w/e 4/4/10 - Evidently Goldfish!

Evidently goldfish
Never questioning environment
self-evidently goldfish
We swim in circular experience

It's true. We are, in the main, quite evidently goldfish, returning to situations, places and feelings which are familiar and safe. And generally, as a race, I'd say human beings are becoming more and more like that.

So many people for who a bank holiday means sitting in front of a square box, open-mouthed, expressionless. And for most of the rest, the same expressions as they sit in long queues of traffic on their way to some bland retail park full of material goods which nobody "needs" yet which their ever-shrinking brains convince them are "vital" and "desirable" for life.

And yet......am I (are we?) any better as fellrunners? Returning to familiar places again and again. Everyone has their favourite runs. How many times do we push beyond those boundaries and decide to go off and do something totally different?

If there's one thing that's become clearer to me these last few months, it's that I don't want to settle back into a life of "sameness", heading to the familiar places, the same old races, year after year. There's so much to explore, what excuse is there to go back somewhere again and again?

So, as a consequence, I'm pleased with our weekend :-) Two completely new places visited, both of which were splendid and which have encouraged us to go back to those general areas and explore the vast ranges of fells which we observed from our chosen routes.

Saturday saw us head up to Arncliffe, park the car, then head over the fells to a beautifully still and calm Malham Tarn. Then a turn uphill and up to the summit of Fountains Fell, via the Pennine Way. From there, we headed steeply down (looking out for the many mineshafts!) into the valley between that fell and Pen Y Ghent. I'd been here before, on a run-walk over PYG and Plover Hill, but it was lovely to be on the other side of the valley and heading in the other direction.

As we made our way along the track, we were dive-bombed by a lapwing, as we strayed to close to the nest. What a gorgeous bird, and watching them in flight is truely awe-inspiring. Soon enough, we were heading back east along a farmed valley towards Arncliffe. Just time to pass through a field of very young lambs :-) before arriving back in the village in beautiful sunshine.

A fantastic 16 mile day out, in lovely conditions, enjoying each other's company but, just as importantly, enjoying the splendour and quietness of the fells...we saw no more than a handful of other people all day :-)

And then Sunday....one of the best days I've had out for a good, long while. And somewhere I've been meaning to go for so long and never managed to get to.

We drove up to Sedbergh, and parked our car in the shadow of the towering Howgill fells. From the town, we followed and old packhorse route, contouring eastwards under the fells, before turning towards Cautley Spout.

And what a very special place. The fells towered above us, the waterfall crashed down the rocks at the head of the valley...and on a bank holiday sunday, there were no more than a handful of people here.

We toiled up a steep path, stopping for a smashing chat with a guy supervising a group of army cadet lads on their DofE Silver expedition. Onwards and upwards, until we were up above the waterfall and on the main ridge of the Howgills.

And what a great place! What views! And perfect running terrain, short grass, even underfoot and undulating.

We headed off towards the main top, The Calf, but cut underneath and west towards the far tops which dominate the view from the M6 as you pass through Cumbria. Having gone out to the far top, we made our way back, Kirsten flagging a little but still pushing on, bless her.

Back up, and this time to the top of the Calf, which we had to ourselves. Then down on a newly constructed path (which seemed at odds with the surroundings!), over the top of Arant Haw, then down to the top of Winder, perched over Sedbergh.

In glorious sunshined, we headed steeply down, stopping for a photo of the wild horses grazing on the hillside, then down into town, back to the car, and a well-earned mug of soup. A wonderful day - wonderful fells, wonderful weather, wonderful company, and a wonderful sense of freedom being back out on the fells.

And, of course, with 31 miles and 5,500ft in two days, it means I'm getting back towards where I want to be. The knee recovery is miraculous...nothing at all from it (touch wood!). The ankle's healing pretty well, and this weekend's runs on soft, easier terrain have really helped it. The achilles is the only nagging worry. It flared up again, a little, after the steep descent. But it's certainly better than it has been...and if truth's told, probably the same as it has been for months now, it's just that I'm more aware of and focussed on it. Exercises are being done religiously (how appropriate at Easter! :-) ) and anti-inflamms go on whenever I feel it flaring up again. Hopefully, I can manage the problem away, through sensible training, massage and stretches.

Earlier in the week, I'd had a lovely club run on the Tuesday, up onto Midgley Moor. Only short, and in wet conditions, but enough to convince me that the knee was better. And then, on Thursday, I'd headed out with Kirsten after work for a lovely evening run around Erringden Moor and over Scout Rock.

Things are getting back on track, but I'm not daft enough to think I'm there yet. I am consciously and unconsciously favouring my left leg significantly, which is going to lead to problems at some point unless I can convince myself to "let go", which I hope I will be able to do.

I've got some big weekends coming up. This will be make or break. I've already got a date a month later than planned in mind, as back-up in case I feel I can't get back into training quickly enough, or I suffer a relapse.

But for now, all that is secondary to the love of being back out on the fells, exploring new places and having wonderful days out and breaking the circular experince. What could be better?!

Total for the week - 40.5miles & 7,400ft

Beautiful views of the Howgill Fells from near the saddle above Cautley Spout
Cautley Spout Waterfall

Kirsten heading back across the fields towards Arncliffe, in glorious sunshine
The top of Fountains Fell, looking out at the Dales fells