"Wildboarclough Village Fete"

 

 

A nice warm day for the annual ascent of "Shutters" but a really slow time but I have no idea how slow!

"Vanessa Chappell Fell Race"

The real start of the summer mid week fell races and a good run at VC of 63.19.

Week 22. Weekly mileage 27. Annual mileage 564. Sessions 110. Races 18.

"Clayton Vale"

Sarah was at the national cheer leading champs at the Velodrome in Manchester so this was a good chance to have a nice easy run around Clayton Vale on a wark late spring day!

Week 21. Weekly mileage 22. Annual mileage 537. Sessions 100. Races 17.

"Rainowlow"

Another week of running to match the weather, mixed! Following Mondays run in Thursbitch yesterday I ran another two hour plus trek around the hills of Lamaload, and Rainow but this time required thermal long sleeves, hats and gloves (in the middle of May!). This run was the one intended to join up two paths that I I have been trying to link together for years but once again (and even with a map) still ended up scrambling over wet dry stone walls waiting for the hours or shotgun sounds of a local farmer!

Week 20. Weekly mileage 26. Annual mileage 515. Sessions 100. races 14

"In The Valley Of The Demon"

For many years I have been meaning to explore around the Tors up in the Peak District and in particular Thursbith a valley below Cats Tor made famous by Alan Garner in his book of that name. Thursbitch means "valley of the demon" in old english and this wild hill country is certainly only somewhere to go with a map on a clear day! So with map in hand on a warm Bank Holiday Monday I parked up at Jenkin Chapel in Saltersford and made the long climb up to Pym's Chair and on to Cats Tor. using all my map skills (fairly limited!) I eventually dropped into the valley and found myself almost in another world of being totally alone, The valley didn't let me down but with its reputation of not being somewhere to be when it goes dark I was happy to navigate my way out and if not back in civilisation at least on a tarmac road! Another  running "must do" achieved.