Two Crosses 2022

My last Two Crosses, in fact my last LDWA challenge event, was in March 2020. Almost immediately after the walk, on 23rd March 2020, the whole country was locked down because of the damnable Covid-19. Everything stopped.

I couldn’t possibly NOT take part in the return event: Two Crosses 2022, and so I did.

Judith had once again foolishly agreed to join me. Unfortunately (luckily for her?) she tested positive for Covid-19 just a couple of days prior to the event so she had to withdraw….I was going to have to find my own way round without her expert guidance.

Unfortunately Martin & sue had also decided to withdraw for Covid-19 reasons - although just precautionary.

Kay, on the other hand, had expressed an interest in coming along. This would be her first ever challenge event, she was enthusiastic!

I rolled out of bed at stupid o’clock, washed some toast down with my morning Lavazza, and headed over to collect Kay for the drive over to the event centre between Tottington and Ramsbottom.

Getting ready for the off:

 Off to the start

After registering, and grabbing some tea and toast at the event centre, we wandered off to the start line for the 8am kick-off.

The weather was marvellous, dry, bright, and fresh – probably the best ever conditions I’ve encountered on this walk. I’d been out in area the previous day, running with Tally-Ho!, so I knew the ground was going to be uncharacteristically dry and relatively mud-free.

At 8am the throng set off, some running, some walking, some (like me) dawdling at the back.

Kay at the first of the two crosses, this one at Affetside:

 A pig. Obv.

It wasn’t long before the field spread out and, as so often has happened before, small groups were formed and new friends made.

CP1 at Turton Tower offered it’s usual warm and entertaining welcome, and when we left, stuffed with jelly babies, we had big grins on our faces.

Marching north, following the Witton Weavers Way, our next checkpoint was CP4 – the big feed! This is what East Lancs LDWA are famous for: great grub, and lots of it!

CP6, AKA the Big Feed:

By now Kay and I had fallen into conversation with a small group who were walking at our pace. They hadn’t done the Two Crosses before and were a little uncertain as to the route. I was appointed navigator. Fools….did they not realise my skills were only in acting – and I’m not very good at that!

Anyroadup, they had decided on a name for our group - although I'll be diplomatic and call us the 'A' Team! 

Suitably filled up with butties, pie, excellent cheese, fruit cake, malt loaf, bananas & custard, trifle, and jelly….oh, and jelly babies, we set off across the Turton & Entwistle Reservoir Dam -  for me this was the second time in 24 hours.

The Strawbury Duck came and went, and we marched purposefully on to CP5 at Orrel Cote Farm where we were able to top up our reserves of jelly babies and orange juce.

The weather remained glorious, the sun was strong, there was a refreshingly cool breeze…and it wasn’t raining!

Next to another highlight of the route, CP6, The Naughty Corner – temporarily re-named ‘Julie’s Knocking Shop’ – not by me I hasten to add!

For those not in the know, the Naughty Corner provides 'special' refreshment for those who want it: rum, whisky, sherry etc etc. 

                  For Judith...she likes this sort of thing

               Some of the 'A' Team were drinking. Tsk. ;-)

Suitably recharged and refreshed, we followed the edge of the Holcombe Moor firing range. No red flags flying today so we were safe.

The 'A' team at the second of the two crosses: Pilgrim's Cross on       Holcombe Moor - note that a few rosy cheeks have appeared since CP6. There may have been raucous singing too.

                                    T' tower

                                    Flahs

Next came Peel Tower, then the descent through Redisher Woods, the flatlands of Hawkshaw, across the golf course and finally the finish at Greenmount.

Well not quite the finish: we signed ourselves in and then had a slap-up feed of home-made soup, a selection of puddings – and gallons of tea.

Thanks to East Lancs LDWA for another superb Two Crosses – and special thanks for the wonderful food, and for arranging for such great weather!

Special thanks to the 'A' Team for being such good company and for foolishly putting their faith in my navigational abilities!

Where we went:

17.4 miles according to the route description, 17.6 miles with 2350’ of ascent according to Doris, my GPS. 

We weren’t racing, our moving time was just over 6hrs 38mins.

With stops at checkpoints our total time out was 7hrs 14mins.

More photos here.

 

Tally-Ho! from the Black Bull, Edgworth

 

The last time I rolled you for a run from the Black Bull, just a month earlier, I was a bit surprised to find that I was the only runner in attendance….the run had been cancelled because the roads had apparently been closed because of snow.

Nobody told me, so I drove home.

Just 4 weeks later, the weather couldn’t have been more different: warm, with bright sunshine.

Vinny and I decided to trot around together, we set off from the pub at around 1pm, just as other runners were arriving for the afternoon’s fun. 

 Trail!

The sawdust trail was a little (!) thin on the ground, and we frequently had trouble trying to decide where we were supposed to go.

Never the less, we had a lovely gentle run around the unusually dry and almost mud-free Lancashire countryside.

Our route headed south from the Black Bull, initially on tarmac, but soon on tracks and footpaths. We ‘descended to the north end of Jumbles Reservoir, crossed the footbridge, and then began the steady climb to the highest point of the run, Cheetham Close (1150ft-ish), home, apparently, to a stone circle – we didn’t see it.

Now on the Witton Weavers Way, we began our gentle descent to cross the B6391 and then to Turton & Entwistle Reservoir where we comprehensively and completely lost trail….again.

We headed NE, on tarmac, across the reservoir dam, and up to the Strawbury Duck pub.

There was no sawdust trail visible on the ground so we followed our instincts and crossed the Wayoh dam, and then turned south to follow the track along the eastern shore of the reservoir that delivered us quite nicely back to the Black Bull. 

The Black Bull serves excellent food and beer. We were well fed with steak pie, chips, and mushy peas, followed by syrup sponge and ice cream. A pint of well kept TT Landlord rounded off my meal perfectly.

It was a lovely route, marred only by the lack of trail Vinny and my inability to spot the huge amount of trail on the ground ....and that not many runners turned out. 

I went home, put my feet up for an hour and then had an early-ish night....I needed to be up early next day to do the Two Crosses Challenge.

Where we went:

8 miles with 1,000’ of ascent. And descent. Obv.

More photos here.

 

 

 

Howgills Backpacking 14th March 2022

Ravenstonedale > Randygill Top > The Calf > Bram Rigg Top > Calders > Arant Haw > BEER Sedbergh > Cautley Spout > Ravenstonedale

This little trip served as a much needed head-straightener, a bit of a pre-TGO Challenge shakedown, and a rather essential fitness test.

I met up with Lucky the Dog and Mike in Ravenstonedale on a cold, breezy, but dry day. The plan was to wild camp for a few nights, breathe some clean, fresh air, and have a bit of an explore of the Howgills. The plan worked out well.

Heading south in the blustery cold, we didn’t walk too far before we decided to stop and pitch up for the night. Mike’s pitch was good, mine was rather less so. In fact it was downright lumpy and quite uncomfortable . There was some good news: we were pitched by a stream, and we both managed to get into our respective tents before the rain and came in. The wind was, well, very windy. Rocks were needed to supplement guy lines – I was beginning to wish I’d brought my Akto rather than the Scarp.

On day 2 we continued south-ish, it was dry but still quite breezy and cool. Being as wot the rain didn’t, we had great views over the green and rounded Howgill tops. Life doesn’t get much better than this.

 

After Arant Haw we began to look for a place to camp, Mike pointed out a nice looking spot down by Crosdale Beck. 

DOWN by Crosdale Beck. It was a long way down – and it was steep. Very steep. I hate steep descents, even with poles. Just ask Dawn.

The descent from Arant Haw was mostly achieved by taking to the backside – ie sliding down on our respective bums. This was great until bits of rock were met on our way down. Quick but uncomfortable.

Our chosen pitch was good – fairly flat and next to a stream.

Sedbergh, with it’s supply of gas, dog food, baked beans, pasties, beer, and food beckoned. The excellent Red Lion provided the latter, we probably spent longer than we should in the pub – but it was very comfortable, and once we got the pub fire going, nice and warm. It was raining anyway.

We eventually dragged ourselves out of the pub and made our wet and muddy way to our last pitch for this trip, close to Cautley Spout – a spectacular waterfall. There are signs of an Iron Age settlement - the falls may have had some special significance to these Iron Age people.

Again we found a nice, fairly flat pitch, next to a stream.  The sky cleared and the moon came out to play, it was a chilly night but I stayed warm and cosy.

Next morning it wasn’t raining, well not until we’d just about finished packing. The wind soon remembered that it’s duty was to be a bloody nuisance to campers, and accompanied by rain, meant that full waterproofs were needed.

 

More mud followed. Signs outside the temperance Cross Keys invited us in for coffee – but when we got to the door it was firmly CLOSED.

Why on earth do pubs & cafes do that….’Open for Coffee Now’ should mean exactly that, not ‘Open for Coffee when we can be mithered to open the front door’. Oh well.

 

We soon hit the yellow road that took us home, well it took us to our cars, parked up on a nice bit of flatness, just south of Ravenstonedale.

Another coffee was suggested – Mike knew of a cafe just up the road, at Newbiggin-on-Lune. This would have been great, but that cafe wasn’t just closed, it just wasn’t there. Lost. Gone. Never to be seen again. Oh well. Again.

Thanks to Mike and LTD for a good few days out, I just need to get hill fit – now THAT’S going to be a challenge!

More photos here.