Heavy rain wasn’t just confined to the North West of England on Saturday. Dramatic downpours resulted in mud slides and conditions so dangerous in the French and Italian Alps, that the Ultra Tour of Mont Blanc was cancelled. Jez Bragg eventually won a much curtailed race which the organisers, North Face, came up with as an alternative. Lizzie Hawker was the first lady – so hats off to the Brits in a highly acclaimed European line up. Lots of distraught forumites where amongst the disappointed of Chamonix, one of whom, Alan Lucker was with us last weekend in Scotland.
But back to the North West, four determined runners set off from the Lower Barn EtU, EYJ, YJ and yours truly, having sheltered in the car for a while as a particularly heavy squall battered us. Sadly there was no let up. Having taken the Amble route over the Pike, Two Lads, WH and then up the green lane to Higher Whittaker Farm where we had a chat with Steve who was going to play golf (now that is mad) body temperatures were becoming dangerously low.
A decision was taken for the group to split, with EYJ and myself backtracking and taking a route, which I think Nic’O has led previously somewhere around Longworth Clough, working our way back, eventually to Scout Road and up over Egg Hillock and Whimberry Hill, after which we paused momentarily.
Guess where?
Just before the dive! Well we couldn’t get any wetter.
We then made our way back down via the shooting hut and to the Two Lads again, Pike cottage and back. Not having my Garmin with me, and trying to trace this on the map I made it 14.8miles. We met up with the Sweatmans and YJ and EtU at the car park which was a good finish to the morning. No doubt a report on the alternative route will be forthcoming.
NLN
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