Two Breweries

24th September 2005
18 miles / +5300ft
Results
Cool dry conditions for the Two Breweries.
The race was won by Stewart Whitlie, despite him taking an interesting detour near the start. Andy Kitchin lead for most of the race but was eventually passed by Stewart at Stobo. Positions 3, 4 and 5 were all HBT - Billy Minto, Alec Keith and Al Hart. 6th was Adrian Davis who passed me just before Stobo. 7 to 10 were John Kennedy, Stuart Simpson, Ali Hubbard and Jon Ashcroft, leaving me 11th, about a minute behind this group in 3:08:48. First lady was Lucy Colquhoun of Carnethy in 3:24:51.

Photo courtesy of SHR Website

Dalehead

18th September 2005
4.5 miles / 2290ft
Photos
Borrowdale scraped the team prize with positions 1, 2, 3 and 4... not sure about 5th.
The race was won by Gavin Bland in 46 minutes. Next were Jonny Bland, Mike Fanning and Scoffer Schofield.
I was 8th and 2nd V40 in 54:38, about 10 seconds behind Andy Beaty who was 1st V40.

Running photo courtesy of Borrowdale Fell Runners

Three Shires

17th September 2005
12 miles / 4900ft
Results
Steve Bottomley's European training paid off with a well-deserved win at the Three Shires race in 1:56.
First lady was Karen Davison of Dark Peak in 2:17.
1) Steve Bottomley, Pudsey and Bramley
2) Scoffer Schofield, Borrowdale
3) Alan Ward, Dark Peak
4) Simon Stainer, Ambleside (last year's winner)
I finished in 27th place in 2:16, after heading off Swirl How in the mist in the wrong direction. When I finally got my map and compass out I was descending west instead of north. At least once I got back on route I had plenty of fun overtaking about 40 people before the finish.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

14th September 2005
Five mile jog round Lake Bled before heading off to Ljubljana Airport.

Prisojnik 2547m

13th September 2005

Alice Garnier and I climbed this strange mountain with a hole through it, before driving for hours and hours down to the Italian coast, by which time it was late and dark and we had almost run out of petrol and no petrol stations were open. We ended up getting pizza at Grado. Then camping at some mosquito swamps between Grado and Monfalcone. Horrendous mosquitos, but fantastic sunrise in the morning.

Near Kranjska Gora

12th September 2005
Evening near Kranjska Gora after bagging Triglav.

Triglav 2864m

12th September 2005
Highest mountain in Slovenia and national symbol.
Alice Garnier and I started from the Rudno Polje trailhead at 7.45am. The round trip took nearly 9 hours.
The route climbs steadily through forest to cross the col at Studorski preval, before contouring round the hill to the hut at Vodnikov Dom. After the hut we climbed to a broad col at Konjsko sedlo, before taking a rough steep path to the higher Planika Dom hut at 2400m. By this time it was getting pretty cold and windy with mist blowing in. Above Planika Dom things got more interesting. We did an anticlockwise loop taking in the exciting ridge of Mali Triglav before visiting the main summit. The climb is steep, exposed and airy, but with plenty of wire cable handrails. Luckily when we reached the summit there wasn't a breath of wind. Ideal for a leisurely picnic. The descent needed good concentration. Steep down-climbing with plenty of loose rock showering down. Once back at the Planika Dom hut, the walk-out is long but easy.