An early start...to be precise a very early start. Manage a couple of hours sleep in camper, parked in Grasmere carpark. The alarm goes off at 1am, and within 10 minutes I am driving out of the carpark and being followed by the police....I know what's coming next....yes, blue lights !
I pull over, get out and say "good morning", I tell them I'm off running, a leg of the Bob Graham.....they think I'm mad and wish me good luck....no further questioning ! (Glad they did not keep me longer or breathalyse me..not an issue as such but tight on time !).
Get to Dunmail for 1.30am, Daniel is due in at about 2.30am. Garry arrives soon after me and we see headtorches coming down Seat Sandal; this can't be Daniel, it's too early...it is ! He is going well and looking strong, only been sick a couple of times so, for him, this is an improvement.
It's dark (obviously), cold and raining as we set off with Daniel, and another pacer, Stuart, up Steel Fell. Fortunately the cloud base is well above the summits but the rain increases and the wind picks up. Me and Garry work together on navigating, but don't need or map or compass (although, somehow, Garry manages to lose his compass on route...not good).
We are moving well, Dan is talking and managing to eat and drink but is finding it hard going (he tells me later that this section was the hardest of his Round). Calf Crag is ticked off and we head to Sergeant Man, I was worried about this section, it can be tricky to navigate but we stick to the the path and it goes exactly to plan. On to High Raise, Thunacar Knott and Harrison Stickle; I feel good, wide awake and not tired....this will catch up on me at some point.
It starts to get light but is still wet and the rain is heavy. On to Pike O'Stickle and the long leg to Rossett Crag; we keep ahead of schedule and manage to improve on this further. Bowfell is always a hard climb on the BG, half way point and not many people manage this climb without some suffering. Dan climbs well and we get to the summit. The rock are very greasy and lethal !
To Esk Pike, Great End, Ill Crag, Broad Crag and Sca Fell Pike, all pass without incident. I had already asked Dan his plans for Sca Fell, initially he was keen to climb Broad Stand if a rope was to be in place but, today, given how slippy the rocks are he decides on Lords Rake and the West Wall Traverse.
Dan sends Stuart down to Wasdale (it's very quiet without him !) as Lords Rake is very loose rock and it is safer the fewer there are of us. I would not be wanting to climb this gully if there were to be anyone ahead of us, there is also a huge boulder wedged at the top (this fell here a couple of years ago) and some people do not think it will stay there for ever - this would be a very quick way to go !
We make it to the top of the Rake and cut back into the West Wall Traverse, conditions improve and we are soon topping-out on the last summit of this section. I lead a rapid descent to Wasdale, down a great scree run and across the fields to his waiting support team.
We started the section 22 minutes up on schedule and finish 34 minutes up, despite some tough conditions....this is good, he is in good shape and looks strong. Me and Garry take some time out, eat and drink and put on warm and dry clothes. We watch Dan and his next set of pacers (who arrived literally as he set-off) climb Yewbarrow - good luck to him.
Dan's father-in-law drives us back to Dunmail, I'm deep in thought....should I race Fairfield in a couple of hours or not....?
Update, Dan completes his Round is an impressive 21hrs 25 mins - great stuff :-)
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