Cressbrook Crawl

Race: Cressbrook Crawl fell race (10.5k/400m)

Time/Position: 53.30 (7th from 67 [1st V50])

The ethos of the fallow year does not encompass complete avoidance of racing, but they have to fulfil certain criteria - namely, something I haven't done before, so I have no previous times to compare it too. Ideally, somewhere beautiful and not too hard as well. So I found myself heading over to the Peak on a glorious May day, to the tucked away hamlet of Cressbrook overlooking several of the Dales. The whole event was delightful, and it hasn't been staged since 2019, some explanation for a fairly small field (there were lots of other races on this weekend too). A road climb led to a wonderful looping descent down old tracks into Miller's Dale. Over a little bridge then a long climb up into the hills on the other side of the dale. Really delightful where it levels off through High Dale, most or all of this new terrain for me then a kink south to join the beautiful River Wye along its tranquil banks. Finally it was up onto the Monsal Trail, where I found myself weakening when I should have really made up ground. A proper river crossing over the Wye (similar to Wincle Trout) and then a horribly inevitable climb back up the lanes and little paths to Cressbrook. I was in 6th place at the start of this but was passed as we approached the village, although I did win my age category which was nice, as was the sumptuous array of incredible homemade post-race cakes. I have always preferred the prettiness of the White Peak/Derbyshire Dales, but I crossed over to the dark side for some bouldering at Windgather to cool down.

Bochlwyd horseshoe

Peaks: Tryfan, Glyder Fach

Area: Glyderau, Eryri

An old favourite, and perhaps the best way to maximise contact with Welsh granite whilst minimising the time required to do so. I first did this route in 1988, so know it pretty well! The weather was supposed to clear this morning, but never really did so, although I did get some spectacular views at times. I felt a little tired on the North Ridge, which took me exactly an hour (I have done it in 45 minutes in the past). I took it fairly direct, finding lots of little variant grooves and the like - in fact it was the first time I have been up the North Ridge since my Tryfan book was published. I had it completely to myself, as I did the summit, which is always a treat. A quickish descent in 13 minutes taking good lines down to Bwlch Tryfan, and then I felt much less tired for Bristly, approaching from the left and taking fairly direct lines to Pinnacle Gap, one of the more dramatic spots in the Welsh mountains, before escaping up right to a very misty Glyder plateau. This always means slightly tricky nav on the Glyders, and the cloud was thick enough to give drizzle, so I was glad of my coat. I descended the Gribin, sticking to the strict classic Bochlwyd Horseshoe route. This was a bit slower than usual, and I emerged to sunshine and spectacular cloudscapes on the shores of Llyn Bochlwyd. Down the steps and back to the car in time for lunch and an online meeting, just a tad over two hours for the loop.

Wnion loop from Aber

Peaks: Moel Wnion, Gyrn, Llefn, Moel Faban

Area: Carneddau, Eryri

The tiny little brother of the much bigger Llewellyn loop from Aber that I have done a couple of times, and as such suitable for a time-constrained outing. A dense sea mist made this interesting, and I was in a thick layer of cloud as I plotted my own way up Wnion from Aber (there isn't really a direct path) including a little woodland. I emerged from the mist at the cairn on Ffridd Ddu, looking down on a blanket of cloud over the Menai Strait. From here it is easy to join the main northerly path up (taken by the Foel Fras race decent) and the atmospheric conditions remained interesting - thick mist giving way to spectacular clearances over Llwytmor. It was clear on the summit, so I pelted down the Wnion race route, over Gyrn to Llefn, then the steep trench that leads directly to Faban (just under 14 mins for this section, taken at speed). Then I dropped through the gorse to take the intermittent ancient tracks that traverse the base of Wnion then curve round to the east and Aber. I re-entered the mist as I headed north and it was an absolute pea-souper almost all the way back.

Levengrove parkrun

'Race': Levengrove parkrun (Dumbarton)

Time/Position: 19.21 (3rd from 126)

Various commitments meant I had to return home after a very short trip, but it had served its purpose admirably as a stress test for the van. After another good night's sleep, I woke to the forecast low cloud, although it was dry and didn't actually look that bad (and I knew that it was better further north) so it was still pretty hard to start driving south. To ease the blow, I had decided to take in a parkrun, and the Levengrove parkrun in Dumbarton was perfectly placed. Beautiful light as I drove along Loch Lomond, with tendrils of mist draping the hills. Levengrove park was very nice too, with the River Leven on one side, and the Firth of Clyde on the other (although where the 'firth' begins and the river ends is debateable). It was all very nice, and I enjoyed the three lap parkrun, although I was a little tired and more than a little sluggish. An uphill drag at the far end of the park was enough to really slow times, but it was very enjoyable, and I then had breakfast before leaving the town. 

Tyndrum hills

Peaks: Beinn Dubhchraig, Ben Oss

Area: Tyndrum, Scotland

With such limited time at my disposal, I just focused on filling in a few obvious gaps in the Southern Highlands (not that I'm a munro bagger or anything). I have been up Ben Lui twice in the past, and it is one of Scotland's finest mountains, but I hadn't done its twin satellites on the Tyndrum side. So this seemed a logical outing from my base in Dalrigh. After a good night's sleep in the van, and a bacon bap, I set off across the Fillan into a glorious morning towards the wonderful regenerated woodland of Coille Coire Chuilc. A long and rather boggy haul up the shallow Allt Choire Dubchraig, rarely particularly steep, leads into the upper bowl and the ridge east of the summit. After this, the hardest work is done and the broad ridge was superb in crystal clarity - the Southern Highlands at their sparkling May best. When it is like this, it is magical: and it took me right back to my first ever May trip in 1989, when I went up the southern Glencoe peaks with a similarly inexperienced lad from Ruabon (it was a Manchester University hiking club trip). In a different technological context, we had no weather forecast and after a stunning, glorious start on Buachille Etive Beag it changed very suddenly on Bidian nam Bian, one of Scotland's more serious peaks, and a salutary lesson ensued. No chance of that happening today, the weather was set fair until tomorrow morning at least, and there was barely a cloud in the sky as I reached the undistinguished summit of Dubhchraig. From here, the ridge stretches out to Ben Oss with Lui in the distance. I could also see across to yesterday's peaks as well as the hills across the valley like Beinn Dorain. I trotted along the ridge to a steep descent down to the pronounced Bealach Bhuidhe (with lonely Loch Oss shimmering below) before climbing back out the other side to a forepeak, and then another descent before the main summit of Ben Oss was reached. This mountain is famous for its full-on view of Ben Lui, arguably one of the best views in Scotland. A couple of snow patches lent this particular definition. I then had a bit of a dilemma: whether to continue to Ben Lui or fashion an interesting descent down to Cononish. I went for the latter, returning to the col as I thought I had read it is the best way down to the glen. I had actually read that it is the worst way down, and that it is conventional to retrace steps. Oh well, I should concentrate harder! It was fine, a little steep at the top and then tiresomely tussocky at the bottom, but the Choire Bhuidhe was completely untracked, empty and with the Highland flavour I enjoy. A tricky river crossing at the bottom, but with a superb view up to the central gully of Ben Lui. A climb then led to the track that becomes a road lower down the glen, because there is a working goldmine two-thirds of the way up. It is still a long haul back to Dalrigh though, and I began to feel those 10,500ft of ascent over the last 24 hours, and another 20k day, albeit at a very gentle pace. A river bath in Strath Fillan, and then a gentle amble through the birch woods to the Tyndrum cafe for scampi and chips.

Ben Vane-Ben Vorlich

Peaks: Ben Vane (915), Ben Vorlich (943)

Area: Arrochar Alps, Scotland

A steep double-header with well over 1800m of climbing. I wouldn't normally do a biggish day like this immediately after driving up, but I only had 48 hours in the Southern Highlands, a brief test for my still unconverted van! An early start, but an efficient drive saw me parking at Inveruglas before 1pm. So it was perfectly feasible to combine these two and still have time for tea at the Real Food cafe. A roadside jog along Lomondside led to the tarmac road up to Loch Sloy. This part of the Arrochar Alps is a little spoiled by the access road to the reservoir and numerous power cables. However, Ben Vane is pretty impressive from the approach road, as it A'Chrois across the valley. The road makes for quick progress and then it is on to the stepped climb up the obvious south-east ridge. This was initially delightful in perfect weather, weaving round, passing little crags, the views opening out. Higher up though the wind became quite strong and there are a lot of false summits on this hill. So many that it became quite tedious and time consuming at the top. Once there, great views over this mini range, back to the Cobbler and Ben Narnain, both of which I did two years ago. Ahead, Ben Lomond and most of Loch Lomond. And to the north, the familiar hills around Tyndrum. The descent was easy and enjoyable, and then I took a traverse line, perhaps some kind of ancient path, which cut the corner below Loch Sloy to nasty tussocks. After a drink from the stream, I located the Vorlich path and started up this, conscious I had already done 1000m of climbing. As such, I was pleased to feel good and actually found Vorlich a bit easier, as the steepness relents halfway to a traverse before an interesting broad ridge through little crags (typical of this micro-region) leads to the trig - although the true summit is a little way beyond this. Windy but bracing views across the Southern Highlands, the quality of light improving as the sun dropped a little. A quick descent, jogged in places, back to the tarmac and long gentle descent back to Inveruglas and a cleansing bath in Loch Lomond. Less than 4 hours for the 20k/1850m route, so not too slow. I refuelled in Tyndrum and slept in the little Dalrigh carpark - perfect.

Border League relays

Race: Border League final relay, Birkenhead Park (1 mile)

Time/Position: 5.20 (14th team?)

A novel finale for the border league this season. All positions and prizes were already sorted after Hoylake in March, so an informal team relay around Birkenhead Park preceded the presentation at the historic rugby club instead of the usual 7th raee. I went off first for our four man Buckley veteran's team, and was fairly pleased to get round the anticlockwise circuit (like a short version of the usual borders lap) in 5.20. The gentle drag at the end always slows times a little, and did so today. Richard Shearer, Jez and Liam made up the rest of our team, and we all ran fairly similar times although lost out to Wallasey veterans on the night. Possibly 14th team overall, not sure.