Tour de Helvellyn       [en hiver]

The inaugural event took place on the shortest weekend of the year. Despite early morning snow and blizzards, the organiser – Joe Falkner managed to keep things going, out of the 80 odd potential entrants 59 started, which was a credible effort considering the difficult travelling conditions. So with full winter conditions in place the event started with staggered start times between 7:00 and 9:00am, albeit with some late arrivers due to the snow. The forecast for the day was good, so Joe stuck with the full-route course, a respectable decision, as we were all up for the full adventure! The race started in Askham, (nr Penrith – yes it is miles from Helvellyn!), but it was straight on to the north east fells, heading west to Howtown. First checkpoint at Martindale Church, then over Boredale Hause to Patterdale and Glenridding another CP here. The whole place was deserted, with the snow lying we were afforded some extra special vistas. No time for picnicking though!



Starting relatively late on and with the benefit of keeping up a pretty good pace, it was quite pleasing passing runners, in my usual style the descents were done at a semi-lunatic speed as this affords maximum thrill – especially in the snow! By Swirls car park in Thirlmere there was only one set of foot prints in front – I had made an identification… Inov8 Rocklites, size 9.5, male Caucasian, 5’ 10’, 160lb. After 2 more miles of intrigue the perpetrator was ahead, filing water bottle from a frozen stream – busted! (and on that subject - 37 miles and only being able to get water which is so cold it burns was really, really unpleasant!!! A hot drink is promised next year I believe!). At Dunmail (where I had met this other guy with the Rocklites) we had confusion trying to find the CP, we had both assumed Dunmail bridge as the FB over Raise Beck (at Dunmail). Being in a rush at the start and being lazy, I had not bothered to mark the map from the CP GRs provided, eventually in this case the CP was found to be 3/4km back on the bridge at Birkshaw Gill – how annoying! We both um’ed and ah’ed and then thought bugger it, its a long enough trog without adding more to it, so we unilaterally decided we would push on and vouch for each other if quizzed, thankfully later-on at the end no one was particularly bothered.



The climb up to Grizedale Tarn was ice ridden and here some form of grip would have been helpful (I knew I should have put the Katoola’s in! …along with the flask and the…). It was not long before Tarn was reached – nicely frozen too! Another quick descent lay ahead into Patterdale. I was eating well and this kept the energy levels up – which I have to say is key to keeping going on these long events! …this enabled me to maintain good physical and mental alertness – so being sure not to miss the Patterdale CP – which was identified as ‘Church (manned)’- however there was no one about outside, so what do you do? - you go in of course …only to find ‘erm’ no marshal, but instead a church service underway. Best leave! ....there he was over the road! The route then retraced the same path back to Askham, still a way off but it felt like the home run! I dug in and tried to maintain a run up Boredale Hause, but had to give in to a walk about halfway, the views where breathtaking, so I few snaps where taken - no time to hang around though, as there was a cold east wind that was biting through my moderate (but very effective ‘Haglofs’) clothing; I had a bunch more spares in the rucksack though. No other runners around now, in fact no one around! it was tempting to ease up and coast along, but I was keen to get back to the warmth before dark, so kept pushing the pace.



The lights of Askham were eventually in sight, it was just after 4:00 when I turned into the village hall. A pleasing time of 7.23, I did not know whether this was the fastest time, but knew it was pretty quick, eventually a couple more runners turned up, one being Pete Waywell , who had set off late, after some sums his time was worked out as 7:27 – a relief for me and glad I kept on pushing hard. Full credit to Pete though, I always thought of those ‘Wesham’ boys to be road-runners!



This event has the potential as a classic, needing much respect and resilience. Good work Joe!



[photos to follow]