Lochan Gleann Locha, as I had done on Tuesday, and scoured the western slopes beyond this. A mistake, as I was later to find out. There are numerous remote crags low down on the hill facing west, but none was correct. After some exhausting running up and down, I decided to go to the summit (which I wanted to do anyway). On emerging at the cairn, I immediately spied the crag, a really impressive 50m sweep of gabbro just below the 'secondary' summit that was obvious from our cottage. First of all, though, I enjoyed the view from the top. Indeed, as the sun began to drop I would honestly rate it perhaps the best I have ever experienced in Scotland (and that is up against some pretty stiff competition!). Directly above the western fringe of Ardnamurchan: wonderful views of the Isles, Mull and Ring Dyke in a beautiful soft light as the sun began to drop over the Atlantic. Memorable. I scampered down to the crag, which currently has no more than 20 routes on it. There is immense scope for development: at least 100 routes seemed possible if the shorter flanks are also developed. The main Hebrides Wall is a lovely sweep of gabbro slabs, at the upper limit of shunting feasibility. Indeed, the rope initially failed to reach the bottom so I soloed up a diff before following the pleasant line of what I took to be Faradh Dubh up the central slab. Identity Crisis was a more obvious harder line, taking a steep crack towards the left of the crag. Some tricky moves initially up a slanting groove, then easier above. All of these were 40m pitches. Trident was slightly longer, if anything. It took the obvious three flake 'trident' in the centre of the crag then stepped right. I think the route then goes even further right, but because of the line of the rope I had to go directly up. This gave two or three hardish moves on unhelpful side pulls: more like VS 4c temporarily. Above, I rejoined the original line. During one of the descents, I nipped up the scramble of the South West Buttress. In glorious sunshine, with the sun dropping over the sea below, not a person, car or house (one, maybe!) visible throughout the entire landscape, this was absolutely glorious. When I'd finished this brief session, I spent a few minutes just enjoying the stunning panorama whilst sitting near the cairn: total peace and solitude. Ran back down to Kilchoan in time to prepare our final evening meal.

Achnaha climbing

Crag: Button Slab (Achnaha)
Routes: Mickey (S:sol), Pash (S 4b:sol), Ludo (VD:sol), Felix (VD:sol)
Crag: Achnaha Buttress
Routes: Soul Searching (VS 4c:sh)
Crag: Black Slab (Achnaha/Sanna)
Routes: Sanna Seaming (HS 4b:sol)
Crag: Graffiti Slab (Achnaha/Sanna)
Routes: Triple Cracks (VD:sol), Mini Dyke (VD:sol)
Without a guidebook or large scale map it was proving difficult to locate these Ardnamurchan crags. Most were a fair walk from the road, all in stunning remote locations on the famous volcanic 'ring dyke' of small peaks that characterises this unique geological landscape. I knew there was an 'Achnaha Buttress' and spied a crag I thought it might be on another pre-breakfast outing. Still cold and blowy, with a little more cloud initially (not much though!). I trekked across a wild landscape, crossing the Allt Sanna river, then over an awkward series of subsidiary gabbro ridges - riddled with smaller crags - until emerging at a larger buttress. This was the place, but first I jogged up to the nearby Button Slab: a delightful slab of rough gabbro with four easy routes. They were all gentle: I started with the line up the middle, which went up the slab to a steepening taken on huge holds. I also did a few lines up two obvious cracks further left on this crag. Shunting on the main crag was tricky, with few belays on top, but I did manage to sample Soul Searching at a mild VS 4c, which goes up a steep flake to a pinnacle before some pleasant wall climbing. On the way back to the car, I stopped off at the immaculate black 'dome' slab that doesn't (apparently) have any routes on it. It must have been climbed, however, as it has three or four very eye-catching lines that looked (from below) like they might go at E1 5a: all on absolutely immaculate rock with superb friction. I did the easier 'seam' to the left at around HS 4b. Finally, I did a few rather contrived and escapable routes on 'graffiti slab', the broken 40ft crag with feint scrawled graffiti nearest the road. Delightful slabby padding in the morning sunshine although, again, people have presumably played on this for years. My first route took the obvious triple crack system, broken by ledges, on the right: I then did the miniature seam, quite delicate, up the darker slab further left. Home for breakfast at 10.15am!

Ardnamurchan Lighthouse climbing

Crag: Ardnamurchan Point (Ardnamurchan)
Routes: The Chimney (VD:sol/sh), Rick Diculous (VD:sol/sh), Eigg Scramble (D:sol), Home for Tea (S:sol/sh)
The wave-cut platform at the base of this crag is the most westerly few feet of land on the mainland of Britain, and is unlikely to have been trodden by many. That doesn't mean very much in these parts, with islands all around, but I have fond memories of Land's End's famous Long Climb in 1995, where you feel like you are climbing from the Atlantic into Britain. Ardnamurchan Point is further west than Land's End, and runs to a small crag that gives some nice gabbro climbs on rough rock almost directly below the famous lighthouse. I set up a shunt for some of the routes, clipping in at times partly because I was just guessing the lines of the routes. The first two were obvious, however. The distinct chimney is fun, as is the route up the arete on sharp holds. Much further right, I enjoyed a wonderful romp up a series of flake cracks on huge positive holds - preceded by a few awkward steps. I took this to be the line of Eigg Scramble, and I took Home for Tea to be the obvious clean open book corner/groove in the middle of the crag: the strongest line here. This was just a short family outing, immediately after lunch of local salmon at the nearby Sonachan hotel.

Beinn Resipol

Peak: Beinn Resipol (845m)
Area: Sunart, Scotland
A distinctive peak which attracts the eye from most directions, Beinn Resipol was an obvious option for an early morning run. Apart from Ben More, it was the only real mountain accessible from Kilchoan - but it was still a 45-50 minute drive down singletrack roads, a good indication of West Ardnamurchan's wonderful isolation. I set off very early as the family slept, as is my usual practice, and was running at 7am. The route goes from the Resipole campsite on the shore of Loch Sunart, through bluebell woods to gain a good track which curves round following the line of the Allt Mhic Chiarain. The track curves round to the east, then peters out into a boggy section before becoming a less distinct path rising towards the main peak. Ahead, to my great surprise, two 'walkers'. Oddly, I didn't seem to be gaining on them, despite my steady uphill jog and striding (again, I was treating the outing as training for the fell running season). It was only when I emerged at the rocky summit that I discovered that they too were runners, clad in Innov8s and carrying light OMM sacs. My mirror image: on family holidays, squeezing a mountain in to a couple of hours before breakfast to keep the rest of the day free (this has been my tactic for seven years!) Beinn Resipol is famed for its view, given its location on the western fringe of the Highlands. The perfect clarity this morning allowed for a full appreciation, although a chilly easterly blew over the summit (it had been completely calm during the ascent). West over Ardnamurchan towards Ben Hiant and the islands initially attracted my attention. Then south over Mull, and inland to the Mamores, Ben Nevis and more distant peaks to the south like Ben More and Cruachan. Sgurr na Ciche on Knoydart was also very obvious, bringing back memories of my chilly 1998 trip. Closer at hand were the superb looking mountains of Ardgour and Moidart, beyond the wild Loch Shiel. After drinking in the view, I pelted down the same way and was back in Kilchoan for breakfast.