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Discussion Forum - Hundreds - Hadrians Marshals walk


Author: Patrick Barry
Posted: Tue 14th May 2019, 15:49
Joined: 2018
Local Group: South Manchester
I am not going to get too hung up on the schedule, it is probably more to ensure I don't go too quick in the easier early stages. For the fellsman this year I had a guess at 22 hours. So I had a look at last years results and jotted down the splits for a bloke that finished in 22 hours. It was great seeing me snipping a few minutes off each of his splits though the whole event. In the end I knocked 3 hours off his time, the vast majority of it in the last four stages, he must have really slowed down.
Author: Patrick Barry
Posted: Tue 14th May 2019, 15:41
Joined: 2018
Local Group: South Manchester
Naysmith comes out at 39 hours. But I have a 27 hour "moving time" figure from Strava for my NYM 100. So I done a bit of maths based on those two figures to come out with moving and stop time for each leg. I am hoping for something between 31 and 33 hours. I was 33 hours for NYM.
Author: Dave Clifton
Posted: Tue 14th May 2019, 14:05
Joined: 2011
Local Group: Northumbria
Would I correct in saying that Naysmith did not factor in breaks in his calculation . Something to bear in mind Patrick as being your first its up to you but for example when I have done past hundreds the breakfast stop (this year at Dufton) is a winner . You can refresh and enjoy a hearty breakfast and get ready for day 2 and may add a bit onto your calculation plus the other checkpoints that are in place. Interesting about times as the beauty of every hundred is that currently no route is the same. In fact the marshals event results could well have reflected lovely walking conditions not too warm not too wet but who knows at this stage what the weather will be like on the event weekend which may have to be factored into your calculation.
Author: Patrick Barry
Posted: Tue 14th May 2019, 13:37
Joined: 2018
Local Group: South Manchester
Yes I found that out, I have put together a schedule based on Naysmiths rule, but in comparing it to the marshalls event it was all over the place. Then I realized that some of the checkpoint names are different.
For the six or seven that are the same my schedule is not too bad when compared to a guy that finished in just under 31 hours.
Author: Eddie Winslow
Posted: Tue 14th May 2019, 12:41
Joined: 2008
Local Group: West Yorkshire
And several of the Marshall's CPs were in different places to the Main event so take care if you are doing any calculations based on Marshall's event split times.
Author: Nigel Coe
Posted: Mon 13th May 2019, 14:53
Joined: 2009
Local Group: Lakeland
Ah, thanks Bill.
Author: Bill Milbourne
Posted: Mon 13th May 2019, 13:35
Joined: 1996
Local Group: Northumbria
There were only 12 checkpoints on the Marshals Walk. There were a couple of barns we could not use because they were full of pregnant sheep.
Author: Nigel Coe
Posted: Mon 13th May 2019, 12:25
Joined: 2009
Local Group: Lakeland
The results for the Marshals' Walk show times for start, 12 checkpoints and finish, but the route description has 13 checkpoints. Was one checkpoint not used or not recording times on the Marshals' Walk, or is a column missing in the results?
Author: Jeff Stevens
Posted: Sun 12th May 2019, 16:41
Joined: 2014
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Thank you bill for all the information and look forward to meeting you all on the day .
Many thanks jeff
Author: Bill Milbourne
Posted: Sun 12th May 2019, 12:10
Joined: 1996
Local Group: Northumbria
There seems to be some uncertainty about this

The Roman Wall Trail is the official Route
The Sweeps will be following the Route Description and will not be using the Roman Military Way
The Roman Military Way is an acceptable alternative to avoid congestion on the Roman Wall Trail. It is mentioned but not described in the Route Description
Author: Laura Turner
Posted: Sun 12th May 2019, 11:25
Joined: 2012
Local Group: South Wales
sorry, I meant thank-you Dave (and also to Bill for previous posts)
Author: Laura Turner
Posted: Sun 12th May 2019, 11:25
Joined: 2012
Local Group: South Wales
Jeff's explanation of how he feels expresses my thoughts exactly! Thank-you Bill for your reply.
Author: Jeff Stevens
Posted: Sun 12th May 2019, 6:35
Joined: 2014
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Thanks Dave

IT IS GETTING CLOSE AND I CANT WAIT.
Thank you for your quick response jeff
Author: Dave Clifton
Posted: Sun 12th May 2019, 6:26
Joined: 2011
Local Group: Northumbria
Hi Jeff and Laura and thanks for your posts, Have a look at the previous posts and in particular the posts of the 8th May from Bill and Shirley that covers most of your valid points. We are not looking for a vast amount of mileage here but perhaps three miles and it will depend on the weather as well , if its like the marshals walk then there was less people around. As the 8th May Post says make a decision on the day , my own thought if I am travelling distance and never walked Hadrian's wall I would go for it , if I have done it before there is an alternative. We are getting very near the walk and I feel that the excitement is building up.
Author: Jeff Stevens
Posted: Sun 12th May 2019, 6:06
Joined: 2014
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Hi Laura
The Roman wall is a small single track path where on times when busy on parts you have to wait to let visitors down which would take a long time and with the amount of us there would be long tailbacks. I going to put another message on and say that i would only walk the roman path if the ldwa in Northumbria sanctioned it and as long as it did not make the 100 drop below the 100 mark. I just dont want to be frustrated with having to wait for large groups stopping us for quiet a long time. I dont want to miss the wall but I dont want to walk into the second night if i can help it.

You have made a valid point and if the Northumbrian ldwa say i have to walk the wall I will adhere to this
Many thanks jeff
Author: Laura Turner
Posted: Sat 11th May 2019, 23:27
Joined: 2012
Local Group: South Wales
Surely if it is a legitimate alternative, it should be included in the description? V6 states: "To avoid congestion the Roman Military Way just south of the HWP is available from this point though is less scenic and does not feature in the Route Description."
Author: Laura Turner
Posted: Sat 11th May 2019, 23:21
Joined: 2012
Local Group: South Wales
I'm a bit confused. Usually on an LDWA event (apart from Kanters), there is a prescribed route, and self clips to deter anyone from taking a shorter/easier route. Had I not read this, it would never have occurred to me to not follow the route description.
Author: Bill Milbourne
Posted: Fri 10th May 2019, 10:53
Joined: 1996
Local Group: Northumbria
Jeff Stevens, as you will have the opportunity to enjoy the wall at your leisure during the following week, I suggest that you stay away from it and use the Military Way instead. Save yourself a lot of potential conflict with other users and possible injury on those awful rocky descents
Author: Jeff Stevens
Posted: Thu 9th May 2019, 19:54
Joined: 2014
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Hi Bill
I dont wont to sound ignorant i just have not walked any of the Hadrian's wall I am going up Friday night with Lisa and my grandchild after school and i will be straight into the 100 Saturday morning. I am just trying to gleam as much information off experienced people as possible .
I am spending the following week up there and will be doing the wall and all the sites at a leisurely pace.
But thank you all for all the information this is much appreciated . As for me I am just on a constant high and cant wait to get up there and soak up all the atmosphere and views of what you get from the annual 100. This is the 100 I have really been waiting for since it was chosen for the annual 100.
Many thanks to you all Jeff
Author: Bill Milbourne
Posted: Thu 9th May 2019, 16:20
Joined: 1996
Local Group: Northumbria
Jeff Stevens. Its not the Hadrian Hundred people being congested on the Wall path that I am concerned about, its you lot getting caught up in the usual crowd of families with dogs, children and Grandma that you get on a sunny bank holiday weekend between Steel Rigg and Houseteads
Author: Lee Hall
Posted: Thu 9th May 2019, 7:13
Joined: 2016
Local Group: Sherwood
Elton
Thank you for the GPS advice the only thing I had not thought about was leaving it on daylight settings (I have it on Auto) that, will be changed after work today. I have the track loaded a couple of WP with proximity Alarms set later on in the route,for when fatigue sets in and I start day dreaming and loosing concentration. I am much the same as yourself Map Compass and RD, GPS is for checking only. I would not like to become one of those walkers who watch the screen and follow a little arrow and miss out on all that's around me. Also on many occasions I have picked up far more detail from the RD than from any map or gps.

Thank you Lee
Author: Elton Ellis
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 22:47
Joined: 2006
Local Group: Surrey
David M: Thanks for the info. I hadn’t thought of lithium AAs, as I remembered they gave problems sometimes with the Garmin GPSMap 60CSx. I use a 64s now, as you do, and I’ve just found that they have a Lithium setting.

I also don’t usually use mine for navigation, preferring map and compass, and the RD. Often I don’t turn it on at all. But I find that on a Hundred my mind starts shutting down at midnight on the first night (sleep!, sleep!), so that’s when my Garmin comes in useful. I probably won’t turn it on until Gregs Hut on Cross Fell.

Lee: You presumably know you can turn the backlight right down on the Garmin. Backlights really chew though battery power. I leave mine on minimum (which is none at all) even at night, have the display set permanently to ‘Day’, and look at the gps by torch light when I need to. Also, of course, battery save is ‘On.’ I also upload all my walk routes to the gps as ‘Tracks’, not ‘Routes’.

Shirley/Bill: Thanks for more info on the extent of the Military Way.

Jeff: We reach the Wall at 7 – 8 miles in, so a fair amount of spreading will have occurred by then’
Author: Jeff Stevens
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 19:22
Joined: 2014
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Thanks Shirley/Bill
The information will be very helpful for many of us .
Do you think with so many setting off on the walk at 10 am it may
cause problems at the Roman wall path or do you think there will be
gaps by the time we reach the wall.
Many thanks jeff
Author: Shirley Hume
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 17:20
Joined: 1980
Local Group: South Wales
You can choose on the day Jeff. After Hotbank Farm you can either follow the wall via Sycamore Gap to Steel Rigg or take the Military Path which also goes to Steel Rigg. The point where the two routes split is clearly indicated in the Route Description and there are signposts on the ground. The two routes are about the same distance. You can see the walkers on the wall path from the military path, and vice versa, for much of the way.
Author: Bill Milbourne
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 17:19
Joined: 1996
Local Group: Northumbria
The Roman Wall Path actually runs alongside the Roman Wall and follows all the undulations, some of which are quite steep and rocky.
The Roman Military Way is about 200 metres to the south. It runs from Hotbank Farm to Cawfield Quarry. Its a grassy path and misses out a lot of the steeper rocky sections but it also misses out many of the iconic parts of the Roman Wall..You still get some of the views at Sewingshields and WInshields though
As well as being easier walking, the advantage of the Military Way is that it is likely to be less congested. The Roman Wall Trail is very narrow and will probably be very busy between Steel Rigg and Housesteads if the weather is decent.
The route description follows the wall but The Military way is an acceptable alternative, so its up to you, the iconic views or an easier, less congested path
Author: Jeff Stevens
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 16:28
Joined: 2014
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Hi there
I was looking at the comments from Andrew about the Roman Military path or the Hadrian's wall path .
Having never done the wall is there a difference from where they are and if so can you
choose which one to use .
Regards Jeff
Author: Ken Falconer
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 15:40
Joined: 1983
Local Group: Heart of Scotland
Many thanks to all those who organised and provided such excellent support on the Hadrian Hundred Marshals’ walk. It was a great route taking in very attractive and varied scenery, including the Wall, steep sided valleys, disused railways, rural sections with stone stiles (to bang one’s shin on!) and remote moorland. Cross Fell in the dark was great fun! The flora and the birds, particularly the dawn chorus, were stunning. Particular thanks to those kind folk who put out markers on the moorland sections without which navigation would have been difficult. The hospitality at checkpoints was wonderful as always. Those entering the main event have a great walk to look forward to - I just hope that the conditions are as good. Thank you for organising another classic Hundred!
Author: Iain Connell
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 12:25
Joined: 2010
Local Group: East Lancashire
After early battery problems, even on day walks, with my Garmin eTrex, I also use GPX tracks displayed on the 25:000 or 50:000 OS map via a microSD/SD card, reserving routes for zero visibility situations (none so far). I also carry two sets of spare batteries (rechargeable Engergisers, one pair per day with charge to spare). I too keep the screen on automatic switch-off, redisplaying position only when requested; the device's compass is also off except for emergencies. This carried in combination with a paper map and Silva compass, on which I still rely for primary navigation, resorting to the far-too-easy GPX track only as necessary (now much less than when I first got the GPS).

The kit requirements for recent Hundreds including Hadrian's have specified EITHER 25k or 50k or customised paper maps OR (to quote from this year's Rule 9.5), "Maps in electronic format will also be allowed provided durability and adequate power supply for 48 hours can be demonstrated if requested by a marshal." A reasonable interpretation of the 48-hour rule would be to show at least one set of spare batteries per device. Earlier in the Kit Required rule it is also stated that "Each participant must carry ALL items for the duration of the event unless otherwise mentioned below. Sharing of items is not permitted". Whether this needs to be applied strictly in to both members of a couple walking together - one carrying the maps and the other the GPS ? - might be open to further reasonable interpretation, and/or amendment for future Hundreds.

Some people's essential kit list includes an old sock in which to keep the flask warm. On this Hundred in particular, maybe dig out the other one for the spare batteries ?

Iain
Author: Eddie Winslow
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 10:58
Joined: 2008
Local Group: West Yorkshire
I think it is worth reiterating David's comment that overnight conditions for the Marshalls' were relatively benign. Yes, it was very cold, but it was dry and it was not windy.

Prior to the event I was looking at the forecast and was glad we weren't starting 24 hours earlier. Temperatures overnight on Friday were forecast around 8 degrees colder than those we experienced overnight Saturday.

Along Hadrian's Wall I put my waterproof jacket on because the wind driven horizontal hail flurries were biting. I was very pleased they were only a short term phenomenon.
Author: Lee Hall
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 10:34
Joined: 2016
Local Group: Sherwood
Sound advice thank you both,

Lee
Author: Mark Edwards
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 9:50
Joined: 1980
Local Group: Merseystride
Regarding GPS batteries, I have used a Garmin Oregon 450 - and now a 700. I'd certainly agree with using a track not a route to follow, so you are not alerted to each waypoint even if just a kink in the path. I use the battery saver mode which turns off the screen (but not the tracking) after 15 seconds - can be turned back on to show the display (an OS map with the track marked) by pressing a button or touching the screen. Also the backlight is off during daytime and only put on for the night sections. Lastly it is important to use good quality batteries - currently that is rechargeable Eneloop NiMh for me (once bought some complete rubbish from Ebay!). Two pairs of batteries are then likely to get me round the 100, might need a third but I'll have a 4th spare. As I also print the maps, I'm not relying on the GPS for the Rules, but practically it is the GPS not the printed map I use. Another tip is that if you have a touchscreen device, it is best to lock the screen to prevent accidental activation accelerating battery use.
Author: David Morgan
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 9:41
Joined: 1994
Local Group: South Wales
Hi Lee

I'm pleased the video has helped you make a decision on the kit to carry. There are long and very exposed sections on Hadrian Hundred and it's right that you have the appropriate equipment and clothing. My personal thoughts are that the kit required is the minimum an entrant should carry. Conditions on Cross Fell were benign for us so it's best to be prepared.

As for the GPS, I stopped using routes years ago for the reasons you outlined. I use a track and ensure that it is visible on my map page but only use the map page when I want to check my position. I like to keep my mind active by navigating with the route description. As outlined in my response to Elton, I use lithium batteries on the 100. That way I'm not changing regularly as a set (if I allowed them to do so) would probably get me around the entire route, something alkaline and NIMH would not be able to do.
Author: Lee Hall
Posted: Wed 8th May 2019, 9:27
Joined: 2016
Local Group: Sherwood
David

Thank you so much for sharing the video, I carried out my recce and you refreshed my memory, also having watched it my kit has changed. I knew I would be crossing the high ground between CP5 through CP6 to CP7 at night, it was cold made worse by wind chill in the daylight when I did it, and your video painted a different picture, so I'm now carrying a 20 ltr pack not my pre selected 10 ltr I will now be carrying extra just in case so thank you fantastic its appreciated.

Another GPS question if I may, I prefer to navigate by Map and use GPS if I feel I'm beginning to get Geographically Embarrassed. When I did my recce over 4 days I loaded the route as a route on my Garmin GPSMAP and every time I arrived at a waypoint my screen lit up and I got a msg tone (stopping the msg tone was simple to stop) but the back light coming on for 15 seconds at each waypoint killed my battery. So I have decided to load a GPX track to follow the route. I'm hoping this will save battery and I can just activate it check myself and turn it off until next time I might need it.

May I ask what you do or what anyone else suggests they do please.

Many thanks

Lee
Author: David Morgan
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 22:15
Joined: 1994
Local Group: South Wales
Hi Elton

In relation to your question about the batteries in my GPS. I always use AA lithium batteries on long events. I use 2 sets for an event and neither set run out. The new set at the start will be in the unit until the breakfast point and I then change them for the second half of the route. When I get home I find that both sets of used batteries will do at least another 40 miles each. They really are that good.

I rarely use the GPS to navigate but use it to record where I have been. If I'm unsure 're route description I'll have a glance at my map on the unit but for the majority of time the screen I leave it on is a static screen so it doesn't waste battery power scrolling on a moving page.

On normal walks (!!) I use rechargeable AA batteries and in cold conditions they still last at least a day and a half.

I also have at least 3 sets of spare batteries just in case and to satisfy the minimum safety kit requirements.
Author: Elton Ellis
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 21:52
Joined: 2006
Local Group: Surrey
Dave C: Thanks: we don’t want the Hadrian Hundred any harder than it already is!

Eddie: I had head torch failure on the Cant Canolbarth Hundred, a Petzl with 3AA batteries, and I gather it’s not that uncommon in very cold weather. Perhaps the solution is to put the battery case (at the back in a Petzl) under your woolly hat and against your head so that body heat keeps it warm.

David M: I noticed in your video that you wear your gps on your pack straps. It is quite exposed there, so did you have any battery problems on Cross Fell?
Author: Dave Clifton
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 20:48
Joined: 2011
Local Group: Northumbria
On the use of the Roman way its really down to whether you have walked the Hadrian's wall route before because it quite a memorable trip walking the Hadrian wall Path . You are correct that the Pennine way after Dunfell is rather tricky even in good light. If I remember right its the top of the Mountain rescues list for lost Pennine walkers over Knock fell. You will still walk on part of the Pennine way track into Dufton. You will also be on road for a while from Allenheads to Allendale but keeping safety in mind the Isaac's trail into Allendale is not the easiest to navigate and we don't want to lose you. David Morgan's video is a delight and thanks for early sight but gives you a flavour of what you will experience and I wish you well
Author: Elton Ellis
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 19:45
Joined: 2006
Local Group: Surrey
Thanks, Andy. Some useful info for us doing the main event, especially on using the Roman Military Way..

On your point about coming down from Cross Fell, personally I’d rather risk a car on the road than following that section of the Pennine Way in the dark and, probably, wet. From your photos and times, I see that you did it at about 8am, so when the radar station staff were going up.

David, thanks for your video. It certainly conveys how bleak it is up there, and the shots of the moorland paths show why the organizers put us on minor roads for long sections of the second half.

It’s going to be a tough event, no question of that.
Author: Madeleine Watson
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 19:05
Joined: 2002
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Thanks everyone for looking after us so well at the weekend. We were really lucky with the weather - almost perfect! Even the hailstones whilst we were walking along the wall were very short spells - I didn't feel the need to put waterproof on. It is lovely scenery all the way round. I had recce'd from Alston to Cowshill so could imagine the view approaching Cross Fell and Dun Fell. It was cold up there. I had a sleepy "wobble" coming into Dufton. Had a bit of a lie down. In terms of route, the hardest bit without a doubt for me was going in to Allendale Town. After you fork right, it is still a long way and the final bit is quite a hill! My feet were tingling from walking on the road but recovered after a sit down. I also struggled a bit finding the way across the moor after that and in the final woods before the racecourse. Veg curry at the end was superb!

I look forward to seeing lots of you at the end of May.
Author: Iain Connell
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 16:23
Joined: 2010
Local Group: East Lancashire
Good video.

YouTube subtitles which you may or may not like to edit out:

'Houston' for 'Alston' (having a problem with navigation ?)
'Cross Rail' for 'Cross Fell' (thought it wasn't open yet)
'Nice logo up the track' (from 'Gary Gill' to Greg's Hut): like the one on your hat ?
'Highest point in the northern paradise' (Cross Fell summit).

Iain
Author: David Morgan
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 15:37
Joined: 1994
Local Group: South Wales
Author: Dave Clifton
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 13:08
Joined: 2011
Local Group: Northumbria
No, your post was very useful and does pose a small question over the car that raced up the road. I am pleased you gave us the feedback as its always been my understanding that one of the reasons for the marshal event is to test out our arrangements and review before the main event. I hope you overall enjoyed our route and our perhaps unseasonable weather and that the myth that Cross fell is a monster is not quite true . Perhaps look at the Montane Spine race on you tube and see how the competitors managed in the depth of winter . Thanks again
Author: Andy Todd
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 12:55
Joined: 2010
Local Group: Wiltshire
Dave,

Hope you did not take the points on the route as a criticism, the post was more a combination of thoughts.

The section up to the wall, will only really be an issue for those which have gone hard up to that point on very easy terrain, and don't adjust their pace.

It might be worth moving the sign up to the cattle grid as from memory it was all the way down near the turn off from the 'main' road, you can see one of the cars in one of the pictures I took. IMO given the space he should have stopped let me past, and then carried on, he did not even slow down.

As to the food packs, I know it is not easy, but I there must be a local bakery that can supply some form of pie/pasty fresh that morning. Making those packs with the range of items must have taken some time.
Author: Dave Clifton
Posted: Tue 7th May 2019, 9:37
Joined: 2011
Local Group: Northumbria
Many thanks for your feedback from the marshals walk Andy , I will respond to some of the points and the rest we will be having a lessons learned before the main event and your suggestions will be useful . Lets know any suggestions for the food pack please.
A couple of H&S replies from me , the rough ground shortly after CP 1 is mentioned in the Route description and the Risk assessment and at my pre start briefing I also referred to the pathless and that you need to have a GPS or compass to navigate . Its a fact of just about every walk that pathless parts are always a bit of a natural risk and no Risk assessment can cover all the places that twisted ankles may occur. What I will do on my pre event presentation I will emphasis the rough ground again. The decent from the CP after Cross fell it was not intended to put the route down this private road and when I wrote the article for Strider back in December the intention was not that. A storm arrived and a bridge blown down and irreparable in the short term meant a rethink and with the help of one of the local LDWA members and the route manager Tony put together a route to ensure peoples safety . I am sorry you came across a car , we did put walkers on road signs at the bottom of the road and all the landowners know about our event. Hope to see you at the end of the month and thank you all the marshal walk entrants that adhered to my request to follow us until we got over the main road in Hexham . This will be repeated for the main event
Author: Shirley Hume
Posted: Mon 6th May 2019, 17:36
Joined: 1980
Local Group: South Wales
Many thanks to all the volunteers helping us round this weekend, it was much appreciated and we hope to return the favour in 3 weeks. For those of you who remember the frogs from Kent - listen out for the haunting cry of the curlew and if it is a clear night take a few minutes to stop, turn off you torch and enjoy the night sky, especially if you are lucky enough to be on Cross Fell. Truly awesome!
Author: Eddie Winslow
Posted: Mon 6th May 2019, 16:09
Joined: 2008
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Thanks to everyone. My first Marshall's and looking forward to the Main Event now.

A couple of comments on my experience.

My headtorch takes 3*AA batteries of which I had two sets of brand new with me - in theory enough for c40 hours. They struggled in the cold - torch went on going up Cross Fell and off when rejoining the Pennine Way after High Cup Nick so most of my overnight was over some of the higher parts of the route. I had to swap them over twice when the torch began losing brightness and put the spare 3 inside my clothes. They were ultimately more than enough and now, at home, are producing full power but at one point I was wondering whether they might fail completely.

Never, ever combine peperami and jelly babies. Absolutely vile. Not being a fan of peperami or similar when I found one in the snack pack I thought "needs must, just calories". I soon remembered why I don't eat them so tried a few jelly babies to take the flavour away but it just made it taste worse. At least I then got plenty of fluids in trying to wash it away.
Author: Andy Todd
Posted: Mon 6th May 2019, 12:29
Joined: 2010
Local Group: Wiltshire
Thanks to all involved. As always not easy.

Link to the photos I took https://photos.app.goo.gl/KM2RRD81GY4ADNxF9

Both myself and Clare developed something of a wheeze coming down the long drag from Dun Fell. The long nature of that descent means you chill down much more than you expect.

Below are a few comments/thoughts:

1) The snack packs could probably do with some thinking about.

2) The section after the main event CP1 up to the wall will come as a bit of a surprise to some as it is very rough with no defined path, very easy to twist an ankle.

3) I can see many people sticking to/using the Roman Military way for all the sections where it exists. Far better territory than the wall, and without the queues.

4) The route at Haltwhistle to get out of the town under the railway line is not that obvious. At the complex junction look ahead for the white building with black stonework (the Railway Inn), and pass down the short RD between it and its outside seating space to zebra crossing. TL and TR with path to pass under railway on RD

5) I was expecting the railway track to be hard work, it wasnt possible because of the fairly significant gradient.

6) The Pennine Way south of Alston was shock to the system, simple due to the number of wall stiles that you had to cross (stone steps up jutting out the wall and a a small gap (sometimes with a gate at the top). The instruction at Bleagate took a little while to work out, realising that the gate was at parallel to us and where we went in the farm yard. Initially missed the stone seat at Low Scilly Hall and went down the wrong parallel path (the GPX is a bit off here)

7) The track at the rubbish area before coming into Garrigill is slightly up and to your left. If you follow the fence on the right you will miss it. Again the GPX is off here.

8) The track up Cross Fell was much better than I was expecting, and until within a mile or so of Gregs hut a recently graded stone track (must have cost the estate a lot to put in), It really is keep going straight up the track, no turns left or right.

9) The road down from Dun Fell is to die for (rope, gun, knife, pills, anything really). It is an almost 5 mile quite steep descent, on tarmac, the two cars which came up the track when we were going down came up at speed. As said above, this is a section where you are not putting much energy in and if it is cold put on extra layers at the top. (I had the layers, didnt think they were needed/realised too late, suffered as a result)

10) The ground conditions are very good (the only mud we found was the bog on the top of Cross Fell - but I found that up to my calf)

See you all at the end of the month!

Andy
Author: Jeff Stevens
Posted: Mon 6th May 2019, 7:01
Joined: 2014
Local Group: West Yorkshire
Just like to say well done to all the Marshals on the walk I have been following them all the way.
They have set a very high standard for us which I hope we can all emulate .
Well done all Jeff

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