Archives for July 2015

The weather forecast looked OK, so I made a last minute decision to go around the Yorkshire 3 Peaks for the second time in 5 days yesterday.

Some may question this behaviour as obsessive, or compulsive.  They may be right!

I did the traditional round – in other words that starting at Horton in Ribblesdale.  I was at the top of Pen-y-ghent in just over an hour.  As with Sunday, the cloud kindly lifted as I reached the top.  It took me four further hours  to reach the summit of Whernside.  There was more rain around today, including one sustained period on this ascent.  But the clouds stayed high.

The wind was as strong as on Sunday (about 20mph) but it seemed warmer.  The weather then just kept on improving.  In a further two and a half hours (including a stop for food on Whernside) I was on the top of Ingleborough.  It was then a pleasant canter back to the start in my regulation time of just under 9 hours.

I feel far less fatigued today than I did on Monday after Sunday’s round, so I take that as a good sign.  That is particularly the case given I did the “longer” option.  As a result of erosion, the official 3 Peaks route no longer follows the original (traditional) route in two places and is, instead, replaced by good paths built so as to withstand the weight of footfall.  This adds around two miles to the route.  Yesterday I did the (now) official route.  On Sunday I followed the traditional route in one of the two places, so saving myself a mile or so.

So that is it for my heavy training as I allow my body to enjoy some recovery before I depart to foreign pastures at the end of next week.

19^th July 2015

The Yorkshire 3 Peaks walk is becoming one of my staples.  I did it three times during September and October last year in the lead up to my South America trip.

https://clachliath.com/2014/10/

I am in training again.

This was the 10th time I have completed the round but the first where I have started from Ribblehead with its grand viaduct that carries the Settle-Carlisle railway line.  Our summer has been pretty non-existent to date.  Today was no exception with the tops covered at first and showers whipping through on the cold (and fairly strong) wind.  The weather improved throughout the day with the clouds lifting and breaking but only allowed me to strip down to my base layer top on descending the final summit of Whernside – any warmth in the sun being negated by the wind.

I did a pleasing sub-9 hour round, though that is nothing to brag about given the record.  Being contrary I did the route in a clockwise direction to get the long trek between Whernside and Pen-y-ghent out of the way early on.  As ever, notwithstanding the weather, there were quite a few others undertaking the challenge.

Sorry no photos taken today!