Notes
Recce for the Lakeland 50. Fog on Tilberthwaite, wading through streams I should never have crossed. 900m ascent. Rough, steep descent down the last section.
Just missed the start and chased them down through Rothay Park! Lots of people walking up the steep track to Loughrigg; gradually passed lots; everyone much overdressed, it seemed to me, so I stripped down layers to long shorts + long sleeved top, and stayed fine like that even when it drizzled (6 degrees).
Loughrigg route absolutely fine. Nice to go through C Stile. Side Pike all fine, but very dark by then and so quite uncertain on the path. Blea Moss a bit of a pain, couldn't really find proper path to Wrynose road. Finally (after thick, thick fog in the pitch dark) up and over to Tilberthwaite and then the steps - fine at first, but utterly lost for a while on the top ("indistinct path", says the route guide), waded through a couple of knee-deep tributaries until relieved to see another guy's headtorch on the actual path. Need to investigate that bit again in daylight! V rough, v steep descent to Coniston - route is v straightforward, but I was uncertain and took it gently.
One of guides was last yr's female 50 winner Tracy Dean, highly impressive 8:38 (5th overall). She was particularly snappy on the descents, I noticed. Probation officer from Staffdshire. Very meanly made me look at the map etc when I was going off track.