A six-person Carnethy group made a social weekend trip down to Borrowdale to take part in the Lakeland Four Passes. The start was at Rosthwaite Village Hall just along from Borrowdale YH, where we were staying. I did this run last year in rain and limited visibility, but the weather was superb this time around. It’s a quad-shaking rocky-pathed route (18 miles/1550m) heading over Styhead Pass down into Wasdale, over Black Sail Pass and Scarth Gap down past Buttermere to Gatesgarth, and then round the back of Fleetwith Pike and up to Honister, ending with 3 miles of (still rocky) downhill back to the Village Hall. My run was enjoyably uneventful, and I could enjoy the vast natural amphitheatres along the way. It felt like a good tune-up for the Pentland Skyline. Billy and Dorothy had yet another close finish but after the Controversy of Tiree – where Billy edged Dorothy out by one second and an elbow – this time it was back to the usual dead heat and marital harmony. Newer Carnethy member, Tawera, did very well on her first longer hilly race, and would have done even better if she hadn’t built in an extra paddle across the Derwent before the finish. Sandra and Richard Chandler, who have been racking up the runs this year, also finished in tandem, both hobbling on hobbled knees. A very effective race recovery was held at Casa Bella in Keswick. Results here.
*Note to club elites. Borrowdale YH has top 10 scoreboards for the fastest male and female ascents of Castle Crag starting with a hand on the hostel bar counter. There are some top names in the top 10s as they stand but it would be good to see a Carnethy name on there.
Kenneth Fordyce