Kind of Callow - 16/05/2012

Sunset over the Mynd from Callow - well worth waiting for

Tonight I ran (almost) the Callow race route, taking in the summits of Ashlet, Yearlet, Grindle and Callow and dropping down to valley level between each one. I took the wrong line onto Yearlet where I should have follow the gully much further up, but otherwise this is pretty much the way.

Church Stretton from the start of the Yearlet climb

Tree and Ragleth Hill from the rocky start of the climb up Grindle

It was nearly sunset when I got to the top of Callow so I paused the gadget and waited for the sun to set, using the time to take some pictures and ring Chris at the Ragleth to order my steak and stilton butty for tea!

Legs were a bit tired on the way up Yearlet, but they got back into gear nicely for the remaining two climbs. 4.8 miles, 2,400' in 1:26:37 on a fairly easy effort level.

WOW Reccie - 13/04/2012

The Wrekin, from the Sheinton - Wenlock road

Managed to get away from work tonight on time and get a bit more reccie running in for this summer's Wenlock Olympian Walk. I decided to run the bit of the Ironbridge - Much Wenlock route that I'd missed on Saturday. This is roughly miles 50 to 55 (Much Wenlock to Ironbridge) and miles 96 to 100 (Sheinton to Much Wenlock) of the WOW 100.

I started with the latter, leaving the car at Sheinton and following the route up and across the Sheinton - Wenlock and Buildwas - Wenlock roads, then along the course of the old railway until a mile short of the finish, where the route joins the outbound leg to pass Wenlock Priory into town.

View across the valley dropping into Farley - this will be about mile 98!

Halfway through mile 99 - Wenlock Priory

Set into the pavement about 200 yards from the finish - should we amend
it to say "Wenlock Olympian Walk" just for that weekend?

I stopped at the Guildhall and snaffled a bit of food and drink, then walked five minutes back on the start of the 50 route. Then I started to run, first past a mill and through fields, then on a short steep climb, a gentle descent and another climb to Wyke. A steady climb through a few small fields and then on a lovely single track along the edge of the wood brings the route to the top of the Benthall Edge climb of the Tinsel Trail.

From there it's a cruisy, fast (but muddy today) descent past the power station to drop onto the course of the old Severn Valley Railway, which is followed past the Iron Bridge. I cut back across the new bridge and road ran along the wharfage to the Museum of the River. You can follow trails along the river most of the way back to Buildwas then. I was feeling fairly comfortable and kept running easily (10 min / mile pace) right through to Buildwas, and then on the road to reach the edge of the woods on the Builwas estate where a steady climb (and the only place I ran fairly hard) leads back up the hill to Sheinton.

River Severn at dusk

13.5 miles and 1,250' in 2:21 for an average moving pace of 10:27/mile despite a couple of very steady miles early on. I did a really thorough stretch when I finished, and another one back home later, to try to prevent any stiffness for Saturday's English/British Champs Fell Race at Coledale.

Time Trial Recce - 24/11/2011

Nice steady run over my normal route with Em.

8.8 miles, 1,910', 01:42 (pleasingly pretty much the same time as last year's race time but much easier and with a couple of stops).

Time Trial Recce - 19/10/2011

I popped down to Bridges off my way back from a meeting in Shrewsbury yesterday evening for a quick recce of a section of the time trial and a bit of a recovery run...

It was nippy, even at six when I started, so it's back to running in tights, two layers on top, hat and gloves! I headed up through the wood to the road junction where the Stretton road starts the climb up the Mynd, then down into Ratlinghope past the farm and campsite, before turning left to follow a lane across the valley and up the first little hill. The lane's obvious and steep but runnable. It comes down at a steady grade to a gate and the Pulverbatch to BC road, where I turned left then almost immediately right, heading for Gatten.

Through the farm and straight on up the lane (again steepish but very runnable), the top is quickly reached. A stile leads right, skirting the head of a small valley, to reach another farm lane... I came down here, but without a map worried I was off the right of way when I saw a tractor working in the next field. I headed back up hill briefly to check for another way off, looking for the PROW signs on gates. In the end I realised I was probably right to start with and headed down the track.

It was starting to get dark and the farmer was just leaving the field as I reached the road - I held the gate for him and apologised for aimlessly wandering around on his land - he seemed nice enough about it.

The next leg is up to Hollies Farm, where a large black dog surprised me and I think tried to nibble my arm, but no damage done. I kept on up, quickly to start with, to reach Shepherd's Rock. I reckon this way is easier if you climb well than the Bridges route...

I ran along the Stiperstones ridge, glad (in a masochistic way) of the practise running on rough rocky paths, and then down to the car park. It was getting quite dark as I headed down the road, and I eventually got the torch out on the last drop down towards Bridges.

7.6 miles, 1,250', and around 1:30 running time.

Obviously I couldn't go straight home so I had a excellent pint of 1642 and an equally good half portion of spinach and sun dried tomato pizza in the pub before heading off.

Final Hike Prep - 28/09/2011

Andrew watching the sun set from Earl's Hill

I met up with Andrew and Prue on the Wednesday night, three days before the Hike, more for a jog than any serious recce. I parked at Habberley, and while I was waiting for them to arrive I jogged across the fields to the caravan where you finish the descent from Vessons Farm and back.

By the time I got back to the pub, Andrew and Prue were there, so we went off up to just gain the open fellside on Earl's Hill before the sun went down. We didn't go to the top, instead heading back to Habberley. I drove us up to Bank Farm and we did the first section of the Shelve leg, going out through Eastridge Wood by the low route to Snailbeach. Andy confirmed my way through Snailbeach was ok, then we ran up the steep road that heads east out of Snailbeach and picked our way back to Bank Farm on some of the mountain bike tracks through the woods...

About 8.4 miles and 1,300' of climbing tonight...

More Hike Recce - 25/09/2011

On top of the world (well the Stiperstones anyway) in my Mercia top -
bring your own sunshine!

I did a little more recce for the Hike yesterday, but this is really into the finessing stage now.

First effort was to start in White Grit and climb Corndon Hill, then check out the wide right descent route Andrew and Prue had used earlier in the week. I ran a couple of variants at the top of this but have settled on following the fence round the corner and then just going straight down the path at the second waymarker. I passed a couple of groups of three mostly walking, also out on reccies.

At the bottom turning left through the gate leads to a metal gate in the corner of the field and avoids the need to electrocute oneself...

The second recce was really just being sure of the effort required on the road. I started at Bridges and ran to Stiperstones summit (mostly runnable, I only walked briefly about three times on the steepest sections). You can stay on the verge or run in the fields for about half the distance. Walking the last section up to the Stiperstones checkpoint is probably advisable, given the roughness of the path.

Coming down I ran two nine minute miles fairly easily: I doubt this will be the case on Saturday!

I walked into the Bridges pub and Terry (one of the Hike organisers) bought me a pint! Shortly afterwards one of the walking groups I'd seen earlier on Corndon turned up and we had a nice natter. See you all on the big day, folks!

Stats were 9.3 miles in total and 2,220 feet of climbing in almost exactly 2 hours. This week's total (I've started keeping count again) was 46 miles and 8,500' of climbing.

2 more Hike reccies - 21/09/2011

No wonder Newport runners don't win fell races if they do this on every
summit! Lisa, Andrew and Prue having fun on Corndon Hill. Don't ask how
many times I had to get them to do this before I pressed the shutter release
at the right moment!

These were the final long recce runs for the Hike.

The first run was with Em. We left her car at Stiperstones and went over to Bank Farm in mine. We ran through Easthope Wood and Snailbeach (stay at the wood's edge, across the road, old railway and then sloping footpath to the road) and then on up the road to Tankerville. It's noticable how much easier the uphill road bits are when you've got a bit of company and are chatting away.

Then it was across the fields and back onto the road to the Shelve checkpoint, and down through the woods and fields to the A488. At the bottom of Corndon I actually found the path this time! It heads sharp right just after the gate and is clear, leading straight through the bracken up steeply to the summit.

Em jogging up the last section of the Corndon climb

We turned and followed the fence to the sharp corner where we made a direct descent onto the grassy alp, although I didn't get it quite as bang on as last time... Just after Woodgate Farm we stopped for a really nice flask of sweet coffee and a bacon and egg buttie - thanks Em!

The trip over the small hill from Little Cefn Farm gets easier each time I do it - the keys are the pointless stile in the big cow pasture and the muddy area by a drinking trough where you cross the stream and fence.

We ran up the road past the Nind turn, and then walked for a while to get to the gate to Black Rhadley. In view of the time we missed the final ascent of BR out, but Em knows where it goes now. I tried an alternative approach to linking to the Stiperstones car park, going up the wide gravel roadway past Nipstone Rock and then turning left onto a path through the woods. This took the same time as my previous option, is slightly longer, but uses a little less road and is easier, especially in the dark.

We got back to the car park in good order, having done 15.1 miles and 2,870' of ascent in 3hrs 16mins. For 11.5 hours running time for a 12 hour hike, this section (excluding the final Black Rhadley climb) should take around 3hrs 34mins: we were taking it pretty easy so we need to remember to go out sloooow at the start.

I took a break, chatting with John and Geoff at the Stiperstones Inn, then having a half and some crisps and nuts at Bridges, before meeting Andrew, Lisa and Prue from Newport for the second recce. The plan was to run to Shelve and then pick up the route of my run earlier in the day, over Corndon and back to Stiperstones.

The trip down to Shelve was pretty quick (two nine minute miles) and we continued on down to the main road at a fairly decent pace, before trogging along the roads to White Grit. I felt a little tired here, but perked up as soon as the Corndon ascent started, and even managed to run some of it...

Summit furniture on Corndon Hill, waiting for the others!

Lisa powering to the top!

On the descent Lisa and I went down my way, Andrew and Prue went further over to the right. Lisa and I ended up at Woodgate first, but it seemed obvious that the right hand route was faster and, indeed, it turned out that Andrew and Prue had waited for us...

The passage over from Little Cefn was straightforward although again we parted ways near the A488. This time my route past the newly re-roofed barn seemed faster.

We started up the road past the Nind turn, and I was feeling a bit tired by now, but then Andrew took us up "the trail" around the north side of Black Rhadley Hill, which made a change. I was struggling a bit to run on the uphills, but still feeling ok. More tired than weak I think. The trail makes a handy short cut and I was pleased not to be on the road - we only had half a mile to do before the Nipstone Car Park. I bonked a bit on the way up from here but felt much better after some sweets and was able to run the rest of the way back to the car park...

This second run of the day was a mere 13.7 miles and 1,890' of climbing, done in 2hrs 47mins. Again for 11.5 hour Hike running time this should take 3hrs 6 mins, so we were well up above the required pace.

I finished the day having done 29 miles (36.5 if you count Tuesday night's run) feeling pretty strong and with plenty in my legs, which bodes well, I hope. No running until the weekend, just a light gym session with my stepson.

More LMH Recce - 18/09/2011

JT on the road in Gogbatch

With the Long Mynd Hike less than two weeks away I was keen to check out the Church Stretton part of the loop and make sure I'd got it sussed.

JT and I set off from Stretton on a fairly chilly Sunday morning to do the first and last few miles, climbing Caer Caradoc, the Lawley and up High Park to Pole Bank before cutting off across to Pole Cottage and descending into Minton, crossing the A49 and finishing with a climb up Ragleth Hill.

JT was feeling a bit grim but got a pasty down himself at the Spar and we started running just across the main road. We walked most of the way up Caradoc, and then took the descent steady too (I was in my Peregrines which aren't the grippiest and JT's trailies have done about 1,000 miles and have no grip left). Crossing onto Ragleth Hill I felt quite lively, although JT was still not up to much. A big shower hit us near the top and the soaking did us both some good - strange how adverse weather can sometimes get you into it a bit more.

We made our way over to Dudgeley and Gogbatch, where the pasty kicked in and John started to get going. I liked his variant route climbing up the spur rather than the road to get out of the batch and up towards High Park.

We split at the finger post: JT went the low route and I took the higher path to see which was quicker to the top of Mott's Road - conclusion was the higher route (I only just got to Motts after JT and he's quicker than me).

We ran on fairly quickly over Pole Bank and on to pick up the last section of the Hike route from Pole Cottage. I like the descent to Minton - I'd not been all the way down before, just on the upper section when I did my Gill Harris round.

The path down to Minton - JT is about 100 yards in front...

The road to Little Stretton wasn't great though, and I felt out of energy going up Ragleth Hill. JT ran on and I followed, meeting up on Sandford Avenue before running back to our vehicles by the School where Hike HQ will be.

We had a nice morning out, covering 16.5 miles and 3,500' of climbing in 3hrs 26mins.

LMH Recce - 16/09/2011

Stormy skies over Corndon Hill from the Stiperstones

I managed to finish work a little early on Friday afternoon after a couple of late evenings earlier in the week, so I headed out to the Stiperstones car park to finesse the recce I'd done on 31st July. I had a few new pointers from friends who've done the Longmynd Hike, so I bore these in mind as I headed round.

I wanted to do the Stiperstones - Earl's Hill - Bank Farm - Shelve section again just to get it off pat.

The first mile across the Stiperstones is rough and almost unrunnable, and I certainly plan to walk most of this on the day - it'd just be too easy to ruin everything by turning an ankle up there. This time I stopped and took a picture or two...

Running up to Manstone Rock and the trig point

Running down the ridge past Blakemoorflat

I headed straight along the ridge to Blakemoorgate and through the middle of the band of conifers there, before making a bit of a mess of negotiating the field above Upper Vessons Farm. Staying on the main track here might lose 30 seconds over an ideal line, but it's pretty hard to find that ideal line, and rough if you don't.

From the start of the road, I'm unconvinced about the field crossing to Habberley. There's a narrow section along the edge of a maize field (will it have been harvested in two weeks' time?) and the biggest field has recently been cultivated and will be a nightmare if it's wet. Probably best to use the road in the wet but the fields if its dry...

I think I've got the ascent of Earl's Hill off, after a friendly reminder as to where the path starts (right on the LH bend in Habberley, not by the pub) from a local.

Looking south from Earl's Hill with another shower coming in...

Coming down, this time I retraced steps to Habberley and then took the road to Bank Farm, which seems both shorter and easier, although climbing on the road is a bit of a drag.

From Bank Farm this time I stayed low, skirting round the edge of the woods under Maddox's Coppice, past Coppice Farm to Snailbeach. This is better and easier than going over the top. In Snailbeach I didn't have the best line - keeping left just in the woods and staying above the workings looks to be more direct than my route via Snailbeach Farm and Lower Works Road.

From Snailbeach to Tankerville is a pretty grim two mile slog along the road, mostly steadily uphill. This is one of the tiresome bits of the route, along with the climb to High Park and the ascent of Black Rhadley (both on roads and uphill). At least this time I found the public footpath towards Shelve (starts at an unpromising hole in the hedge just before a "Pennerley" sign.

The next bit over the hill towards Shelve is straightforward as long as you trust yourself to find the stiles - they appear as you crest rises in the middle of each field. The last bit up to the Shelve checkpoint is uphill, but not too bad - it's fairly short...

I ran back along the road to the Bog car park and then up the waymarked path to cut off the hairpins, and finished with half a mile of road back to the car park.

16.4 miles with 2,500' of climbing in 3:27: I very comfortable taking just under 12:40 per mile on average.

Bury Ditches Recce - 13/09/2011

Moonrise over Bury Ditches Hill Fort

This was a rare trip away from Church Stretton for the Tuesday Night Group. Dave and Chris had offered to take us for a recce run round the Bury Ditches Hill Race. This will be run from Lydbury North on Sunday 25th. A lot of the lower section of the route is on private land...

17 of us met in the car park of the Powis Arms, and eventually set off just after seven. The route starts with a fast level section of drive and crosses Walcot Pool before climbing steadily through a couple of fields to Lower Down. 300m of road leads to a track across another couple of fields and into the woods. There's another kilometer of steady but easily runnable climbing to a bench where the route turns left for a final, gentler climb to the hillfort.

Gra, Emma, Darran and Em

Phil, Gra, Helen and Em

Testing the bench

The light was fading as we emerged onto the grassy ramparts, and a nearly full moon had just risen in front of us - another of those magical hill running moments.

The descent is fast and furious on a good path, crossing the car park and road after 600m before heading down another 1.2km to Lodge Farm, where the route doubles back onto another track for a serious sting in the tail, as the track climbs 60m in just 400m horizontally.

From here it's easier though, across two fields to come out at Lower Down again, then hard and fast down the outward route to finish by the pub.

We all had a good run tonight, mostly treating it as a series of fairly hard efforts, so the pace at the front was a bit silly at times, and very silly when John and Jamie started sprinting up hills! Thanks to Dave for organising and also to whoever laid on the chip butties in the pub afterwards...

LMV Recce - 08/09/2011

Ran a very steady recce of the Valleys with Em today.

Did all of the route apart from the final bit from Callow to Cardingmill Valley, substituting the direct descent from Callow into Little Stretton and a stroll back along the road after a drink at the pub.

9 miles to Little Stretton and 3,400' of climbing (Em's Garmin had 1,950' but that's just crazy, I thought it was so far out I checked the map!).

LMH Recce - 04/09/2011

Another recce for the Long Mynd Hike...

This was really a final practise of the section from Shelve to Stiperstones, and went well, with no route finding problems at all. The only hitch was a huge rain storm just as I left Stiperstones to run back to Shelve on the road. It must have crept up on me while I had my back turned!

I can leave this section now and move on to looking again at Stiperstones - Earl's Hill - Shelve.

13.2 miles and 2,020' of ascent in 2:42:31 for an average pace of 12:21/mile.

Bits of LMH Recce - 29/08/2011

Just a couple of (mostly) walking recces done to:
(a) check the best short cut up to the Stiperstones check point from Black Rhadley (as I'd cycled past this on Saturday)
(b) find a good descent route from Corndon Hill

Both jobs done! Some pics to follow.

LMH (Tankerville - Black Rhadley) - 27/08/2011

Right. Now I know which way not to go, particularly coming off Corndon Hill!

I did a recce for the section of the hike from Tankerville to Black Rhadley, leaving the bike at Nind so I didn't have to run the road sections between there and the Bog. Bits that went well were Tankerville to Shelve, the ascent of Corndon Hill (if it goes up the road and then up the fence from the north west). Not so good was managing to leave the bike's front wheel behind in the layby at Tankerville...

Good long session out, a combination of running (mostly) and a bit of bike. More to come later...

Wrekin Wrecker Recce - 08/08/2011

Ran round the Wrekin Wrecker course with Em. Took it mostly fairly gently - I climbed hard on the Goaty path, Em had a go on the final ascent to the top. Mostly felt pretty good.

Kept seeing JT from Newport who appeared to be on some kind of mentalist quest to run up the Wrekin as many times as possible before dissolving in his own sweat!

Track etc on Runkeeper here.

Long Run / LMH Recce - 31/07/2011

Hot work on the summit of Earl's Hill, despite the early hour...

Today's effort was a 13.5 miler taking in the Stiperstones, Habberley, Earl's Seat, Snailbeach and the Stiperstones (again). I was partly doing a recce for this section of the Long Mynd Hike.

Starting at 0830 was a good way to get things done... I parked up at the Stiperstones car park and took the lower path past Hollies Farm and then up to Shepherd's Rock.

It was misty first thing, looking up from the path near the Hollies to the Devil's Chair

Shepherd's Rock from the Hollies

I ran north east down the ridge through Blakemoorgate and then turned east to pass through Upper Vessons Farm, before picking up the road to Habberley. There's a path across the fields here which we used on the Pontesbury Potter: it's more direct and easier than the road I think. I ran on through Habberley and out on the lane past Lower Farm, staying just north of Habberley Brook. I had to negotiate a few cows and a gazillion flies at the field gate turning north to get to Earl's Hill. I started up to the south ridge just into the woods and should have gone 200m further north which would have avoided the need to climb one fence and roll under another in the woods as I got on the ridge. There's a very steep section just above the wood before the route flattens out a bit to climb gently through iron age fortifications to the summit of Earl's Hill.

Final 200m towards the summit of Earl's Hill.

From the top I cut across to the descent down the side of the wood used on the Pontesbury Fell Race, but continued down where the killer ascent starts on the race to come out at the Nills Farm drive across fields and a minor road at the bottom. Going through the buildings at Nills Farm, I had a premature attempt to climb to the ridge at Polesgate, taking an impassible route somewhere between the two footpaths. Error corrected I headed up through the quarries in Poles Coppice to reach Bank Farm, the next checkpoint on the Long Mynd Hike.

From Bank Farm I made the long steady climb through Eastridge Wood, mostly walking, and drank the last of my water. I didn't think I'd make it back to the Stiperstones along the ridge in comfort with no more fluid, so I dropped down into Snailbeach and filled up in the loos there.

To get back on the ridge I climbed the lovely valley of Crow's Nest Dingle (OK it's a mess at the bottom by the farm, but the top two thirds is good). I managed to run very steadily most of the way up... At the top I turned left and climbed to the main Stiperstones ridge path, raching this about half a mile north of Shepherd's Rock.

Just tovary the route on the way back to the car I went via the Devil's Chair and Manstone Rock. The path on this section is very rough and I find running almost impossible for any length of time. Good practice for the Lakes or Snowdonia, though.

Think this is the Devil's Chair (R) but stand to be corrected!

The run down to the car park isn't so bad though and I was soon doing some warm down stretches before heading back to Telford.

The Runkeeper thing had a complete wobbly after about mile 8, so the mileage and ascent are from the map: 13.5 miles and 2,650' in a very very steady 3 hours 25 minutes (this included a couple of biref stops and is just under the 4mph I'd like to maintain on the Hike).

I wore my new Saucony Peregrine trail shoes (yet to be convinced - they're ok but my right foot was slopping about a bit and I think the backs might irritate my poorly achilles tendons) and also new Inov8 coolmax socks (excellent).

Steel Fell - 30/05/2011

Got chatting to John after breakfast and discovered he's
a former Mercia Fell Runner, so I reunited him with the
club vest!

On the Bank Holiday Monday I couldn't bear just to drive straight home from the Lakes, so despite some pretty iffy weather I dumped the car on the northbound verge at Dunmail and wandered up Steel Fell: now I know why people seem to be going so slowly up there on BG videos - it's flipping steep, even the bottom bit.. Mind you there's a path, which there wasn't 20 years ago when I last wandered along this way.

Looking down to Thirlmere from just west of the summit of Steel Fell

Calf Crag, with High Raise in cloud behind

I had a good mooch round on top, over towards the tarn on the way to Calf Crag, and a little way down the south slope towards Greenburn Bottom. There's a nice perched boulder of probably a couple of tonnes there.



Perched boulder with Calf Crag behind

On the way back I met three separate walkers / runners, and had a nice chat with a lady from Abbey Runners in Leeds. They were all out on recce for separate parties in June, the Abbey Runners ladies were going to have a go at the Billy Bland Relay challenge.

Another view of Thirlmere, this time from just north of the summit on the way down.

Caradoc Recce - 06/05/2011

Bluebells and May Blossom above Church Stretton

I left work fairly promptly on Friday night for a recce of the Caradoc Classic. I thought I'd recce the route as far as the end of the main descent off the fell and then run on over the Hope Bowdler Fells and back into Church Stretton.

It was a very pleasant early evening and I set off at a reasonable pace through the field and up to Three Fingers rock. Right of this, left of the next knoll, and then a trod to the right of the main path seem to be the fastest ways to reach the short but steep climb to the edge of the Iron Age fortifications. There's still some steady climbing after that too.

View back down the ridge climbed in the Classic. Best lines are top secret!

The run down after the first little drop is a bit bobbly: one of those humpy grassy areas with unpredicatable footfall. I took the main section of the descent steady - the heels are still pretty sore. I did see one line which cuts off a wiggle on the descent low down.

From Cwms Lane I headed back up past the site of Cwms Cottage to reach the gate, and located a geo-cache I'd downloaded details of. Once I'd signed the log, I headed off up to Battlestones, where I took a photo, and then over Hope Bowdler Hill, running all the way and feeling strong. At Gaer Stones I took the permissive path towards Hope Bowdler and then hooked back where this drops into the fields to come out at the layby by the top of Hazler Road.

Battlestones with the Wrekin on the skyline

I crossed over, dropped down HR a couple of hundred yards and took the path on the left which climbs initially and then traverses under Hazler Hill. The bluebells were amazing and I took a couple more pictures before completing the traverse and picking up the footpath down past Snatchfield Farm to return into town.

I was quite pleased with today's run: the recce phase had quite a few rests but I took the running as a series of hard efforts once I'd warmed up coming out of town. I took it easy over to Battlestones but then ran at race pace as far as the bluebell field on Hazler Hill. The run was about 7.0 miles and 1,800' of ascent.