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. 

 

Quarry Bank Mill History – advanced warning

If you're remotely interested in the history of the cotton industry, enjoy fine song and music, then this is for you.

Trebuchet are terrific - superb performers....and thoroughly nice guys.

Highly recommended.

Saturday 12th March 2022

Rainow Institute,

Stocks Ln, Rainow, Macclesfield SK10 5XR

https://www.themillballads.com

 

Tally-Ho! Championship 2021 18th Dec 2021

A not very good run for me.

Having suffered significantly reduced lung capacity for quite a while I was more than a bit apprehensive about taking part in the Club’s annual championship race.

I don’t like racing at the best of times, and fortunately (for me) the Club is essentially non-competitive – but the odd race does get slipped into the calendar.

The Championship takes place at the Club’s pre-Christmas run from the Boar’s Head, Higher Poynton. It’s a trail race and generally follows an ‘out-and-back’ route. The plan is to follow the trail to the half-way point, shake hands with the trail-layers, then run back to the start. Then it’s first man back, although there’s also a handicap to even things up.

The handicap committee are beyond reproach and completely void of moral corruption, and anyone suggesting otherwise could find themselves is serious trouble …..although I have spotted the odd Club member cosying up to committee members, buying them drinks etc.

Whatever, no amount of bribery was going to help me today.

The gun went off at 2.30pm but the field soon left mebehind, I just didn’t have enough lung capacity to be able to exert myself, especially on the uphill bits.

After ten minutes I decided to settle down to a brisk jog and put the race to the back of my mind. It was a cold day, but dry and bright.

When I eventually got to the half-way point the trail-layers had left to walk back to the warmth of the pub – of course I didn’t realise I’d arrived at the half-way point, there was nobody there!

I ended up doing a bit of a loop before heading back to the pub. 

Me, running flat out = not very fast at all

Fast Taylor following trail

 

 

David Bell dishing out the awards:

 

The route was lovely, conditions ideal – I just couldn’t hack it.  Not my best day:

 Around 6 miles.

More photos here, including Vinny's excellent contributions.