Ennerdale Run

up on the climb up to Pillar.  An early start today meant that I ran along the valley floor and got to about here before it was light enough to take my headtorch off.

a bit of light

I wanted to get a decent length run in today.  I also needed to be home for 2pm so that meant that I would need an early start.  There were rumours of cloud inversions but they were not to come true.  Most of the run was done in cloud.  Luckily, there is a wall that runs along much of the route I was taking so the navigation was easy enough.  My run started at about 5.20am with the first six or so miles done in the dark.  I got to Black Sail Youth Hostel and decided it was still a bit dark to be climbing up Black Sail Pass and so I sat on the toilet for ten minutes.  On emerging, I picked up the track, which is fairly easy to follow and when I got to the footbridge, decided to just continue up along Sail Beck, eventually reaching the familiar fence posts.  By now it was starting to get lighter and I took the track over to Pillar.  Pillar looked the most promising out of the whole day for cloud inversions.  When I got to the top though, it was within the cloud and so there was not a whole lot to see.

Yewbarrow and Dorehead Scree on the right

Pillar - cloudy and bland today

On top of Pillar, I sat in the shelter and took a compass bearing to take me over to Wind Gap.  Once up at Scoat Fell, I picked up the wall which I followed for the remainder of the high level portion of the route along to Haycock, Caw Fell and around until I got to the forest (which has all been logged) and the climb up to Crag Fell.  It was pretty much misty all the way but good terrain for running.

Mosedale opening up a bit, just before I reach Wind Gap

Black Crag looking up to Scoat Fell

Scoat Fell wall summit cairn

Haycock

scenic

my wall

Grike and Crag Fell ahead (on the map there is a forest there but all the tress have been chopped down).

Crag Fell looking over to Grike

Grike

Grike was at the 16 mile mark.  From here there is a nice downhill to Ennerdale Bridge and then I ran along the road, cutting through on a footpath to follow the shore line for the last six miles back to my car.

map with elevation data