Kentmere
2007
15th July
2
Reports to date. Brian D & Robyn A
Kentmere – Now & Then (2007
&1990) Brian Dearnaley
Arrive at the start field early (Joe was
driving) to find many of the competitor’s sun bathing whilst others were
debating how much water they should carry. Am I at the right race? My notes say
thermal longjohns essential as tops invariably covered in snow! Over at
registration I’m asked to sign a disclaimer and have my attention drawn to a
list detailing all the equipment I must wear or carry. Don’t remember all this
bureaucracy but realise now it must be Kentmere as the list includes full body
cover, which must be wind/waterproof. Surprisingly some runners are a little
sceptical about this, must be first timers who don’t know about the snow.
Haven’t got the bottle to wear my lognjohns so set off for the start dressed
in shorts and vest where I join Robyn, Roger, John, Bob (Nash) and Joe. Only 6
Harrier’s in a club championship race and half of them, myself included, in
the Vet 60 category.
Off we go up the tarmac heading towards
the
Garburn
Pass
and immediately find I’m the back marker. Not sure I like this but the tarmac
soon gives way to the rough stony surface of the Pass and
I overtake a competitor. Things get even better when I overtake Joe but I
need to concentrate as my notes tell be that just after the second gate I can
leave the Pass and head northwest to pick up the tourist path to Yoke. Reach my
breakout point but don’t need the compass as a very visible path leads off the
way I want to go. A short easy scramble, a bit of bog, over the fence and its a
grassy run to the tourist path to Yoke.
On the run up to Yoke I pass a few more
runners and with Joe still behind it’s got the makings of a good day. My notes
tell me to contour left round Yoke but don’t give a bearing on the optimum
line; they just say follow the leaders tracks in the snow. But today there is no
snow. Shall I play safe and go over the top or chance the contour? The decision
is made when I find a runners trod has been created on the very line I intended
to take. With Yoke behind me I head for Ill Bell summit and the first check
point. Pass another runner here, sadly the last of the day. Looking ahead no
other runners are in sight so need to concentrate on the navigation as I need
the best line round Froswick and on up to High Street if I’m to keep ahead
Joe. Like Yoke, a runners trod has been created round Froswick and a clear path
veers off to High Street.
At High Street I surprise the checkpoint
marshall who was busy playing with his dog. He apologies by politely telling me
that I’m some way behind the other runners and records my number. My notes
tell me I need to take a bearing here to ensure that I take the direct (race)
route to
Nan
Bield
Pass
and not the walkers path to Mardale Ill Bell. As I reach for the compass I
realise that another runners trod goes off in my intended direction. Cannot
understand why my notes don’t mention this but then realise that it would
normally be covered with snow. Begin to wonder why the organiser insisted I
carried a map and compass.
As I start to run to Nan Bield I look
back for runners behind me. I can only see one and its not Joe. Need to push on
now as Joe descends a lot quicker than I do and all the serious descending is
still to come. Nan Bield comes and goes, surprisingly easy as there is no frozen
snow and ice on the rocky descent/ascent. My notes tell me to leave the path on
a bearing well before Harter Fell summit and contour round to Kentmere the third
and final checkpoint. Why am I not surprised to find another runners trod along
the contour line? Off Kentmere the runners trod clearly indicates the way down
to Hollow Bank and away I go. A quick look back to see if Joe is a threat
results in a fall buts its on grass and no harm is done. Joe’s not in sight
and I press on to Hollow Bank. My notes tell me to take care on the paths from
Hollow Bank as its easy to go astray but when I get there I find its flagged all
the way to the finish. I can relax now safe in the knowledge that Joe wont catch
me and I am cheered into to the finish by Roger just as Pete Bland announces
that the presentation is about to start – impeccable timing!
Back at the car I find Joe asleep having
retired early in the race due to respiratory problems! Robyn, Roger, John and
Bob all finished but I don’t know the order and results are not yet to hand.
Postscript: The race used to take place
in early April and the tops were often covered with snow. Its move to July
(following a fatality in the mid 1990s) has certainly taken some of the bite out
of the race. The emergence of runner’s trods along all the optimum lines and
flagging from Hollow Bank has also virtually removed the navigational challenges
but it’s still a great race. Brian D.
Kentmere
Horseshoe
Robyn A
Date:
Sunday 15th July 13h00
Distance:
11.9 miles
Climb:
3300 feet
Record:
Men 1hr
22 min 36 S. Bailey 2004
Women 1 hr 42 min 40
Weather
conditions: lead me into a false sense of security
when the thermometer went briefly to a sunny 20 deg C, but it soon dropped and
we were running in rain on Kentmere Pike.
Nearby
Pub: Eagle
and Child, very yummy ales. They have a vacancy for permanent bar staff with
accommodation included – I feel a career change coming up.
Refreshments:
usually very tasty homemade things, but
Roger whisked me away to the pub in a hurry.
I was feeling quite nervous before this
run, as I hadn’t really done much since Buckden Pike and Duddon. In addition
to this, I felt really guilty, as Karen was unable to run after a blow-out on
Wasdale the day before (finishing regardless), and the 20 points were really
hers. I did toy with the option of withdrawing in sympathy and waiting in the
sunny beer garden at “The Eagle and Child”, but then I thought NO! Karen
wouldn’t like that, so I ran.
Roger, on the other hand, was quite
relieved Karen was absent; in fact, he was quite relieved that Gordon, Mick Mac
and Steve B were missing as well, and soon, in his pursuit of 20 points, went
about trying to convince John G that he shouldn’t be running on a sore calf.
I feel that I might even be maturing a
bit as a “fell runner”. After the start, I got caught up behind the throng
threading their way at walking pace up the Garburn Track towards Ill Bell. It
was definitely runnable and I resolved that next year, I must start faster to
make sure that I don’t get stuck in the queue. Then I got chatting, and
decided that I wasn’t in such a rush anyway, and getting stuck in the queue is
quite a good excuse for a stroll and a chat. Maybe I haven’t matured that much
after all.
Anyway, once at the top, the route
contoured a bit to the left and then a bit to the right on a small path and
across some screes before summiting on High Street. Despite the amount of rain,
the tops were relatively dry. By this stage, the clouds had re-grouped and got
hold of reinforcements to launch yet another attack on the sun, who was dimly
trying to assert some kind of authority in the skies.
At the trig point on High Street, we did
a 1000 turn to the right and ran along some slightly boggy bits. This
was quite a fun downhill which after a short while became quite rocky and became
an even more fun downhill to the Nan Bield Pass.
Climbing the rocky ridge to towards
Harter Fell and traversing to the right just before the top, took us around to
Kentmere Pike and on to a downhill path through bracken (well, me anyway) over
some bog, rocks, stiles and to the finish. This path was easy to see, as it was
a very muddy slippery slope. This is where I had an all time top tumble,
resulting in a mouthful of mud and soiled knickers. For a long while after that,
I thought someone was messing with my head and constantly tapping me on the
shoulder – each time I looked around, they vanished… Until a kindly
overtakee yanked a bushel from the back of my head and instantly cured me of my
neuroses.
Race results are still pending but
provisionally:
Preston
Harriers Fell Section
:- fellblog
