Running long 3:15:42 [3] 17.53 km (11:10 / km) +900m 8:53 / km
shoes: X-Talon 212 2017
North Western fells with Nicole and John
Sale Fell, Ling Fell, Graystones, Broom Fell, Lords Seat, Barf, Whinlatter Fell.
Nicole had wanted to try this route for a while. It was a leg of Steve Birkinshaw's Wainwright round and looked double as a fell run. Took two cars and dropped one at either end. A bit overcast with rain forecast to come in so we got out in the morning.
A very steep start up the first fell, could definitely feel the calves burning and was wondering how we'd all get on. A lovely gradual grass descent to the road got us into the swing of things. Alright up to Ling Fell. Had been concerned about the route from Ling Fell to Graystones, elected to cut left slightly to the parallel fence boundaries. It was a bit wet the whole way but not too bad. Not major bog. Graystones was a fairly easy descent and we'd all settled into it by this point. Graystones summit is one of those silly Wainwrights where the top isn't his summit, so I went to all of them. Easy going to Broom Fell and Lords Seat. A great descent down to Barf, my kind of slope angle and enough to concentrate on but easy to run.
A bit wet heading back to Whinlatter forest. A bit of hesitant map heading through the woods, a fairly descent downhill track then back to the open area. A great trod from here all the way to the actual summit and then onto the Wainwright top. Thus giving us 7 fells in 3 hours, and about 10 minutes faster than Steve was on his round (he was 6 days into his record though!) Returned to the woods and descended most of the way down a twisty mountain bike track. A great fell run and morning out. Had tired legs before I started so was happy to get round.