At CB's suggestion he, DW and myself set out to recce the Grisdale Horseshoe race route. A race neither of us had done before and therefore offered potential for disaster. All starts well as we head up Birkhouse Moor to Hole-in-the-Wall. Then on to checkpoint 1 on Catstycam. Up Swirral Edge to checkpoint 2 at Helvellyn. All straight forward so far. We think checkpoint 3 is at the outflow of Grisdale Tarn. This would make sense as there would be no point in one on Dollywagon as well. Checkpoint 4 on St Sunday Crag is straight forward but then we are heading for new ground.
Neither of us had bothered to make a note of the checkpoint references of plot them on a map so there was much discussion. However we find the good descent line down to the valley and checkpoint 5 which we agree is at a barn on the main track. We know checkpoint 6 is on a stile in the wall leading up to Hole-in-the-Wall but we wrongly think it is high up so struggle to find a good line. Head high bracken is a clue that tells us we do not get it right. We join the main path and continue all the way up to HITW. At least the extra climbing will do me good.
Checking later we see the correct location of checkpoint 6 is much lower and no doubt has a reasonable bracken free line leading to it. We live and learn. One day when I decide not the enter the Ben Nevis race I will do this instead. Although it appears to be the tougher option.
Russell
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