Lakes Mountain 42

Race: Lakes Mountain Ultra, shortened course (28m/7000ft)
Time/Position: 5.30 (22nd from 120)
Generally speaking, I dislike it when races are shortened: believing that the responsibility for competing should rest with the runners, not the organisers. However, there are sometimes exceptions, and today was - I think - one of those where the shortening was probably the right decision. The reason was obvious: hard-packed snow-ice on Helvellyn, where runners would have been tired and vulnerable, along with -17C windchill, meant that one of the two big loops taken by the course was removed entirely. After a night in the back of a van in Askham, we set off for the long (11 mile) climb up High Street at 8am. Given the shortening, it seemed sensible to push a little harder than planned (with a view to marathon training - three weeks until London!). Conditions were fairly grim: this is just open moorland from the edge of the Lakes up to the first checkpoint Loadpot Hill in thick clag and wet snow. From here, the route climbed over a series of whaleback summits, the weather getting progressively worse until we reached the hard-packed snow at High Raise. Jim and I ran together for this section, drifting too far left at one point. A bitter northerly, snow, and icy ground up to High Street - quite a contrast to my last time here, in glorious sunshine on the Kentmere horseshoe last summer. Then came the tricky nav, back north to towards Knott, then looking out for another junction to gain the undulating path to the next checkpoint at Angle Tarn. Snow gave way to driving sleet but we picked a really good line down, excellent running to eventually gain the tarn. We finally emerged from the mist above Boredale Hause with Patterdale below. Very wet, heavy rain, as we entered the climbers hut for a good feed - cheese, nuts and tea. Jim and I were still together as we began the crux climb up Place Fell, taking the normal route (which I last did while Kate had a drink in the hotel, 2001 perhaps) as opposed to the horribly steep direct climb. Either way, it is a hard slog, with heavy snow high up and verglassed rocks on top.Tricky navigation off the fell towards Martindale, new territory for me, although I think I got it more or less right down to the valley then along the road to Martindale. Views over Ullswater for the very long run-in along bridleways back to Askham. Second ultra of the year, albeit much shorter than planned: currently 7th overall in the British ultra running championships although I'm not sure that will last!

Minera climbing

Crag: Minera Quarry
Routes: The Open Grey Groove (f4:led), Hard Start (f6a+:led), Narrow Arete (f6a+:sec)
The mini-beast from the east meant this was an unpleasant experience far removed from previous visits to this undistinguished crag, where it's possible and quite easy to tick all the (overgraded) routes in a couple of hours. Today, no more than 2C and cloudy: horrible and particularly unfortunate given the technical and fingery nature of the climbing. Two leads and it was time to go, the cold spring weather a factor yet again.

Dyserth climbing

Crag: Dyserth Castle Slab
Routes: Tegeingl (f5+:led), The Purple Ladies (f6a:sec), Llewellyn ap Gruffydd to Neil Crud (f6a+:led), Jason and the Aga Nuts (f5a:sec), Leo Saw us Rex (f4:sec)
Crag: Ty Newydd
Routes: Madasafish (f5+:led), Wild Garlic (f6b:led)
An unusually long winter, so it was very welcome to have some sunshine this morning: birdsong and warmth on this sheltered and south-facing crag. I've done all the routes before, so we just used it as a shakedown before I upped the grade slightly for the 6a+ up the vague arete on the left: nicely delicate and an absorbing, enjoyable pitch. Steve led a couple of easy routes, and we then tried to find Ty Newydd, a new venue for me despite its location. It is uncompromisingly steep, hidden in a tight green valley of wild garlic. After a short 5+ warm-up, I led the scruffy Wild Garlic at an awkward 6b, which takes a dirty wall to hard moves round a bulge. Then came some unforecast rain and it was back to normal again.

HK-Famau-Mold

I've been meaning to run from my home on the England-Wales border to the top of Moel Famau for years: this formed an ideal final long run before next weekend's Lakes 42 ultra. From Kinnerton I ran up through Buckley, then Mold and Gwernymynydd. I then did an extra loop through the woods towards Gwernaffield, then briefly joined the usual Friday night run after a snack. I broke off to take the usual route to the summit and then, after an excellent couple of pints at the Collie, ran back to Mold for some much needed food and a lift home. A good 20 miler, albeit slow.

Ras yr Aran

Race: Aran fell race (shortened:5m/600m)
Time/Position: 52.17 (24th from 57)
There are few other races quite as prone to bad weather as this one: coming as it does in mid-March, going up to just below 3000ft, staying high for a while, and with the summit of Aran Fawddwy a long way from help. It is, as a result, one of my favourites: a real mountain race. But it does mean that it often has to adapt to the conditions: last year, this meant it turned back just below the summit scree in ferocious wind and driving rain. One year I can remember it turning back at a very icy Aran Benllyn. This year, it turned round at the much lower Moel Ffenigl, just over 600m, a mere pimple on the long ridge up to Fawddwy. This seemed a shame but was perhaps understandable given the conditions; -20c windchill and snow showers. It's the length of the summit ridge that makes it an unusually exposed race for the time of year. The shortening meant the race turned into a fast dash up to the 600m Ffenigl, which was unfortunate given that I've done no speedwork for months - way off the pace, miles down the field, struggling particularly on the climb as intermittent snow showers swept in, so cold that I got a headache. Warmed down in a blizzard along the side of Llyn Tegid.

Haworth Hobble

Race: Haworth Hobble (32m/4500ft)
Time/Position: 5.44.32 (58th from 313)
Only my third ultra marathon, and those have been widely dispersed over a decade: from the Icelandic Laugavegur in 2008 to the Manx Mountain Ultra in 2012. I'm convinced I am physically unsuited to proper distance events, the longer they go on the worse I do: but focusing on ultras this year does nevertheless have some logic, as I've had enough of speedwork (temporarily), and of the 500 races I've done over a 20 year period, properly long stuff remains the obvious gap. As such, this was just an appetizer, an entry level affair which hovers someway between a short ultra and a long fell race in character. It was a superb event, hugely enjoyable, and not just because I took it all at a very slow ambling pace - it was also a great, logical loop around this section of upland Yorkshire. A pleasant evening with Peter and Jez in the Fleece pub in Haworth, a night sleeping in the car outside the YHA, and an early start in claggy, misty and wet conditions. The route leaves Haworth to head up to Top Withens of Wuthering Heights fame: along good tracks over the misty spine of Wadsworth Moor and along a series of lakes and reservoirs (Walshaw Dean to Widdop) skirting Widdop Moor to the north. After some road, increasing the pace in heavy rain, it was back on the Pennine Bridleway way out to the west with Burnley in sight below. Boggy underfoot after all the recent snow; big drifts rapidly melting. In Lancashire now, perhaps? Round Hurstwood and Clough reservoirs to Worsthorne Moor and another road section (the long causeway) after a feed. This was only about 13 miles in; I was feeling OK but a bit more tired than I should have been given the gentle pace. A hotdog followed, with fried onions and mustard! I regretted this immediately - stomach pain, predictably enough - but it did help maintain energy for the hard, boggy and rocky section that came next, through the mist above the upper Calder Valley. Some lovely little side valleys with wisps of mist, drystone walls and snow drifts, then it was back down to the valleys again in Todmorden. Tricky navigation through the streets to gain a very steep climb which led to the much higher village of Mankinholes and another feed station (cheese pastie this time!). This was 20 miles in, and I knew that I would struggle in from here given lack of mileage in training. First, though, I had a second wind and really enjoyed the run through the lower moor below Stoodley Pike with the mist clearing and beautiful views. The climb up the Pike is steep and tiring, the top a huge Victorian monument looming out of thick clag. Then comes another descent back to the valley, arduous now with steep tarmac all the way down to Hebden Bridge, where more tortuous ginnels and steep steps lead to the brutal climb up to cobbled Heptonstall. The fatigue then kicks in for the long run in through great scenery (although my ultra conservative slow approach paid dividends in the sense that I wasn't too tired) taking in the wild moorland above Oxenhope (which I've visited by bike along the Tour route) to Penistone Hill and, eventually, Haworth again.

Cwm Cneifion winter climbs

Crag: Cwm Cneifion/Idwal
Routes: Nameless Stream (wIII:sol), Cneifion Stream (wIII:sec/sol)
On the one hand, this was unlucky: several days of superb conditions with some very rarely formed routes up for grabs ended just before we arrived at Ogwen in low cloud and driving rain. On the other hand, we salvaged the only morsels realistically achieveable in the few hours available. We didn't arrive until lunchtime, by which time the rain was hammering down and the snow around Idwal melting very rapidly: temperatures had climbed to 5C and looked set to rise further, not promising. All the water-ice lines had formed around Idwal - the snow in Ogwen had remained light (in contrast to the Clwydians) and unconsolidated throughout the cold snap associated with the 'Beast from the East'. However, they were all rapidly melting and looked grim, so we felt that Cwm Cneifion would give us the best chance of salvaging something, as it often does. Taking the steep path up, we decided to look at the lower Nameless Stream which seemed to be quite fat from a distance (the stream which drops to Idwal from the lip of Cwm Cneifion). This was a great decision as despite some meltiness, it remained very well formed water-ice and gave a splendid route up into the upper cwm. Even better, I don't think I've ever done it before (although I could be wrong, it did seem vaguely familiar). Some surprisingly steep rises and an excellent section of snow ice up a curved runnel towards the top. The turf was well frozen too: a fine grade III watercourse in surprisingly good nick, and a fun way into the upper cwm. As usual, Cwm Cneifion itself was another world - the driving rain gave way to snow and the upper cwm was white and thick. Lower down, we did the excellent icefall marking the start of the Cneifion Stream. Dave led a nice 30m pitch which took three seperate steps of good grade III ice, more solid than the lower route. We then continued up another pitch, easier and slabby and walked into the always atmospheric upper cwm as heavy snow fell and Clogwyn Du was barely visible through the thick mist. A very wet descent back to Ogwen ensued: pouring rain lower down combined with the snowmelt.

Clwydian run

It's been a few years since we've seen head-height drifts in the Clwydians and even by the standards of 2010 or 2013 a lot of snow has fallen higher up recently. A memorable Collie run on Friday, chest-deep drifts by the fences and heavy snowfall as we drank our pints: a tricky drive home. This morning we ran from Mold past two cars abandoned in drifts to Moel Findeg in thick mist, then over Bryn Alyn to a magical Nercwys forest, thick snow and draped trees. The road back had been ploughed, with the snow over head height on each side. Several good long runs recently, in preparation (inadequate, as ever) for next weekend's Haworth Hobble.