Tribute to Joss

 It would have been nice to wait a week and do it on the day of his funeral but then I would have had too little recovery before the L100. This was to be my third attempt- first one on my 50th birthday way back in 2011 when despite it being the end of May we were beaten by the weather! Second attempt going well but my partner on the day suffering and stopped at Dunmail. Hopefully it would be third time lucky.

Nervous anticipation in Pooley Bridge

This attempt would be different as it would be Eco and solo. Eco because there would only be one vehicle travelling up the M6 and then one drop at the start, a slight detour to Dunmail and then just a meet at the finish.

Slightly damp and certainly very cool for July

And to make it more value for diesel Bob would do two Wainwright walks, the following day we would do a walk together and then the next a SUP before the drive home. Eco also because there would only be one set of footprints following the JNC. 

Off over the 'new' bridge

Solo would be interesting as I had not checked out the whole route (I did make a couple of small errors or not get the best lines). I carried all I needed for the day and made all my own nav decisions plus of course when to eat and drink. I ran out of water twice but did in the end find streams. Towards the end my Garmin flashed that the battery was running out and this caused me some panic and wasted time too.

Several days later- view to the start and all the first hills

I did not really sleep well in the van at Dacre the night before but I guess you always get more sleep than you imagine on restless nights. It was a quick breakfast and a short drive to a deserted Pooley Bridge the next morning. The forecast was OK (for this less than superb summer) but the day dawned rather dreary and cool.

Sky line showing much of the route heading towards Kirkstone

After the obligatory photo on the bridge I was off and within 2 minutes there was a heavy shower of rain. I prayed that this would not continue throughout the day. The rain meant a wet field and so wet shoes and feet from the start, oh well. I made good time along the lane and up through the very quiet campsite. This was the site of my first ever KIMM with Rowena! Before long I was out on the fell and getting even wetter feet. The rain had stopped but the cloud and mist were low and the ground very very wet. There was bird song but not a soul to be seen. 

More skyline views- taken 5 days later.

Arthurs's Pike was soon ticked off and I checked the time. I was carrying the schedule for W50 and W60 without really being sure how fast I would be. It felt strange and a bit unsettling to be chasing the clock. Now I headed up onto the main ridge and little heads with big ears popped up. There were deer everywhere, lots of them and they kept popping up all the way to Kidsty Pike. 

The ground was far more boggy than I had expected but there was nothing to be done except to plough on. Once my feet were wet there was no point worrying, except perhaps about how deep I might sink in. Loadpot Hill, Wether Hill and then Red Crag all passed OK and I was slowly gaining some time compared to the schedule. The deer kept popping up and then running off but other than these, sheep and birds I saw nobody.

I made my little detour to Kidsty Pike and remembered to return over Rampsgill Head and then came the plod up High Street. I was still gaining a little bit of time and doing the mental maths spurred me on. From this trig point it was easy running all the way to Thornthwaite Beacon and on paths that I know quite well so even the relatively poor visibility was no worry. I had deliberately chosen shoes for good grip on rock and this worked well as I descended to Threshthwaite Mouth and then climbed Stoney Cove Pike. I had to back off a little on some very muddy sections but the shoes worked well on the slabs/ stepping stones. Pike Howe passed quickly and then I was descending to Kirkstone.

Not a soul about

It was still early morning and so very quiet as I crossed the road and began my climb of Red Screes. My legs felt the climb but I was now definitely up on schedule.  It was strange to be running this section but in reverse so soon after the Patterdale Boundary event just six days earlier. The ground was now much wetter and there were no other runners about although I did see one walker as I neared Hart Crag.  The weather seemed to be slowly improving and it was getting warm. I ran out of water just before Fairfield. The summit was deserted but I did pass two walkers who had camped out overnight as I dropped to the tarn. I was a little cautious on this path but soon arrived at the col and started to climb Seat Sandal. The run off this was lovely and I made good time down to the road. 

Heading to the stile at Dunmail- almost half way in distance if not in climb

I could see our van. It was the one place I had asked Bob to meet me. I refilled my water, replenished food supplies and had a quick bite to eat and coffee. 

Still smiling- a chance to stop and take my cag off

I had been eating quite well for me and having a mixture of Mountain Fuel bars, chocolate bars and some savoury snack was working well. 

Checking V55/V60 time schedule

It was tempting to linger and chat with Bob but I was keen to keep my gained time as I was now easily on the W55 times.

Tiny flat bit before the dreaded Steel Fell

The pull up Steel Fell is very steep but I was a little refreshed and it didn't feel too bad. 

Plodding

The next section was in several places a boggy mess and was also one of the few bits where I felt I did not get the best line. I decided to just plough on but do wonder how much time I lost compared to the ideal line? It was a relief to reach High Raise and then be on the descent to Stake Pass where I would find better paths again. From Rossett Pike I was treated to some wonderful views and was also starting to see a few more walkers.  Despite having been up the path by Bowfell Slab recently I seemed to end up on a slightly higher trod. I didn't want to drop and realised it was a chance to take a more direct line. Going via the slab would mean a small double back to the summit whereas heading up the boulders led me to a higher path and then a short and easy climb to the summit. Others were taking in the views etc but I headed straight off towards Esk Pike and then Esk Hause.

All the walkers were on the main paths so I was soon alone again as I cut off taking the more direct line to Great End. Here I did get a better line than on my last visit and so descended more quickly. So quickly that I shot past the tarn and the stretcher box and suddenly realised I was out of water again. Fortunately there was water in the streams as I climbed Great Gable. I overtook a DoE group with big packs. I was feeling good and the kilometres were ticking by. I touched the memorial and began the less than great descent. The views in this section are always amazing and today did not disappoint. I was a bit slow but did not want to risk a rocky tumble. 

What an amazing lump- blessed with superb running weather now

Kirk Fell seemed to take longer to climb than I expected even though it was easy going on grassy paths but I was still making good time. I found the best of the three possible routes of to the north and could not believe how easy it felt. By now my phone did not have much charge left and I was keen to conserve it for a 'just in case' moment.  I had told Bob that morning that I would put Turf on so that he could follow my progress but did not dare risk the battery now.

I didn't stop to take many pics but this central section is beautiful

By contrast nothing felt easy on the long climb up Pillar. I knew roughly where the race line went and this saved a little bit of climbing but there still seemed to be several false summits before I reached the rocky plateau. I was so pleased to have arrived that I almost ran off in the wrong direction but luckily the view of Ennerdale checked me and I turned SW for Wind Gap. I was alone again soon having overtaken my last walkers soon the climb up Scoat Fell. The detour out to Steeple was a lovely little out and back that took less time than I had imagined it would.

Then on the way to Haycock my watch started flashing low battery. I was sure I had put it on battery saver/ultra mode but evidently not. It gave me the option to go to saver mode now so I promptly did. It's not something I use often and so there was panic when the screen went blank. I thought it had just died whereas it was actually recording invisibly. Having no strava trace would not be a disaster but as I was running solo I was keen to have a record. I faffed a bit, tried to put my phone on strava  but struggled and in the end just decided to keep running.

What a superb day I had managed to pick

In my mind it was downhill now. Ha ha. The tricks we let our minds play. Initially it was and then I came to very wet bog near Pot of Ashness before the steep, very steep, NNE shoulder of Seatallan. It made me realise just how tired my legs were getting although if it didn't come after 50 odd hard km I guess it would feel rather different and less of a haul. My brain was also getting tired. This and stressing about my garmin saw me heading off south. It meant I missed the path and had to contour back to it over lumpy ground. Damn, a few more minutes lost; concentrate.

Then there was just the one peak left. Middle Fell. The bog passed and I was soon on better paths along the lumpy ridge. Some wet muddy sections gave way to the paths through the bracken and I could see our van. I jogged down inching closer and closer to the road. 

Heading to Greendale Bridge

Bob had found good parking but I had to shout that I needed to finish at the bridge and not the big grassy area that he had found.  We arrived at the bridge almost together and so photos were taken.

The end is insight now

I was super pleased to complete in 14hrs 38. I later found that my garmin had kept recording after all.  As a FV60 I had 18 hours but had hoped to manage the 16 hours given to FV55. I smashed it and was only just over the 14 hours given to FV50.  

A few more paces

Thinking of all the places where I lost a bit of time made me wonder if that time might still be possible. I had certainly not got the best lines in a couple of places, faffing with my watch took some too....... but actually who cares. 

Knackered but happy

I had had a great day out, superb weather, great views, a wonderful route and completed the challenge my way- solo and eco. I would not have had it any other way.

Suddenly tired now I can stop

I was glad the van was only a few hundred metres away with food, drink and my bed! 

Loved my JNC- Thank You Joss

So it was 3rd time lucky and I had picked a superb day and had an absolute blast..

Despite all the panic my Garmin did record it all

Food and sleep did the trick. The next day we did a recovery walk together bagging a couple of Wainwrights from Loweswater. 

Hen Comb and Melbreak (which Bob had not done) proved a really lovely afternoon and we missed the rain. Even better we got a celebratory meal and beers in the Kirkstile Inn. 

The weather was less good on Sunday but I did manage a SUP tour of the whole of Crummock Water which was flat calm and had the most amazing reflections first thing in the morning.