Challenger North 2022 - In To The Unknown

The wind bit in to my shell and made me feel momentarily chilled, despite the heat I was shedding on the long hard climb up Knock Hill. It was 7am and dawn had just started to lighten the sky. Raymond was ahead of me, I could just about see his flashing red light through the mist. My view on the red light addition to this year's kit list had changed from "mostly pointless" to "actually quite useful." I wasn't bothered he was pulling out of sight, although the path was pretty poor and patches of overlying snow obscured much of what was visible, the terrain was fairly easy and the GPS was doing its job. Eventually the gradient eased, I saw Raymond ahead approaching the summit cairn and I pulled out my Go Pro. The first big climb of the Cross Fell massif was over. I looked around, Raymond's head torch, the patches of snow, the wind tearing at my clothes. It felt very Spiney and it felt fantastic. 

My second Spine Challenger in 2020 was a partial success. I improved my time and felt I had made it more my "own race", rather than just surviving it as felt the first time. I had mixed feelings after the race though - I didn't enjoy the last few hours, and had fairly bad feet at the end, and I lacked confidence that I could finish the Full Spine. 

I was still excited by the idea of doing a Full Spine though, not least the chance to see the places I had never been to in the North, that I only knew from watching the race. Cross Fell, Hadrian's Wall and the Cheviots were almost mythical places to me, having watched the race for several years now. I was so excited when the option to run the Challenger North came up. Even if I never ran a Full Spine I would have the chance to visit those iconic places in a Spine Race. 

I was pretty daunted by the prospect of the longer race, with at least one extra night and likely racing in to a 4th or 5th day. However I had serial goals, much more than finishing, which were to visit those places - Tan Hill, Cross Fell, Hadrian's wall, Hut 1 and Hut 2. 

I have learnt from all my Spine races. I think everyone does. I made some modifications to three areas for this race:

1. Training

2. Kit

3. Race Strategy

Training was firstly about building a really good base. I had a good incentive to work on that in the first part of the year as I had my first "proper" 100 mile run - the South Downs Way. After the inevitable summer lull I picked up my training in the autumn expanding my daily run to a 5 mile loop and building in backpack runs for almost all my runs mid-October onwards. I'm a "mature" athlete and find mega long runs take a lot out of me these days, so whilst I try and get a few of those in before a big race, I find regular moderate miles prepare me well without the risk of injury of much longer training runs. The backpack is crucial for me in a race like the Spine. It feels very different to a minimal pack race, so I train with a 2/3 pack - maybe 6Kg, which I think prepares my upper body as well as pushing general endurance with the extra weight. 

The warmth of the Downs in summer was a distant memory

Kit

I was pretty pleased with my kit at my last Challenger and didn't change a lot really. Key changes were:

• Head torch - after much deliberation about moving from my trusty but slightly inconvenient Lupine to a head torch with AA batteries for ease of change, I decided to stick with the Lupine. It really is such an amazing lamp, not just brightness but the 30+ hour battery life. However I decided to obtain a second lamp I could interchange seamlessly if needed, and I managed to find a second older Piko on eBay for a good price that meant I had real redundancy. My experience in my first Challenger when my main lamp failed taught me your backup lamp has to be as good as your primary lamp in something like the Spine. 

Because you don't know how crappy it is using your backup torch until you have to! 

• Socks - my feet were better in the last Challenger than the first, but I still had blisters and knew I needed to pretty much eliminate those. I decided more frequent sock changes were needed, so I ended up with 9 pairs of Injinji's and a LOT of vaseline to allow me to change socks twice a day! 
• Waterproof trousers. I think too many people try to get away with "racing" waterproofs on the Spine. I love my OMM kit for proper trial running events, but in winter conditions when going slow they feel pretty thin. If you don't want to DNF you have to stay warm. I wore my Mountain Equipment Changabang jacket for the previous Challenger - as bullet proof a jacket as you could want - but also fine to run in. Last time I wore OMM bottoms, but decided this time to also pack a pair of ME Karakorum salopettes in my kit bag.  
• Pants. Chaffing had to be sorted this time, so part of the kit was a daily change of synthetic Decathlon slips, and a LOT of vaseline (this is a theme). 
• Finally I upgraded some of my base layers, moving to synthetic (cheaper than the wool) but long sleeve Brynje vests. I've loved my short sleeve Brynje vest since I bought it for my first Challenger but found my arms got pretty wet without the benefit of the wicking on the body

Strategy

• Sleep - I knew I needed to get regular sleep for this longer race, so I planned a half decent sleep each night. This is a bit tricky on North, due to the location of the Check Points. In the end I worked out sleep stops as follows:
• Dufton - Bivi late in the first night, before Cross Fell
• Alston - at the CP
• Greenhead - Bivi before tackling the Wall
• Bellingham CP
• Had the race gone to Byrness I would have planned a brief Bivi stop there before tackling Cheviot
• Feet - as I mentioned above the plan was a foot service twice a day - including re-lubing feet and a change of socks, as well as applying vaseline to chaffing areas at those stops. In addition to the above sleep stops I planned to feet service at Tan Hill. 
• Eat - my strategy is always to eat as often as I can! As well as grazing on the hoof the plan was to cook or eat something at each of the above stops. 

Feet kit

Race weekend

I arrived at the Green Dragon quite early on registration day, after getting an earlier train than expected. It had been snowing the day before and there was sheet ice running from the platform at Garsdale to the road. Arriving at the Dragon I met Christine and Peter who were over from Germany for the race. I went to check out the waterfall (very cool) then walked a way up the track to Great Shunner Fell (very icy). 

I had time to kill after that before kit check, so decided to walk in to Hawes. There was a break from the rain, although the fields were sodden and the river had burst its bank on to the road. I was very pleased with myself finding a way of bypassing the flooded road by walking on the wall, without getting wet feet. Super Spiney ingenuity. I found a cafe in Hawes and had an amazing bowl of soup. A visit to the outdoor shop was fruitless (no plastic bivi bags I could cut down to make an emergency foot bag/sleeping bag saver),  so I wandered back towards Hawdraw. As I approached the flooded section of road I saw a group walking quite a way down from the road, and getting wet feet running across a section of flooded field. "Amateur non-Spiners" I thought, "I'll show them how it's done." However once a little closer I realised the river water level had risen about half a meter in an hour and was now flooding over my clever bypass from earlier. I had to take the field and suffer the wet feet. I didn't think of it at the time, but it was a small taste of what our friends on the Southern Challenger were enduring at that moment. 

Green Dragon 

Kit check was straightforward although the checkers wanted to check all the calorie intake of my rations bag. I knew this to be 3800 in total, so way above the required 3000, and it weighed 1Kg. I'm not sure its easy to get a 1Kg ration pack to below 3000kcal, but they were just doing there job to keep us safe. I made a mental note to label all the foods next time, and maybe give them a print out of it all. Hang on, did I say "next time" this early in the proceedings? 

I spent a relaxed evening at the pub with Mark and met Jamie, Tim, Nigel and others. It was good to chatter and not have to worry about travelling back to accommodation. I was teased for my zero alcohol beer. Mark managed a few beers, but we all turned in fairly early. 

Race morning I arrived at tracker fitting and for breakfast wearing my jeans, to get a ribbing from Mark. I thought they were just the things to wear for a Spine when it was forecast -9 windchill on the tops. It was a luxury having a room so close to the start, but I was a little too relaxed and found myself almost rushing to get out of the room with just 20 minutes before the start to go. 

Good to go

Race Day

Choosing what to wear was tricky. It was a really cold morning, yet straight from the start we were to be climbing quite a few hundred meters up Great Shunner Fell and I knew it would be hot work. In the end I opted for my OMM overtrousers on top of my combination tights, and a couple of base layers with my ME hoodie under my Shell. 

The start was very relaxed with such a small field of us, only 49. We did the usual count down then headed up the track to Shunner.

The pace was really fast. I don't think the small field helped, as we thinned out quickly yet could see the runners in front of us pulling away. I hate being pushed at the start of a big race, so tried to be disciplined and just go at my own pace. It was fun in the snow, and there was quite a bit of it on the tops. Once over the summit the descent was a bit more tricky due to snow underfoot. I only had one crash, which happily was in to a snow drift and a very soft landing. 

Great Shunner

The valley leading to Keld after Shunner was pretty, and much of it very runable, although with patches of ice so needed care. I chatted a little to Fanny who was over from France for her first Spine. She told me she had done 10 Ultra's in the previous year.  I solemnly told her if I'd done 10 ultra's in the last year I'd be in hospital. I'm not sure she got the British humour. The path was a bit technical in places and a little muddy but not too bad, and I managed to trot most of it. It was pretty, with a lovely little waterfall in Keld itself - I think East Gill Force. 

The warmth of Tan Hill

After that the track slowly climbed towards Tan Hill Inn. It was firm under foot, but the track dragged on a bit - with the occasional building promising to be Tan Hill then letting you down as you got closer. Eventually the Inn came in to sight, along with various people and families strolling along this section of the PW, presumably before or after a good pub lunch. On arriving at the pub a volunteer pointed out the options which were straight on the PW or heading to the Spine Room at the back of the pub. I had a planned stop here, so headed around the back, although was a little disappointed not to be heading in to the main pub as I had envisaged a cosy fireside chair. There were a few others in the Spine Room which was cosy with a fire (hurray!) and a closed bar (boo), and a stage at the back with a couple of guitars. 

I removed my socks for my first foot inspection and sock change, applied vaseline and new socks. After learning there was a passage to the main bar, I went in search of a half a coke and a packet of crisps. Armed with these I came back to the Spine Room and made some noodles. Further admin involved checking the PW map so I had a vague idea of where I was heading next, and then refilling water. I headed out alone after staying for around 45 mins. I had hoped to be quicker, but my experience on all my Spine races is that looking after yourself for the long run is much more important than minutes here and there. 

The section of the PW after Tan Hill is famously awful. The path was indistinct, marked with some white posts in the ground, with the path itself boggy and flooded. I could see no-one ahead at first, so had no reference point as to where I was heading.  I managed to keep my feet dry and before too long I hit a tarmac path, and then came in to sight of a couple moving not too far ahead of me. I managed to catch them up and overtake not too long before God's Bridge, which is an impressive natural rock arch. Next to it is a stone folly which I clocked as a good emergency shelter. Not too far behind that was the  road crossing, and I remembered driving across here last summer en route from the Lakes to Norfolk. I had looked at the moors with anticipation then - it was drier in July! 

Folly worth remembering?

After the road tunnel the path headed across more indistinct moorland, passing a good quality official shelter at Deepdale Beck, which I had a quick look inside, but did not stop. I was delighted with my progress as I figured I would end up in Middleton much quicker than I had originally calculated, possibly even before sunset. 

Descending to Grassholme reservoir I met an SST and had a brief friendly chat before heading over the reservoir dam and towards Middleton. On the descent from Harter Fell I caught up with Tim Haughton. It was good to be with someone for the first time in hours. We live quite close and compared notes on various other adventures. I can't quite remember what time the head torches went on, but it was dark as we entered Middleton.  We were met by a runner with head torch heading the wrong way up road who turned out to be a cheerful volunteer. He guided us across the town to the checkpoint which is an annoying long way off the Pennine Way!

Middleton is a nice spacious checkpoint with dreadful showers. I dumped my bag on one of the tables and grabbed my CP checklist. This has clear "notes to future self" which I promise myself are not allowed to be ignored. "Have Shower" is early on the list, with "put compression socks on (do not ignore this)" and "lube, do not ignore this" following soon after. Obeying my own orders I went to find the showers. The first one seemed reluctant to offer any water. The second decided hot water just wasn't its thing. The third begrudgingly agreed to offer a trickle which was enough to have a decent wash with, but not the full-on "I've run 35 miles now hit me with a deluge" I was hoping for. 

A volunteer asked if I'd like to eat in the baggage/kit area or the adjacent room. A quick look inside told me the "other" room was a lot more cosy (with fire) so I headed in and tucked in to the curry. Amazing. I think I was the only runner in there at the time and I didn't understand why everyone else was out in the colder kit area. I went to have a peek at the tracker screen. A volunteer mistook me for another volunteer, and I had to explain I was a runner. Everyone was very nice but I left with the impression perhaps I had gatecrashed the volunteer only zone and had been invited in by mistake!  

After eating I finished my admin then headed off. I'd been in the CP about an hour and a half, which was quite a bit longer than I had planned for, but I was happy as it was a good stop. 

Heading out of Middleton I was aware there were some other runners not too far ahead, and I decided to try and catch them. I had never seen Cauldron Snout but was slightly nervous about tackling it in the dark for the first time, especially if it was icy, and fancied following others. The path along the Tees is a really easy section of the PW. Flat and firm, and I suspect in daylight very pretty. I stopped alongside the various waterfalls, but it was hard to see very much. As I approached the bridge at Forest-in-Teesdale I saw a head torch light ahead of me, but it seemed to be in the wrong direction which confused me. I crossed over the bridge there to the Eastern bank of the river. Not long after someone appeared on the opposite bank, shouting at me. It was difficult to hear but he had clearly missed the bridge. I did my best to wave and shout back directions towards the bridge. 

Moving closer to Cauldron I saw further head torches ahead and started to catch them up. After managing to scramble over the dreadful boulder fields on the approach, four of us eventually met up at the base of the Snout - Raymond, Andrew and Alan. Raymond led the way and confidently showed the line to take. The Snout wasn't as bad as I had feared. There was really only one exposed step right at the beginning, and after that the path is set back from the edge.  I brought up the rear, shooting some Go Pro footage on the way. We stopped and chatted at the bridge above the Snout, then headed off as a group of four. 

It's always quite nice to walk in a group although the temptation is to become lazy with the navigation, which is what happened just beyond Birkdale when we missed a finger post. We found it then carried on the trek towards High Cup. The others seemed stronger than me and at times they pulled ahead, at others I seemed to catch up again. The topography was confusing as I was expecting the slope to continue to fall away to the left, whereas it was actually falling to the right. The GPS track was spot on though, and on re-checking the map it seems the PW splits and the official GPX track takes you along the South side of Maize Beck.  My poles came out as we approached the Cup after a couple of slides. Raymond and I ended up walking as a pair, with the other two having disappeared together in the mist. 

It was hard to see the edge of the Cup in the dark and mist. At times we seemed quite close and we purposefully climbed away a couple of times. 

Arriving in Dufton, Raymond suggested we check in at the Village Hall in case they let us sleep there for a while. We were told it was the 30 minute stay rule, so we backtracked towards the luxury accommodation of the toilets/bus shelter. The bus shelter had already been bagged. I thought the men's loos smelt of wee, so I settled for the covered area just outside the toilets. We managed an hour or so, then woke up and agreed to walk down to the village hall to eat rather than brewing up. This worked well. I managed a foot service (sock change and lube), hot drink and noodles. 

Bivvy spot in Dufton

The first section out of Dufton was horrible with deep sticky mud on the track. It improved as we climbed up Knock Old Man, but was a long relentless climb. As we climbed the path became more icy, and the mist thickened. I suggested to Raymond that he should go ahead as he was stronger up the climbs. As he headed in to the mist I changed my view of the new addition to this year's mandatory kit list - the flashing red light. I had thought this was largely pointless, but it was really helpful to be able to see where he was going. 

Cross fell

Dawn arrived not long after we reached the summit. Visibility remained dreadful in the mist though. We walked right past the radar station at Great Dun Fell but could not see the golf ball. The ground became more glacial. We put our Yak Tracks on and it made it really easy to walk.

Yak Traks needed

 I was pleasantly surprised by how little climbing there was after Knock Old Man to the summit of Cross Fell.We stopped by the summit and took some photos before heading down the path towards Greg's Hut. 

Cross Fell Summit

Greg's Hut looks incongruous, sitting as a small cottage high up on the mountainside. We were greeted by John Bamber and another volunteer and treated to the fantastic noodles. The inner room of the hut, where the noodles were served, is a really cosy place. It was strewn with sleeping bags and rucksack on the raised area at the back. As we ate noodles John asked if we would sign Mary the Medic's Damian Hall Pennine Way book. We did as asked, then wondered where Mary was. "Asleep behind you" - she was somewhere under the piles of sleeping bags! 

Approaching Greg's hut

World's best noodle bar

The descent from Greg's Hut to Garrigill is quite a gradual one, and the path stays high for a long time. I imagine in bad weather it can feel pretty exposed along this section, although the track itself is very well made and firm. 

I spotted the post office at Garrigill which looks a great place to refill with essentials. 

The Alston Checkpoint, from a convenience perspective is the opposite of Middleton, sitting right on the PW itself. The volunteers there were lovely, and it had amazing (famous) lasagne, and was beautifully warm. The admin area was a bit more cramped than Middleton had been, but you can't have everything and the cosiness and warmth more than made up for that. The showers were a great improvement on Middleton too. I went for a sleep and managed an hour and a half or so. The beds were incredibly comfy bunks and I reminded myself that planning sleep somewhere with a proper bed is so much better than a bivvy on the air mat. I was a bit impatient to move on, so when I woke after the fairly short sleep I decided to head off. 

Alston CP

The stretch to Bellingham is a long one and I had chunked it up in to a few sections; To Slaggyford; Greenhead (Famous toilets at Wallsend), Horneystead Farm (365/24 pit stop) then Bellingham itself. 

I set off alone after dark, with a little pace as I had seen Raymond preparing to leave after me, and I didn't want to be caught too quickly after leaving. The path meandered a little as it approached the Roman Fort which was disappointing in the dark with no obvious features of any kind. The Nav on this section was a bit tricky at times with unclear gates and styles across walls. The last bit before Slaggyford was a bit dull along the road. It was pretty late and there were no signs of life. I mentally set sights on Greenhead and a planned nap somewhere. It was getting pretty late, not far off midnight, as I trudged towards Blenkinsop Common when I was startled by a man with a BBQ. I should have been expecting him, this was Stu aka Rasta Ralph. 

Rasta Ralph

I'm not quite sure when Stu entered Spine Legend. I was aware of him, but for some reason he wasn't on my radar, so random BBQ folk near midnight in January in the middle of nowhere was a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one. I chose grilled chicken in a bun, which smelt amazing and seemed relatively safe for a weary Spiner. I declined the beer. We chatted for a little while and Stu recited lists of the various Spine legends who had partaken at his BBQ buffet. After a while I made my excuses.

Blenkinsopp Common was a true Spine high point of misery. Flat, wet, boggy and featureless it dragged on far longer than its size on the map should have allowed, but long enough to ensure any thoughts of pressing on beyond Greenhead without a break were gone. It was exhuasting. 

The drop to to Greenhead (which you bypass, rather than going through the centre) was on some tracks and lanes. I'm not sure if I went the wrong way, but approaching the SST at Greenhead I ended up climbing over a locked gate across a track. Noone else seemed to have done this when I compared notes later so I remain bemused, maybe I imagined it. 

The climb up to the visitor centre at Walltown was brutally steep. It was the early hours by now and I was badly in need of a sleep. Whilst I'd felt quite fresh so far in the race, I'd slept little and it was really catching up with me. It was silent when I arrived. I walked around the centre block and clocked the covered outside area, but on trying the mens' loos it was empty and looked inviting so I settled down. I had a couple of hours of half-decent sleep, then woke still a long way before dawn. I got up and headed out to the picnic tablets outside the centre. It was a great place to make a breakfast, with access to running water, somewhere to sit and place the stove. 

Breakfast time

Raymond appeared from the ladies' loos at some stage and also made his breakfast. We tidied up then headed off along the Wall together. 

The Wall

The Wall is remarkable, all the more so at night in the mist, party illuminated by headtorch. Physically this section was hard, with constant climbs and descents, but it was rewarding. "Making the Wall" has been one of my goals before starting the race. I'd never been there before, so doing so was an ambition fulfilled. Raymond, with my blessing, pulled ahead, as did a couple of other runners. I met some interesting people. A solitary figure was silhouetted against the skyline on Winshield Crags, something glistening adjacent in the sunrise. A lady was promoting Hadrian's Wall gin and waiting to take a photo. The bottle placed on the trig point looked inviting. She kindly took my photo with them, for my most surreal photo of the race. 

Its 8am, I've been sleeping in a toilet, and now I'm on Hadrian's Wall with three bottles of gin. All normal then. 

I stopped and chatted to a JOGLE walker, and felt a bit inadequate. His was a real adventure and test of character, self motivating for his whole journey. My adventure was designed by someone else and I was just following. I offered him good wishes and we parted, walking in opposite directions. 

A little further on I caught another couple of Spiners, I think near Steel Rigg. There was a diversion due to storm damage and it was a bit confusing. We phoned race control and confirmed which way the diversion was supposed to be going. 

A larger diversion was further on though. The Pennine Way was closed approaching Horneystead, and this diversion was massive, carrying on much further along the PW than usual, before heading up North. 

This is why we do this

I was tired by this point, as I trudged along the extended route on the Wall. Looking around me I could see no-one else. I listened to music and sang along, tunelessly entertaining the sheep and hopefully no-one else. It was a short lived relief to reach the point at which the diversion left Hadrians Wall. The issue, in retrospect, was that the diversion took advantage of some little used paths which in winter were sodden and appallingly muddy. Progress was so slow, and it was such hard work. I was at rock bottom as I approached Horneystead, and seeing the sign left by the PW by the owners reduced me almost to tears. 

Horneystead

The owner was Helen and her kindness at Horneystead must have saved many a DNF. I sat in a comfy chair in her outbuilding, drinking soup and chatting away. I left in a completely different mindset than I had arrived, desperation had turned to positivity. 

That was a good job really as the seemingly short distance from Horneystead to Bellingham is tougher than it looks. The jewel in the crown of tough is Shitlington Crags, which was named by a previous Spiner. After enjoying the climb to the crags, the next delight is the boggy moorland before the path finally drops down to Bellingham and the checkpoint. 

Arriving at Bellingham 

It was amazing to arrive at Bellingham. For the first time in the adventure I felt confident I would now finish. I had time, and just needed one major push on. I had some food and decided to try and get a decent sleep, thinking that time in the sleeping bag was well worth time on the trail later. The facilities at Bellingham are great, but a bit more Spiney than some of the other checkpoints, with the sleeping area being a single hall. I crept in as quite a few folk were sleeping and found a corner with some space. I set the alarm on both my phone and also my vibrating wrist band for about 3 hours later, which would be a luxury having slept briefly so far. I kept the phone on silent, mindful of the others in the hall. For some reason I didn't bother putting the wrist alarm on my wrist, nor the phone under my pillow. I had slept so lightly before at checkpoints I assumed both would wake me by vibrating on the floor. 

The next thing I remember is someone calling "Jonathan" in the darkness. I woke confused, and bundled myself out of the hall to the brightness of the main checkpoint area. "You've got 30 minutes to leave the checkpoint or you'll be timed out" I was told. I had massively overslept! I rushed sorting my kit - food, clothes, socks...." then escaped out of the checkpoint with about 10 minutes to spare. 

The PW was closed between Bellingham and Byrness, so on leaving I was treated to Britains Most Brutal Taxi (BMBT) to the Cheviots. It was a short journey but my head adjusted to the panic of the previous hour on the way. On the Spine you have to prepare for the unexpected, I hadn't anticipated almost being timed out due to a 6 hour kip!

One thing leads to another, and my precipitous departure from Bellingham meant I was not teamed up with anyone on leaving the CP, but after being dropped off by BMBT I found myself alone in the middle of nowhere. I ended up crossing the whole Cheviot range at night, solo, and it was one of the most magical experiences I've had in the outdoors. At night it was dark and windy, eventually the clouds parted and the stars appeared. Hut 1 appeared as one of those stars, albeit at ground level, with amazing marshalls. 

Beauty of the Cheviots

After dawn I felt really energetic and ran quite a lot of the way from Hut 1 to The Cheviot, it was flat and the flags firm, although a little care was needed with some icy patches. I had toyed with the idea of bagging Cheviot, but the descent was too compelling. I enjoyed the trail down to Hut 2, managing to run most of it. The sleep had done wonders for my energy levels. 

Hut 2

Arriving at Kirk Yetholm was amazing. My friends Penny and Giles were there to meet me, and touching the wall was an ambition fulfilled. I shall save kissing the wall for if/when I ever do the whole thing. We went inside the pub, and I had a fantastic pint of beer, unknowingly breaking the Scottish pandemic regulations not allowing anyone to stand at the bar. 

The finish, with its handy defib

Challenger North was amazing, as have been all the steps along my Spine journey. I am so grateful the journey has developed as it has. My first Challenger (South) was so tough, and almost ended my Spine ambition. The second was affirming, but North was something different again. It is very different from the Southern  Challenger. It is so much more remote, needing a higher level of self resilience, and you really are in to multi day adventure racing. 

Best pint ever

There really is an inevitability of what happens next. My Spine journey started when I watched the 2018 race online and dot watched. Taking part seemed unlikely, and was a bit of a pipe dream. I've run out of excuses though. I now know it is possible, and I can't turn away. If I did I would regret not trying forever. I'm trying to get my head around it though. Can I imagine starting Great Shunner after 2 days of trashing myself? What state will I be in climbing Cross Fell next time, let alone the Cheviots? There is only one way to find out. See you in Edale.