Yes, I went for a recce of the Steam Bunny Bluff today - I'm taking my duty as sweeper seriously - and despite not deviating from the official route, turns out to be almost 24 miles (with close to 6,000 feet of ascent). That's a lot of twisting and turning to add on two extra miles!
I went over with Pat W and despite not being hugely fit - me not him - he managed to somehow drag me round in a rather pleasing 5hrs 4minutes and that included some ten/fifteen minutes of stoppage, checking the route and such. Over all it's a pretty good route with some great views if the weather permits - like it did today for example, almost had to reach for the sun-block.
Right, so now to the important matter of the extra miles. Where did they come from? Did someone secretly place them into the bumbag while we weren't looking? Okay, we did go wrong in the first mile, along Offa's Dyke, missing the way marker - school boy error - but we knew exactly where we were so no harm done and that didn't account for any extra. Then there was the one or two other little variations and investigations - as you do on a recce else what's the point? The biggest of which was on the Waun Fach descent where we changed our minds and looped back a little but wouldn't have been more than a few hundred yards. Nope I simply reckon it's a 23.5mile fell race - but there's no harm in that.
I also tried out my secret route improvement. Turns out it's a couple hundred yards longer but, and read this carefully, I shall say this only once, two minutes quicker. Pat went the standard way and I trusted my spiddy senses. We both attempted to remain at the same effort level so I think it's fair to say it was quicker. Two minutes quicker - oops, I said it again.
Really can't stress how pleased I am to have got round in such reasonably order. I was tired come the end but not completely out for the count. I don't deserve to be at the level of fitness I am but I'll take it. With some commitment I could be good again...
I went over with Pat W and despite not being hugely fit - me not him - he managed to somehow drag me round in a rather pleasing 5hrs 4minutes and that included some ten/fifteen minutes of stoppage, checking the route and such. Over all it's a pretty good route with some great views if the weather permits - like it did today for example, almost had to reach for the sun-block.
Right, so now to the important matter of the extra miles. Where did they come from? Did someone secretly place them into the bumbag while we weren't looking? Okay, we did go wrong in the first mile, along Offa's Dyke, missing the way marker - school boy error - but we knew exactly where we were so no harm done and that didn't account for any extra. Then there was the one or two other little variations and investigations - as you do on a recce else what's the point? The biggest of which was on the Waun Fach descent where we changed our minds and looped back a little but wouldn't have been more than a few hundred yards. Nope I simply reckon it's a 23.5mile fell race - but there's no harm in that.
I also tried out my secret route improvement. Turns out it's a couple hundred yards longer but, and read this carefully, I shall say this only once, two minutes quicker. Pat went the standard way and I trusted my spiddy senses. We both attempted to remain at the same effort level so I think it's fair to say it was quicker. Two minutes quicker - oops, I said it again.
Really can't stress how pleased I am to have got round in such reasonably order. I was tired come the end but not completely out for the count. I don't deserve to be at the level of fitness I am but I'll take it. With some commitment I could be good again...
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