Will try to keep it short & sweet this week (unlikely though).
Dorina & I headed off to Kendal last Wednesday for a short break to celebrate the anniversary of our first dinner together (5 years have flown by) as well as see how we got on in the TGO Awards.
As you’ll no doubt know by now we came 2nd picking up the Highly Commended Award. I can speak for everyone of the Cafe’s team by saying that to win such an accolade in only our 4th year was simply great, a big thanks to anyone who deemed us worth voting for, it helps make the frequently hard work all the more worthwhile.
After a celebratory drink or two we breakfasted later than normal on Thursday to Um’s & Argh’s ‘do we still have time to do the Kentmere Round?’
Parking the car we were still un-decided but with a bail out option spotted on the map decided to go for it. Despite rain early & late most of the walk was in reasonable weather with cloud cover well above the summits. It seemed a walk of two halves, the outward Western side path was almost too good whilst the returning Eastern side became progressively wet with a fair amount of bog leaping required. Returning to the car after less than 6 hours we’d completed the circuit, 9 summits bagged all of them virgin to us both. Evening thoughts turned to I’m 50 next year with only 157 Wainwrights to do maybe they could be one of my targets for the year. As another glass or two of wine passed my lips (needed to help me thaw out after getting soaked at the opening ceremony of the Kendal Mountain Festival) I duly came up with 5 challenges for next year but need some time to reflect on them properly before going public.
Talking about challenges, we all need them (or should) but is it only me who was thinking after watching half a dozen film trailers at that opening ceremony ‘are these guys really challenging themselves for purity or are they being driven to push themselves irresponsibly simply to make a more outrageous film’, I hope I am not doing them an injustice in stating my thought process, it’s just what I was left feeling.
Back in North Wales on Saturday took part in the ever popular Pen. race despite overnight snow & the shock that the start was at 10:30 & not 13:00 as I’d somewhat stupidly had thought. After twice being cold in the Lakes decided to dress as if I was climbing Mont Blanc, half an hour in I was sweating profusely until that never ending bog cooled me down. The subsequent tarmac section was agony for frozen feet but I was pleased with my run in to place 49th out of 195. More than happy with that after my pre-race nerves but my 7 second pb was put into perspective by Math Roberts’ tremendous win in a new course record & a winning margin of 6 minutes! In my dreams!!
Open MIC night this weekend to be followed 2 weeks later by our Christmas Quiz in aid of Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, more of that to come next week but hope to see you at one or both of these.
