The Gas Man Cometh...

but unfortunately with the wrong part. Not Tony's fault, I should hasten to add, as getting replacement parts for a 10yr old gas fire was always going to prove troublesome. The omens were there when none of the phone numbers on the instruction manual existed any longer. Might turn out to be a 'paper-clip' job.

Having consigned the long run to Sunday this week, I stuck with the plans. This gave me the chance to test out a new variation on a tried and tested route. YJ took a few of you on a circuit last year that went through Tockholes Wood to Abbey Village and then onto Wheelton Plantation. Having looked at the map I wondered if I could find a route that avoided the road section from Abbey Village. A green dashed line from Watson's Farm (GR SD656209) looked promising.

And so it proved. So setting off from Rivington Barn my route took me via Hordens Stoop, Belmont and Catherines Edge. At the little bridge (path junctions) in Tockholes Wood I headed straight up to the road and Watson's Farm. It was a bit 'sticky' in the first two fields after the farm, but when I turned left towards 'Stepping Stones' it became a nice runable trod all the way to Wheelton Plantation. At this point, rather than take the path through the woods I decide to follow the trod alongside the top edge of the wood to a stile (GR SD627203) and then beared very slightly uphill following the trod to the wall, it then contoured round the hill (along the wall) to the point where it met the path going down to White Coppice (GR SD627191). From there the usual route back to Rivi Barn. Not alot of climbs, but got it close to 15m on the map.

I have to say I really enjoyed this today. I'd wanted to pick a route that I could run at a nice steady continuous pace, and this certainly fitted the bill. A good route for a bad weather day when you don't want to be on the tops but still want a good run out with a minimal amount of tarmac.

TF