Yorkshire Dales Peaks run

The plan for the midweek run was to allow Mrs UB to relax and be pampered whilst I hit the trails during the 'big storm' that was raging down south but had not really hit up North.

I scouted out some runs on the OS Explorer map and decided that Monday was the day for this. The winds down South had died down to nothing but the constant gales on top of the Dales were still harsh. Our digs were salubrious to say the least. Awesome duck down duvet on a superkingsize, big bath, Ipod dock accouterments, robes, free beer and the smell of wood smoke wafting though the converted mill almost prevented me from delving into the Dales. Waterproof on and rucksack incase with OS map and then a drop of probably 25 degrees from shelter of the house to the cold reality of the Dales.

This was the plan.....The Cam High Rd which is a Roman Rd  stretching from Hexam down through Bainbridge to some Southern soft town. It literally went over everything. I didn't meet anyone on this road for 10 miles. Not a soul! Why? well the 50 MPH wind over the first 5 miles and with 400ft-2014ft of ascent, nothing crept remotely near to 9 min miles.....mainly in the wind, the odd glance of the watch was a scary 11 min miles.....and I was running this hard!!!!

The tops of the Dales look inviting but actually fail to deliver in terms of vies and experiences. Mainly the tops are flat so offer a view of more of the same and not a vista one would come to expect from the Lakes or Snowdonia. The flat tops are boggy, wet and full of Sink Holes. Grim. Here is the top of Wether Fell and then I ascended the 300ft higher Dodd Fell.

Then I was blown off my 82kg feet. Holy shit! This was not good. The wind was hard but this took me right out. It was back down some scree and a Lee Side return to base. 'Fonze' hairstyle in tow, a lovely 3 hour run to blow out the cobwebs