Knutshoe

Peaks: Knutshoe (1517m)

Area: Jotunheimen, Norway

Knutshoe is a perfect miniature mountain which gave an ideal start to my Jotunheimen trip. This was my return to the Norwegian mountains after 35 years away. My university expeditions to Okstinden in 1989 and 1991 had an enormous impact on me, it's probably not an exaggeration to say that in many ways they changed my life. I assumed I would return to Norway regularly, but I suppose I was lured away by many other (cheaper) mountain ranges worldwide. So the return was long overdue, particularly as it is so easy to get to the Jotunheimen, making it ridiculous that this was my first visit. After weeks of glorious weather, I was unlucky in the sense that the weather changed when I arrived. In fact persistent rain was forecast from around 5pm, so as soon as I saw Knutshoe from the Oslo bus, free of cloud and sitting in the landscape as a perfect little ridge, I asked the driver to drop me off at Vargebakken, and then it was straight into it at around 2pm. Cloud draped the higher Bessegen ridge across Lake Gjende and was very threatening over the bigger peaks to the west, but Knutshoe remained clear. The little birch trees, lichen and juniper immediately bought memories flooding back and I immediately felt at home in the landscape. The route is level for a while and then comes the first rise to gain the long ridge which forms the mountain. This is the steepest part of the entire route and actually has a couple of tricky scrambling moves, perhaps even grade 2 or 3, up a sort of open book groove below a steep wall. It doesn't last long and gives way to a broad ridge up which I made quick progress, trying to get up before the rain, which now seemed inevitable. It goes up and down a bit to gain a final forepeak before a descent. Then comes the last steep scramble on good rock, really enjoyable, to the true summit. Extraordinary views down to Ovre Leirungen, a turqouise lake and valley which feeds into the famous Lake Gjende, which I could also see. The ambience was stunning with black clouds draped around the higher peaks, plunging waterfalls, the two lakes, and across to big interior peaks like Storend. The modern description for this is 'epic', probably apt in this instance, and I couldn't believe it has taken me 35 years to come back. It started to rain as soon as I started the descent but never developed beyond light showers, meaning the tricky downclimb was fine with a bit of thought. At the base I had to get to Gjendesheim so took a side path through boggy birch woodland and a path along the eastern banks of Nedre Leirungen with perfect views back to Knutshoe. I had to regain the road where the Sjoe river feeds into the Gjende, exhilarating meltwater, to loop back to the packed Gjendesheim hut where I had to spend the night on a sofa in the lower lounge after feasting on superb reindeer stew. It rained heavily from 5pm, incredibly atmospheric views from the hut across the black lake.

Bochlwyd climbing

Crag: Clogwyn Bochlwyd

Routes: Wall Climb (HS 4b:sec), Arete and Slab (D:led), One Pitch Route (VS 4c:sec), Chimney Climb Direct (HS 4b:sec), Two Pitch Route (S:sec)

A venue I have visited many times, but even though I was largely just a passenger again today I did a couple of variations I don't think I've done before. Peter kicked off with Wall Climb in disappointing weather: cool, almost cold, and unexpectedly windy. It gives a great pitch, quite stiff for the grade, which I remembered fairly well although it must be decades since I led it. A ramp goes left to a steep wall with some great climbing on sharp holds up to a ledge. Above this, after a steep crux pull the angle eases. Nice pitch, windy throughout but Peter was experimenting with mini walkie-talkies which worked really well. I then led the easy Arete and Slab which I've done many times before, including solo, up a steep crack on enormous holds to the slabbier finish. I don't think I've ever done One Pitch Route before, and enjoyed following Peter up it. Essentially an eliminate, it goes up to Marble Slab before sidling leftwards along a horizontal crack to a short and surprisingly technical crux with little for the feet. After lunch we got on the old Eryri classic, Chimney Climb. I hate to think how long ago I did this with Tim: 35 years perhaps? It was so dry that Peter did the direct version, which goes up a black, mossy crack - presumably usually horribly damp but today dry and climbable. It gives a steep layback to the ledge, after which an awkward steep move over the obstruction leads to the easier upper chimney - I remembered this from all those years ago. Finally, we did the mild severe Two Pitch Route which I've done many times before.

Crewe parkrun

'Race': Crewe parkrun

Time/Position: 18.47 (8th from 432)

Eight hours in Crewe: does it get any better? This kicked the day off and was an encouraging performance by recent standards, particularly given my lack of current mileage. Queens Park in Crewe is delightful, it must be one of the most scenic urban parks in the region, and the parkrun takes three laps of it. It is tight and twisting, with a few little climbs, but all on tarmac paths. I worked my way up the field after a quickish first lap and felt reasonably good until the sprint finish, which was a little way beyond where I expected it to be! After breakfast I then headed off for a bike ride to Mow Cop, incorporating the killer mile. I was a minute slower than my 'on foot' time recorded in March and - unlike the Cheshire Cat sportive in 2011 - I failed to do it one go and essentially chickened out of the ludicrously steep section near where the pub used to be. In the 2011 sportive I did stay upright on my triple and have a medal and photo to show for it! I then rode back via Kidsgrove, where I got lost in a council estate, and then an awful short section of the A500 before getting to Barthomley and back to Crewe Green in time for the football, part three of the Crewe day.

Holt to Horseshoe 75k

A nice way of incorporating the Alpine-style ascent of the Horseshoe from Llangollen via a long warm-up. A very long warm-up really, from home to Holt and then south to Cross Lanes via a closed road and the continuation along Kiln Lane to Eyton. From here, the character changes as the route heads west to Johnstown and Ruabon before heading to Llangollen. I had a cheese pastie and then despatched the climb, which didn't go as well as it should have done given my Alpine training! Home via Bwlchgwyn and Cefn y Bedd.

St Asaph 90k loop

Another variant on the Tour de Flintshire concept, although this one contained substantial chunks of Denbighshire! I will have to work a Flanders-style 'Ronde' maximising the climbs one day. This morning I rode to Mold via Padeswood, then Peter joined me for the climb through Cadole and up to Penbarras from the gentle side (unlike my trials up the other side last week). This is still quite steep towards the top, and the descent is so steep that it isn't very relaxing with my skinny tyres. Below, the Vale of Clwyd looked more like Almeria with baked yellow fields throughout. We rode along the quiet lanes through Gellifor and Llandyrnog to Bodfari, where we went out seperate ways: Peter back to Mold and me to St Asaph. I put in a bit of an effort from Trefnant crossroads to St Asaph cathedral - 6.04 at 32.6km/h, but I was held up at the lights to be fair so most of it was 36km/h which by my standards is good. A lovely lunch in St Asaph was perfect fuelling for the return up Rhuallt hill to the quiet lanes through Babell and Halkyn, descending to Mold and home via Pontblyddyn.

Carreg y Foel Gron

Crag: Carreg y Foel Gron, Moelwynion

Routes: Shark's Fin (HS 4b:sec), Slab Direct (E1 5a:sec), Too Many Children (VS 4c:sec), Elephant's Walk Direct (HS 4b:sec), Skinny Arete (VD:led)

I was passenger for most of the day today, for several very good reasons. It is a nice venue, I remember playing around on this crag a few years ago with a shunt and maybe some soloing. We went to the upper tier first, where Peter led the obvious plum line of the Shark's Fin. If this was two or three times longer it would be a total classic. As it is, a shuffle up and right gains the arete which is climbed in a lovely position. It is much easier than it looks. The upper tier has a delightful tranquil atmosphere, with views of the central Moelwynion, and the rock is perfect: rough, unpolished and wonderfully textured. Slab Direct was also good with some tricky finishing moves straight up the obvious feature (which gets steep at the top). A lovely VS crackline finished our business here, another route which would be a famous classic if only it was longer. The lower tier is far more popular and often has groups on it. The rock is still excellent and rough though, and the direct on Elephant's Walk gave a great pitch which I may have done before: wonderful holds and pleasant cracks. Finally, I led the easy but enjoyable line of Skinny Arete which goes up a very gentle slab before pulling comfortably on to a steeper but short final ridge. Plenty of time for a pint in the Albion before collecting Kate.

Alderford Lake parkrun

'Race': Alderford Lake parkrun

Time/Position: 18.59 (3rd from 196)

An unexpected V55 age group course record, probably due to perfect underfoot conditions rather than any kind of 'speed'! It is a lovely course, two laps around a delightfully tranquil tree-lined lake - a bit like a more scenic version of Park in the Past. As we are in a drought, the ground is rock hard so although this course is all off-road (grass and dusty paths) and quite tortuous I was able to maintain a decent pace, at least on the first lap. It is the 257th running of this parkrun so the course record was a surprise. Another beautiful sunny morning, not too hot.