A weekend based at Hawkshead YH to "do" the Langdale 10k on the 23rd and some hill-walking and this was one of the walks. Our aim was to park at Little Town in Newlands and ascend Dalehead via Far Tongue Gill and watch the race. Driving past Stair, the car park was filling rapidly.

Low cloud on the tops looked ominous as we set off, scuppering visions of watching the runners arrrive from distance with binoculars... but the forecast promised an improvement.

We arrived at Dalehead summit in plenty of time, but had entered a hostile world of wind, hill fog and it was chilly too. There were no lovely views down into Newlands or across to to the Scafells, just banks of cloud.

The marshalls had been there some time and were starting to get cold...

The lead runners appeared showing strength and determination; Rob Jebb, Jethro Lennox and Ian Holmes and Simon Booth.Then a gap, followed by masses of runners appearing like ghosts, staggering towards us against the wind. Visibility less than 50m - as can be seen by the pictures!

Rachel Crowe Lytham arrives at Dalehead

Karen Nash arrives at Dalehead

Nichola shelters while taking numbers at Dalehead

What no runners at Dalehead!

We helped out by shouting out the numbers to the counters... what`s your number, lift your shirt! Two at front, tow at the back of the summit area. Numbers were bawled out in a constant staccato. Shouting encouragement to the Preston runners (who seemed surprised to see us, well Ash I did e-mail you to say we were going!) and everyone else, we put a few right who were on the verge of descending to Honister Hause.

Pat was sent off to act as a marker for the straight descent!

Dalehead from High Spy

Groups of walkers stood open mouthed in amazement at the huge numbers and a few wandered over to ask what was happening and talk about the "famous Preston Harriers" - we had our jackets on so as to try and give every ounce of support to our runners!

Nichola ended up taking numbers, sheltered by the lip of the top of the fell, as the marshall could no longer feel his fingers or hold a pen. Then, it stopped. Quiet, just the wind. Is that it... with such numbers, had we got them all. We had, but the radio message from the top of Robinson was that a further six had just left.

We`d done our bit and descended out of the gloom as conditions improved and continued the walk over High Spy & Maiden Moor.

Checkpoint at High Spy

579 ran

1st Rob Jebb (Bingley) 1:31.0

2nd Jethro Lennox (Shettleston H) 1:31:49 3rd Ian Holmes (V40 - Bingley) 1:33:31 4th Simon Booth (Borrowdale) 1:33:45

1st Lady - Christine Howard (Matlock) 1:48:31 2nd - Natalie White (Bingley) 1:51:37

Preston Harriers - Finishers

240th - Steve Bamber 2:03:24

331st - Ash Nixon 2:11:38

349th - Steve Forster 2:13:39

391st - Karen Nash 2:23:35

A great effort from all.

Steve, Pat & Nichola Jackson