It poured with rain all Saturday night and it wasn't exactly the sound to get you leaping out of bed at 4 am to go and run for the best part of 6 hours. Still, I need the training, so got up, left on schedule at 5 am and was running from Horton in Ribblesdale towards Pen-y-ghent by 6.05.
Needless to say it was fairly quiet and apart from a few walkers getting ready to set off in Horton, I didn't see a soul until the top of Whernside 3.5 hours later.
The weather was warm when I set off and dry, but that soon changed as I ascended the slopes of Pen-y-ghent and rose up into the swirling, misty cloud. Having set off in a long sleeve Helly it was time for coat on and head down. It was getting windy too near the top but I never felt cold.
From the top of Pen-y-ghent I tried a different route to the last run (which I thought was too boggy). This was better, more running on grass (which was really wet after the overnight rain), but lots of styles and a lack of sign posts meant this section to the Ribblehead viaduct still seemed to take forever.
From the viaduct it was the long slog up to the summit (ideal UTMB training - poles out and working well), then the steep slippy descent before the short valley crossing to climb up Ingleborough. This route is pretty much straight up and I felt the effort of the steep climbing, but once on the rocky plateau felt good. All peaks on Sunday were in the mist, so no fabulous views, although there was one 'moment' coming off Whernside when the cloud broke, the sun streamed through and a rainbow lit up the hills and valleys' below.
The run of Ingleborough was uneventful, the sun finally started to come out and I eventually got back to the car about 11:50 am. Job done.
After the quick dash home, bacon butty and tea I raced over to Ellerton near York to hear Pamela perform with the Cantabile Choir - quite a contrast between morning and afternoon!
The new East Window at the restored Ellerton Priory Church.
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