Lakes Classic Rock Round ✅️ Solo effort. 13 hour 20 mins 🏁🧗♂️🏃♂️ 57.14km and 4,811m elevation.
This one meant a lot. Especially as just 10 months prior I had a very broken ankle, and walking, never mind running and climbing felt unimaginable!🏆I have never experienced a deeper flow state than I did throughout that day. 2 hr 33 mins of total climbing time on rock.
So what is this challenge? The LCRR involves climbing 15 climbs across 9 mountain crags, and travelling in-between on foot – walk or run. Starting near the Old Man of Coniston on Dow Crag, you climb on Gimmer, Bowfell, Scafell, Gable, Pillar, Gillercombe, Black Crag and Shepherd’s. 🏞
The 15 routes are all 3*** classics between VDiff – VS, 4c. I committed about 2 weeks worth of climbing these routes, firstly on a rope, then soloing, then recceing the fastest running lines in-between crags before frustratingly waiting for the good conditions to align with when I wasn’t at work to attempt my round.
It all came in to play 27th Sept, 2024, in less than favourable conditions early morning, but I decided it was go time. I walked in from Walna Scar car park at 5am, the light drizzle illuminated by my headtorch making me feel like I was going in to lightspeed in the Millennium Falcon! Strong northerly winds gusting up to 35kmh until 9am was also an added challenge.
I was relieved to find Murray’s mostly dry. Shoes and chalk sorted, I pull on to the climb at 6am on the dot, picking my way over the wet bits. A well rehearsed route for me. 6.5 mins later I was weaving my way back down to change in to my trainers to leg it to Gimmer.
Gimmer wasn’t as dry as I’d hoped, infact Ash Tree Slabs was gopping. Kept my head and did what I needed to do and this took just under 24 mins to climb up Bracket and Slab, downclimbing ‘C’ Route and ATS. Easy moves on wet rock must make everything a grade harder, at least!
Bowfell and Scafell were seeping in places, Bowfell Buttress wasn’t too bad, I actually kept my trainers on for this, saving me some extra time. I’d done it a few times and knew the footholds were mostly blocky ledges apart from one short 4m section where you romp up a crack with some edges for feet. Scafell approached, with the hardest climbs of the day just ahead of me, this is the most imposing. I found it to be the most psychological and technical crux, which I why I spent a good while rehearsing the routes on a rope. Although once I’d climbed them and got locked in, all the anxiousness was left behind!
Moss Ghyll Grooves did have a fair bit of water seeping down the corner. Good job it was wet when I’d been practicing, I suppose being next to Moss Ghyll I could have expected some water! A delicate traverse out to the arete from the corner on small edges kept me on my toes. Then you’re super exposed on a slabby corner and make you was higher up the buttress. I made the choice to bomb down Westwall and Lords Rake, climb up Jones’ Route and also reverse it as I felt this would be fastest. I was making good time and still felt good, Scafell marked half way too.
I spent a lot of time rehearsing the cruxy mantel move on Jones’ on top rope, up and down. You reach up to match a large flat hold which marks the start of a delicate foot traverse out right to the corner. Leaving enough room on the ledge for my foot to stand on was essential, I smear my left foot, bring my right toe to my right hand, palm the left hand, flip my right hand to the undercut and rock over to stand up. Phew. At first on top rope, I thought I’d never commit to that but actually after 7 or 8 tries the movement felt so automatic and fluid.
That’s another challenge to the day, the ability to retain all this different beta for the hardest parts of 15 huge climbs so that when you get there you’re focused and able to execute without wasting time or making a wrong move.
Gable really was great, no pun intended. The sun was out and it took just 26 mins to climb up Tophet Wall, downclimb Needle Ridge and stand on Napes Needle. Quality, a personal favourite of mine. The exposure on these climbs certainly requires a cool head, finding yourself in some brilliant positions. Particularly P3 of Tophet Wall as you begin the hand traverse section and as you look down to move your feet on smears you see the ground some 60m below.
The slog to Pillar killed me although it was cool to bump in to my friend Connie along the way who was out checking off the Wainwright’s. I made the last minute decision on the day to cut right just below the Pillar summit and contour across towards High Man saving me elevation and distance. I soon find myself scrambling on to High Man via Slab and Notch, 17 mins later I’ve downclimbed New West and ascended back up Rib and Slab, being careful of suspect holds! This is definitely the most remote section of the round, no signal and no margin for error!
Running from Pillar to Gillercombe was the hardest part, 10.5 hours in, I was flagging big time, legs cramping up and just tired! Following an off cambered trod around Kirk Fell was the fastest way, but also technical terrain, crossing some scree and boulder fields. Fortunately a cream egg and some KP salted nuts saved me and soon I was remembering which way I had to go down the meandering 196m route of Gillercombe Buttress, a climb I’ve repeated every year since I moved to the Lakes. Brilliant. 20 mins downclimbing this route.
Once down, I messed up my route to Honister but after crossing the road and seeing the end in sights I got a 2nd wind and legged it down past Castle Crag, ran through the river at Grange and blasted my way up to Troutdale Pinnacle 10 mins total, briefly stopping to enjoy the sunset from the pinnacle. At this point, I had to stay focused as soloing when tired could be fatal, one slip or lapse of concentration and it would be over. The high steps on climbs proved tricky too after running 50km, and I’ve never had tired legs whilst climbing!
It was time for the last push as I rapidly descended the steps and made my way along past the Borrowdale Hotel to begin climbing the most popular climb on the whole round. Little Chamonix.
After 4 mins of racing up this, just as the drizzle began and the darkness crept in, I was greeted at the top by my friends Andy, Acacia and lona. Legends. Thanks also to Jon who came and climbed the majority of the routes with me on a rope during our recces!🙏💚
Sitting on the plateau at the top I was overwhelmed and felt very proud to have achieved this challenge. After the last year with the injury, I needed something to aim for to motivate me in my recovery. This was definitely the toughest challenge I’ve done so far, and one I put the most work in to make sure everything was as safe and calculated as it could have been.
WHAT A DAY!!
