Romancing the Stone?

Well I couldn’t resist the above and credit ‘Stuart’ for his comment on FSS’s blog of his Saturday run - http://justusandafewfriends.blogspot.com/2009/11/will-yo-come-o-sunday-morning.html  where you will find a delightful write-up of the story of the Trespass Stone.  Hope this goes some way to explaining my attraction to the place.  The photos make the morning look much more attractive than I remember it to be absolutely honest.

However, starting off in poor weather which did improve significantly gave us 12.3 miles some way below our target 15, mutterings were made about Darwen Tower in preparation for the Amble.  By the way my entry number arrived this morning No. 36 if you’re playing this year – SEF and further details here:
http://www.ldwa.org.uk/WestLancashire   

Well back to our run on Saturday - runners were EtU, Nic’O, JtE, Matt, NLN – usual suspects.   Weather clearing from setting off, a bit grey, damp and cold.   Our route took us up ‘the Diagonal’ and along George’s Lane, past Pike Cottage to the path to the Two Lads.  From there a bit of milling about in the mire before picking up the bridleways via the farms to the Trespass Stone.  No messing about with the good path to Winter Hill instead up and along the reservoir (good photo on link) and along the wall to the top of the ramp and then the Trig point, where even those with waterproof socks reported painfully frozen feet.  Off down the ramp where Nic’O indulged her delight in the downhill with Matt and JtE in full pursuit, whilst EtU and I jogged down dodging the waterfalls and loose stuff.  Unluckily JtE made full body contact with the deck with some pretty impressive gore-tex damage to show to Joan.  Sadly there were no witnesses to award points and his on-form running wasn’t hampered in the slightest post-fall (subsequent enquiries report no lasting damage – jacket patched up with Duct Tape – marvelous stuff).  Return via the allotments Back’O’Belmont and the deeply muddied path back to Horden’s, Dangerous Corner and Little Houses CP.

The lack of running for the last two weekends showed itself in my case with little appetite for speed but huge enjoyment in being back on the hills for the run and (for me, more importantly) the craic.

EtU was asking about plans for 2010 and it will be interesting to hear what folk are planning. 

Well maybe that’s one for next week.    

NLN