Fairfield

28th December 2014

Finally on my day off the weather looks good. Clear, frosty and a  sprinkling of snow. My plan is to head for Fairfield. However because of my late start all the parking spaces at Rydal are taken. I carry on and park near Grasmere. This is good really as I don't like the climb up Nab Scar. I go to Great Rigg via Stone Arthur which I do like.

There are a lot of people about. Not surprising for a Sunday between Charistmas and New Year. Conditions are perfect although best not to linger on the summits as the breeze cools me quickly. After Great Rigg it is on to Fairfield and then Hart Crag and Dove Crag.

I descend the normal way to Ambleside and then take the Coffin route back to Grasmere. A great run out.

Russell

Boxing Day Orienteering

26th December 2014

Another go at this orienteering game. This time in daylight at Rusland Beeches. An odds and evens 1 hour score event. The area is wooded but not too dense so running is possible. There are several paths and walls criss crossing the area to give a little help to those of us (me) who have not quite got the hang of it yet. Especially in areas like this. Give me open fell any day.

The map is issued before the start and so a route can be planned. However it is not the control numbers on the map that separate odds and evens but the actual control (dib) box number. Second column on control descriptions. See map. This would catch me out later.

Before changing from odd to even or visa versa you have to visit control 11 or your score won't count. I highlighted the even controls by circling the control number on the map and planed to do these first. My aim was to do 1, 9, 2, 6, 5, 12 and check the time, I guessed that by then I would probably change over to odds because control 11 is close and the other evens are to far away.

This goes to plan until after 6 when I completely miss 5 and go straight to 12. I don't realise this until I get home and check the score. Then it is 11 and on to 8, 10, 20, 18. My second mistake is now that I go for 16 not checking if it is even. I waste at least 10 minutes finding it and then get 15 and 14 easily. Then head for the finish as time is running out. After download I realise my mistake. I will just have to put it down to experience. At least I did find it.

I am trying not to over analyse it but without the mistakes I would have another 20 points, possibly more with better route planning. Live and learn.

Russell

Night orienteering

10th December 2014

Cunswick Scar

As if orienteering wasn't hard enough in daylight I decide to give it a go at night. A slightly different format to the straightforward line course. It is an odds and evens score with a 1 hour time limit before penalties are incurred. 

Basically you have 1 hour to visit as many controls as possible. But because of the limited area you have to visit odd or even numbered controls first and then swap to the other, but only after visiting the change-over control. In this case number 21. See map.

I decide to visit odd numbered controls first and review my position after 25 minutes. I get as far north as control 11 and then head back to 21. Then frustratingly finding number 6 proves difficult. After that things go well and I reach the finish with 45 seconds to spare.

Knowing the area certainly helped and it was great fun. The weather also played its part. Wind gusting to 45mph, rain and sleet, -1 degrees. Will certainly do it again.

Russell