Beat the Bounds Patterdale

 The inaugural event for this. True- Beating the parish bounds is far from a new idea but it has not been an event/race to enter before. Nicky the RO chatted to me at the Fellsman and was keen for me to give it a go. Runs on consecutive weekends would be interesting although today was not really a race (except once you start timing people then of course it is a race!) Mostly I knew the route but there is a twist. Modern paths do not always follow the parish boundary and so a GPX file was provided to show us where we should go and then on the map some 'virtual' CPs for us to try to hit too. I think most of us tried to do our best with this but we all seem to have slightly missed some of those CPs and some people certainly cut corners.

It was billed as about 43km and I knew it would have a great deal of ascent. I was slightly anxious about coming down Red Screes as I usually go up and the same on Stoney Cove Pike. I was also made more anxious by the weather forecasts all week. It seemed we would get wet, might have gales and maybe lightning! Fantastic.

Bob was injured so our plans of spending a few days in the van changed and I drove up early on Saturday morning. Soon after 7 I was parked at the cricket club and then walking to the school for registration. There was a full course, a half course and various family/kiddy offerings plus quite a wide start window of 5.30-9am. It was hard to judge the best time to start and I gave up calculating how long I might take to Kirkstone. The weather was very much better than anticipated so at 7.30am I set of in shorts, T shirt and long sleeved top. 

Flat calm on the lake first thing

Easy running along the paths that are parallel to the road led me through Patterdale and Glenridding. The lake was flat calm and I was already warm. I almost missed Stu as he was so bundled up in hat and coats but he spotted me and shouted a cheery hello. 

I found the track leading into Glencoyne no problem and there was a photographer waiting. 

Views back along Ullswater

I made a slight mistake at the farm but the lady was very understanding and let me through her gate. I then worked on reeling in the couple up ahead as I steadily climbed up the quiet Glencoyne. 

At the col near Sheffield Pike I caught them and found two young women from Leeds. We detoured to the summit of Stybarrow Dodd but not quite over the shoulder to the fence corner, oops. In our defence the cloud had rolled in and we thought we had done what was necessary. We ran pretty much together down to Sticks Pass and then over Whitestones and Raise.  They were faster on the descents but my stomping up hills kept me in touch. By Little Man it was clear one was pulling away and one was struggling. I ended up in the middle and chasing Zara for most of the journey to Kirkstone. Over Helvellyn and heading south we both stayed pretty close to the invisible boundary and both made the slight detour at Dollywagon Pike. 

Heading off Fairfield (no photos on Helvellyn as too cloudy)

From here the boundary takes a fairly direct line down and then up Seat Sandal. It is not quite pathless but it is steep and rough. I had chosen good shoes for rock but not quite so good for steep grass and mud. We started catching and overtaking early starters here and it did spur me on. I was also caught by later starting fast men, including some who knew me. The boggy mess at the bottom was short lived and then it was a tough climb to the next summit. Zara was slightly ahead but very much still in sight. The drop to the col near Grisedale Tarn was quickly over and then it was the long flog up Fairfield. I made good time here and smiled at the memories of May when we were there with our grandson. I stopped to take photos and a couple of guys pulled ahead but it was quite nice being a little relaxed and knowing that although I cared about my time it didn't really count for anything. I was on my own for a bit but after Hart Crag caught Zara and we realised that the men were not far ahead. After Dove Crag we had to stay by the wall and then spot the line of old iron fence posts, not turn earlier on the main path. I had thought about a short diversion to take in Little Hart Crag and so bag another Wainwright but I did not want to alarm the dot watchers and in the end was busy chatting to Zara anyway!

So much better than the forecast- looking east

After Scandale Pass I was conscious that we needed to stay by the wall and not take the diagonal path towards Red Screes. I had not spotted that we should actually go even further SE before heading for the summit. Looking at the tracker traces I don't think anybody did! I had now pulled away slightly and so led the way down the rocky steps and path to Kirkstone. It was mostly dry and far less hazardous than I had anticipated. 

Back to Ullswater again

I checked in and grabbed food and a cup of tea, Busy eating flapjack I forgot to refill my water but only realised once across the road and climbing behind the pub. 

I decided it would not be a real trouble and that I would find water if I needed it. Zara stayed longer at the CP and I never saw her again. 

It seemed a long way in this direction - I usually do this from the other direction heading downhill to Kirkstone. I was passing people though, including Lesley Malarkey (great effort by her as a V75). 

A nice surprise on Stony Cove Pike was to be met by Matt N. He was marshalling there in case it got wet and people were anxious. I knew the boundary followed the wall here and tried to stay true to this, only to find that the GPX file doesn't for some reason. The rock was dry and easy. I met my first two SLMM pair here and think they were doing Scafell/Elite, pretty sure I recognised them as lads I knew as kids when they orienteered. It was a long long pull up to Thornythwaite Beacon and here I started to meet SLMM folk in numbers, including friends. Staying by the boundary meant taking the big grassy quad bike track near the wall and this was fine until the first blast of rain came through. it was enough for me to stop and put my cag on and to hide my phone. I should have checked the map but in my delight at running downhill I veered from the wall and slightly missed Short Stile. I was soon on the short climb up Knott and my strava trace shows that I went over the top even though the tracker suggests I did two short straight lines here. I think perhaps it was only set to record data less often. 

I knew the drop to the col would be fast and that once I crossed the main path that the climb up Rest Dodd would be boggy. From here to Boredale Hause was the trickiest bit of the whole route so far as sticking to the boundary is concerned. Many people assumed it follows the wall but iinfact it seems to cut across 'nothing' to Satura Crags. 

Don't often go this side

It then does follow walls to Angle Tarn and here we met lots and lots of SLMM people. They had kindly flattened the marsh grass and so long as you picked the correct elephant track it was great. I have only been on the west side of the tarn orienteering and again slightly missed the virtual CP down by the lakeside/crag. I had now caught David and Ewan and we ran sort of together trying to pick the best way on pathless ground from Stony Rigg to Boredale Hause. Here the weather brought another short sharp shower. We were together most of the way up Place Fell although I missed one line going over Round How whilst they contoured round on the true boundary. I have never gone off Place Fell to the north and the boundary is not where the paths are. We made it to the Knight, a new mini summit for me. Interestingly my strava trace shows we reached the cairn but the tracker thinks we stopped short- we must have been too fast!

Just the final stretch now and a rather gnarly path at the start. David stopped with cramp but insisted I pushed on. Ironically I caught walkers who let me pass and in doing so I missed the grassy line down to the big track. My path ascended a little before a steep drop to Side Farm where I could see David just ahead. Easy running on the big farm track soon led to the back of the school and the finish where we crossed the line almost together. David though had started 5 mins after me that morning. 

There was plenty of drink and cake as we sat recovering outside. I was quite pleased to have beaten 8hrs 30. I finished 7th overall, 1st F, 1st M/FV60, 2nd M/FV50 and only a few minutes behind 5th and 6th place.  

Oh- and a long segment record and a few PRs on Strava. We moved inside for more chat, lots of wonderful soup and yet more cake and tea. 

The guys soon started leaving in search of a TV to watch England in the Euros. It was a good event and nice to raise money for the community- parking, cake, the event, teas etc. A number of friends had not known of the event, although it was on Si Entries, so I suspect next year it will get even more customers.