Lake District impressions – The 2014 Lakes 5 Days
The romance of the Lake District – misty mountains and lakes, Wordsworth, Daffodils, Beatrix Potter, Wainwright, Kendal Mint Cake, Cruising on Windermere. All part of the 'Lakes' image, but in early August over 2000 orienteers sampled the more testing aspects of this magnificent part of the country.
Mountain and Moorland – There's plenty of it! High, steep, rocky, exposed. What a contrast to the gentle New Forest contours. Day 1, 40mins walk and 200m climb to the start, Day 4 over 1 hour and more than 400m serious climb. The first in freezing lashing rain, the second in brilliant sunshine. Warm up is not a problem but suitable drinks are.
Lakes Weather Part 1 – Spectacular is not an over statement!. Day 1 on Shap fells had biblical rain with a freezing gale making it a survival exercise on open moorland. Stinging rain, roaring streams (try not to fall in but you are soaked anyway), the map shows an endless set of marshes of unknown depth, and once back at the bleak and blasted finish it was a further 2k back to assembly. Yuk!
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The Lakes Weather Part 2 – Day 4 – A magical day in Langdale surrounded by all the famous peaks. Glittering clear sunshine and little wind. Oh look! You can just see people at the start outlined against the sky 1500' above Assembly! This was one of the great days for UK orienteering, superb mountain technical terrain and the views weren't bad either.! Take a look at the Lakes 5 website for some spectacular photos.
This map segment shows the final 330m of the huge 400m climb from Assembly to the Start. It is a sharp contrast to the New Forest! From the NE corner of the map you can see a diagonal footpath which comes all the way from the road. The contours are pretty spectacular and of course from the Finish competitors had to contour SE below the crags to reach the path. Spare a thought for the Start team who had to lug the maps, boxes and other equipment up and down! |
The Forests – The FC policy in the Lakes is not to clear windblown trees so getting around can be rough, physical and frustrating. They don't do much drainage work either so thigh deep marshes abound and low branches make visibility poor and poke at your eyes.
We had two days of this but in compensation the parking assembly areas were spectacular for views and the social scene with warm sunny weather for both.
The 'Rest Day', Any regular multi-day enthusiast knows that 'rest days' are an excuse for even more effort and for most participants the Ulverston Urban race was the highlight of the day. A sunny evening, an attractive park setting and a town backed by a big hill enabled everyone to actually get a run in without underfoot problems! The social/eating scene at a super cafe at assembly was a highlight of the day.
Final day – Narrowly avoided a torrential thunderstorm. An area of eroded limestone pavements which when wet and mixed with tussocks made progress difficult. Scrub woodland and a steep wooded hillside where rocks would go on rolling downhill added to the fun. I arrived back in the midst of the prize giving with a personal feeling of satisfaction that I had completed all six days in one piece. Now to look forward to three days leisurely holiday in the Lakes!
Did we enjoy it? Of course we did. Whether you were a 'serious' competitor or someone who enjoyed the challenge the Lakes 5 days was a great experience and certainly brought you into close contact with the environment. Sometimes too close!
John Warren
Day 1 - Swindale
I awoke still tired from yesterday's horrendous drive to Windermere and looked out at the rain. Why had I entered the long course? M65L was 6.2km with 190m climb, and that was after a 2.6km 180m ascent to the Start. Lunacy.
Mary had a clear view of my sanity and it wasn't very encouraging. I was late setting out for the Start so attempted to hurry up the final, steepest bit of the climb. I arrived panting for breath with under ten minutes to go, wishing I'd hydrated properly beforehand.
The map was stunning - I'd never seen so much blue! A sea of marshes, contours and crags. Surely there were some helpful handrails here and there? Dream on! And still it rained (but at least it wasn't misty).
I ran straight past the first control. My compass bearing was OKish but I was on the dip side of the small crag and simply didn't see it. Not a good start. This course required precise map to ground contact with no lapses of concentration.
Confidence lifted with an accurate approach to 2, plummeted with an absurd route to 3, soared again with a perfect run to 4, and evaporated completely when I celebrated by running enthusiastically 45 degrees off-course towards not-number 5.
5 to 9 was hell on the fell, a dour struggle up and down through marshes and fell grass. I focussed hard on navigation since my legs had had enough. Between 9 and 10 I chose to jump a little stream at a narrow point. Not narrow enough though. I plunged in up to my waist and my left hamstring screamed in pain...
Staggering along on one exhausted leg and one definitely dodgy leg, I reminded myself that orienteering is a fun-packed adventure sport. That's why we do it - I was enjoying it really! I even sprinted for the Finish control, goodness knows how or why.
Swindale South is truly glorious orienteering terrain. It is ideal for highly technical courses on open fell with a wealth of contour, rock and water detail, demanding the whole range of navigation skills. It is physically very challenging, though, particularly in bad weather, and tests your limits in mind, body and spirit. It nearly beat me.
Next time I'll be better prepared and, hopefully, orienteer well in conditions fair or foul!
Mike Kite
Ulverston Urban Race
The so called urban event!
Day 4 - Pike O'Blisco
Click to see wide angle panoramic view from car park
Sally Calland writes: Here is a photo of the Royal Signals team which boasts 4 WIM members, Lewis 'Short Course' Wright, Andy 'I am an adonis' McNally, Stephen 'I am feeling Blessed' Mallison and myself!
Andy came a respectable 8 out of 15.
Stephen 26/58 whilst carrying several injuries.
Lewis 13/39 having missed day one.
Sally 7/16 with a second place on the WO urban.
(Mary Kite would like to thank the nice Royal Signals man who hauled her out of the mire near control 3 at Simpson Ground!)
Lakes 5 Days by Grace French
(accompanied by Charlotte Slade and Alice)
Day 1 – Swindale South
Well what can we say about Day 1 except that it was WET!! Mummy and Mel went out first whilst we played in the car and then once they got back Charlotte and I got kitted out in our waterproofs and had to almost sprint to the start in order to get there by 2pm.
We had a lovely time going around and even managed a little rest when an unexpected ray of sunshine burst through the clouds.
It was agreed that by the end of the day we were true orienteers!! We did however not venture onto the string course.
Day 2 – Simpson Ground
As we always have to have late starts as either Mummy or Daddy have to complete their run before we can go out we went on the string course to begin with. Luckily the weather was nice but the course was very wet and I ended up with wet feet. As I was going round I was joined by a SYO little girl so we went ahead together and I ate my jelly baby at the end whilst waiting for Mummy and Alice.
Mummy and I started at the same time but Daddy had to carry Alice around the course so we were slightly handicapped but I did all the map reading although I didn’t want to run off too far in front.
We also took our picnic lunch up to the start so that we could have it whilst waiting for Mummy to finish – was hoping she would take longer than me (and she did!!).
Day 3 – Grizedale NW
This was a lovely day on the top of a big grassy field although Alice (wearing Daddy’s new hat) got accidentally dropped in a cow pat by Steve Mallinson before we had even left the car to go on any courses.
Daddy took Alice, Charlotte and I on the string course and after Charlotte and I completed the string course we then did the off string whilst Alice completed the string course, finding all the minibeasts.
Mummy took me on the White course and it was very nice not having to walk too far to the start especially as I knew what was in store on Day 4!!
The course was a bit hilly with the first 6 controls all uphill but there was a real muddy track leg from 7-8 which was downhill and a bit slippery in places. From the last control Mummy made me sprint to the finish and I took just 4 seconds longer than she did (although I hadn’t run as far!)
Rest Day
In the afternoon I went on the Junior Go Ape in Grizedale and it was FAB – it is the highest one in the country.
Day 4 – Blea Tarn
Today I did the course with Charlotte and her Daddy as the starts were a long way away and in the opposite directions. We zigzagged our way up the hill to get to the start which is never so bad when you do it with a friend and then of course it was a nice downhill skip on the way back. On the way back we met Alice at the string course and so we had a go round the Witch course with Alice helping as she had already done it. She enjoyed showing us the fairy dust and the goblin’s den.
Day 5 – Hampsfell
I enjoyed this day the best especially getting wet!! After a quick loo stop behind a wall I looked at the map and following the path sprinted the last 3 controls to the finish. Below is an official photograph of me (note the new control description holder!!).
