Northumberland Fell Runners

Carnethy 5: report from Dave Johnson

Seven NFRs took part in this year’s Carnethy 5 Hill Race. The weather was uniformly miserable that morning but the forecast was spot on and shortly before the start the rain stopped and we even had a bit of sunshine. From the comfort of the bus the snow sprinkled hills looked lovely, but once outside a cold brisk wind served as a reminder that snow on the ground does not necessarily equate to tropical temperatures. I for one, was soon wishing they would bring forward the starting time. Continue reading →

“Blake’s Heaven”? That sounds enjoyable. Let’s give it a go, I thought. After all, there aren’t many races to choose from in January.

It seems I wasn’t the only one from the club with a similar thought, as Melanie Curtis-Williams unexpectedly appeared on the start line too.

The race starts from Lamplugh in the western Lakes, around the Loweswater area. It wasn’t an unduly cold day, around 7 degrees on the car thermometer, but the wind was very blustery, so the clothing choice was a bit tricky. There was a horrendous shower on arrival, but that passed. I opted for a short-sleeved Helly under my vest, and my usual race attire of shorts.  Continue reading →