The Stone Men of Wild Boar Fell

I desperately wanted to start the new year with an outing in the hills and the weather fortunately relented to give me a dry day - dry in the sense of no rain at least. My feet didn't stay dry. They got wet and very cold. 

I took a route from Garsdale Head over Swarth Fell to the summit of Wild Boar Fell. There wasn't a soul to be seen all the way. This shot is taken looking south upon the "stone men" which adorn the nab. It's just possible to make out Penyghent and Ingleborough in the far distance. 

The cold wind up here was so biting that I wasn't able to remove my mittens without losing feeling in my hands almost immediately. This shot was taken with them on, braced into the force of the wind. It was just about the only shot I took here which didn't exhibit camera shake!

The going underfoot was drier from here, heading north and then east to drop into the Eden valley along a wonderful path. Having descended to the river it was then a matter of picking up the ancient green lane known as Lady Anne's Highway to head south back towards Garsdale on a high level route with views back over to the ridge I'd just traversed. I managed to time things such that I ran up to the platform just as the train arrived to take me back to Ilkley. 

The total distance was 15 miles, the longest run I've enjoyed since last May. I relished the cold and the stinging wind, and the loss of feeling in my fingers when I tried to take pictures. I loved feeling physically tired at the end, struggling to raise a jog up the last hill. Physical discomfort and pain makes things real. I've been living far too much in my head recently. Today was very therapeutic.

Finally, thank you for all the effort being made to spread the word about blipfuture. I've failed miserably to enter into the spirit of the day, but I hope you know where my heart is. You are all stars for your fabulous support. Let's do this thing!!

Happy New Year everyone.

NB The Route