UK fell relays

Race: British fell and hill relays (Todmorden) Leg 3 navigation

Time/Position: 1.41 (110th from 200 teams overall)

Buckley's eighth time at the fell relays, and mine too as the only ever-present member. I was captain again this year, and partnered Andy on the nav leg, which we have done together before. It went reasonably well with some decent route choices but physically we were well off the pace compared to previous years. The base was Todmorden cricket club and nearby park (which marks the old boundary between Yorkshire and Lancashire, I think) and all the legs initially went up the steep paths through the woods towards the open moorland of Flower Scar. These hills are not very big, around the 450m mark, so I wasn't surprised that the nav leg maximised the climbing wherever it could! A very boggy first checkpoint led to a climb up Flower Scar and then began an inevitable series of climbs and descents, initially heading north to a little stream valley, then doubling back through steep woodland to the moorland highpoint at Carr and Crags. A draining haul over the tussocky moorland down towards Clough Head before taking another climb to a hidden stream valley. After this, the terrain became easier and more runnable as it headed east then north via one tricky checkpoint hidden by a gate next to a steep stream valley. I worked this out and we finally gained some places here, as the four teams in front missed it initially. Then came a nice run-in via Stones Farm with good views over the Calder Valley.

PitP parkrun

'Race': Park in the Past parkrun

Time/Position: 19.03 (1st from 107)

Another quick blast around the local parkrun, beginning to take on its autumnal characteristics: big puddles and a bit of mud. This makes it slipper and slower, but it's still not too bad. This was my 4th 'win' at PitP and continues a decent recent trend, three 'wins' from the last four parkruns, with the other a very close second. Not races, of course, but aged 56 I'll take what I can! I jogged there and back from home, making it an even more enjoyable start to the weekend.

Llandegla BL

Race: Llandegla 5m+ (Border League race 1)

Time/Position: 35.30 (67th from 346 [1st V55])

Unless I have miscounted, this was my 100th Border League race, 21 years since my debut at Hoylake. Given my current lack of training and mileage, I was fairly pleased with my performance on what was a tough course by Borders standards. I can think of very few 'trail' races in the league over the years, so this was a real novelty on gravel tracks, with quite a lot of elevation (270m or so), so I was keen to do it despite hoping to ease off a bit in the league this year. It took in the main firetrack loop anticlockwise from just below the cafe. I took it fairly steady on the first climb: it then eased before a final steep kicker, nice views across the Clwydians, before the fast descent. Parking was inevitably going to be tricky, so we parked in Gwynfryn and jogged along the track from there, increasing the mileage to 13k or so.

Black Combe

Peaks: Black Combe

Area: Millom, Lake District

Black Combe is a real outlier, much closer to the sea than the rest of the Lakes and far removed from the central, better known fells. After the parkrun, I had the 'no fuss' breakfast and a pot of tea at the excellent Byre cafe in Bootle, setting me up nicely for part two of the morning. I parked at Whitbeck and adopted a 'running approach' although the hill is steep initially as it takes a giant zigzag south to the high ground above the side valley of Moorgill Beck. Great views down to the Irish Sea, after which the main track is gained which allows for pretty quick progress, even though I was a bit tired. I got to the top in less than 45 minutes, with a bit of mist draping the summit. This cleared on the exhilerating run down to reveal superb views of the sea below: I felt better than I have for some time, pelting down feeling something of the 'old magic' which was pleasing after the parkrun. No heel pain either, which obviously helped. I took in the cairn on the top of the spur above Whicham for even better views before finishing the descent: 69 minutes up and down.

Muncaster Castle parkrun

'Race': Muncaster Castle parkrun

Time/Position: 19.01 (1st from 114)

I was close to oversleeping in the van, so didn't even have a chance for coffee before heading from the hostel down towards the Cumbrian coast. This parkrun seemed the most interesting local option, and was by far the closest: it is entirely within the grounds of Muncaster Castle, a little reminiscent of Bodnant, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. My legs were a little tired after the last few days but I had a pretty good run around the three lap course which is nicely undulating: a longish climb from the cafe up a narrow tarmac path to a fast descent and then gravel loop around the castle itself with views down to Black Combe which I planned to run up next. I found myself in first place after the first lap and then felt reasonably strong for the final two undulating laps. Down on last week's time, but this is definitely a slower course. My 14th first place finish at the 'timed run' (not a race!) in 11 different venues.

Scafell from Eskdale

Peaks: Scafell, Slight Side

Area: Scafell, Lake District

I hate to think how long it has been since I was last on top of Scafell (as opposed to Scafell Pike). Actually, I know of course, as I have always taken copious notes: it was July 1989, remarkably enough. At the time I noted how unpleasant Lords Rake was, and there is a little asterisk next to the handwritten entry to denote 'photos taken from summit', which makes me feel quite old! This morning, over 37 years later, I took a completely different route after a leisurely breakfast at the hostel, waiting for overnight rain to clear. The rain did clear, although the day never really did become sunny as was forecast. I took the tracks above the Esk northeast through a farm to cross Scale Gill at the little bridge. From here, a shortcut zigzags up to pass round the back of Silverybield Crag and this gives way to a level path to the upper Esk, a wild place by Lakes standards, reminiscent of Scotland on a day like today with mist draping the tops. The shortcut worked a treat, passing through Sampston's Stones to Cam Spout, a triple waterfall coming down from the upper cwm. I am virtually certain I've never been here before, it's a great spot. The rock was a bit damp but I took a moderate scrambling line direct up the slabs immediately right of the falls itself (taken direct I think this is grade 3, but certainly not by the route I took). Above the falls, the path heads up right into the mist - it actually heads to the famous col of Mickledore, but I gradually realised I should be looking for Foxes Rake, which is a shallow gully almost hidden from below in misty weather like this. It was very wet but I headed up into the mist and it gave a lovely, if wet, little scramble. Very atmospheric, emerging at tiny Foxes Tarn before a final scree slope gives access to Scafell's summit, a great way up the mountain, varied and interesting throughout. Thick mist, although it did try (briefly and unsuccessfully) to clear as I descended the rocky ridge towards Slight Side. This is a minor summit, a lump on the ridge with a rocky top, and I finally emerged from the mist below Great How. The terrain is much grassier and moorland-like here (Quagrigg Moss) and I made good progress through the boggy terrain to gain the Terrace Route back to Wha House and Eskdale. Although wet and boggy in places, this was a great way to regain the main Eskdale valley, slipping between little rocky lumps like Cat Crag with a bonus view of the entirety of the Hardknott climb to keep me entertained: 17k, 1000m in 3.40, after which I recovered with local bitter and an excellent pizza at the Woolpack.

Hardknott Pass

Arguably the hardest road pass in Britain, this is a pretty daft thing to do on a bike, as it would be quicker for almost anybody to do it on foot. It rears up to a ludicrous 33% at the top hairpin so it is right on the limit of the possible in terms of staying upright. I have driven over it a couple of times over the years but thought I would take advantage of this year's cycling elevation to give it a go, although it is a tad intimidating. It has only been a couple of months since I was on the Galibier: which is at least ten times longer with five times the elevation gain. But the typical Alpine engineered climb stays at 8% or thereabouts, very different to this! After a long drive from home I parked up in Eskdale Green for a warm up along the valley through Boot and the hostel until the climb starts suddenly at a telephone box. It immediately rears up then gets even steeper over a cattle grid before veering left for the first mega-steep bit. I managed to do it, and then comes a bit of 'level' relief (actually just standard Alpine gradient) until the even steeper second section, which reaches its peak at the 33% leftward hairpin. After the first bit, I wasn't confident I could stay upright and stepped off the bike at the hairpin, the classic place to fail apparently. Very annoying and instead of carrying on by foot I cycled down (tricky in itself), toys thrown from pram! After an interlude doing Harter Fell, and therefore expending more energy, I decided it was unfinished business and went back (in afternoon sunshine) wearing normal shoes just resting on the pedals rather than clipped in! My logic was that, although I would lose power, if I failed I could at least get my foot down before toppling over. And this worked, rather surprisingly. I did have to stop briefly right at the bottom as two cars passed each other on the narrow road, but I stayed upright through the steepest bits and pulled through the grotesque crux hairpin with immense difficulty given my cruel gearing (my old triple would have been fine). Above the 33% section the road remains at least 20% as you crawl to the top - quite a mini-experience.

Harter Fell

Peaks: Harter Fell

Area: Eskdale, Lake District

This is a lovely hill when seen from Eskdale, draped in woodland lower down, rocky and shapely higher up. I don't think I've ever been up it before but did a mountain marathon (the Saunders I think) around the lower slopes some years ago. After my unsuccessful first attempt at Hardknott, it was a relief to be gently jogging along the Esk riverside path which led to a whole range of micropaths through surprisingly thick bracken, not something I associate with the Lakes - overgrown and unpopular paths! Very steep, then boggy, until I gained the standard Duddon track. Another path branches off from this and weaves round the little crags that dot the upper slopes of Harter. I was a bit tired after the violence of the ride and a fairly fast social run last night, but I kept a decent pace going until the three little crags that mark the summit - 44 minutes or a little less from the road. Slightly hazy views to Hardknott and Scafell, but there was a fair amount of cloud around. I made a nice 5 mile loop by then taking the grassier eastern slopes towards the top of Hardknott Pass. This was boggy and a bit dull, but did get me down quickly. Hardknott is so narrow and tenuous that you can't even see the road until you emerge onto the rutted tarmac. I ran down it, examining the fearsome hairpin, and taking a few direct shortcuts through the heather: 1.23 for the 9.2k/600m loop.

Ruthin parkrun

'Race': Ruthin parkrun

Time/Position: 18.36 (2nd from 141)

I took a few seconds off my own V55 course record here. The performance felt much of a piece with recent form, still not doing much running with the heel issues at present but recording slightly faster 5k times with some tempo training at short distances. In fact this was my quickest time of 2026, although still a minute down on my best V55 times last summer, never mind the times I was running in my early 50s. Perhaps my fifth running of the Ruthin event, in good conditions, followed by a delightful breakfast.