Day 4

37.1 miles

11 hours 24 minutes

Rydal Hall Campsite, Rydal to High Laning Campsite, Dent  This was supposed to be the toughest day mentally and probably physically. The route included nothing like the climbs of the previous day in the tops, but there were still plenty of ups and downs, and the route stretched out for 37 miles, taking us out of the Lake District and into the Yorkshire Dales.  We started by running along Rydal Park and dropped down into Ambleside. A had a flash of recognition here, as I’d come here last year with other fetchies for a post Windermere Marathon dinner and drinks. Today we ran past the beer garden we’d sat in then, and I could picture everyone sat around the table.  From Ambleside we headed up to Skelghyll Wood (via a car park, oh the glamour) and had a pretty section up to and along Skelghyll Lane. Then there were some road section – into and out of Troutbeck Bridge, and taking the back way around to skirt the side of Windermere.  Skelghyll Wood Far from finding it a slog, I was really enjoying the day. My attitude at the start was that it was a day to ‘get through’ and then I could relax and enjoy the easy last two days – ‘only’ a marathon and an 18 miler. But this run was lovely. The navigation was challenging without being frustrating, the terrain was reasonable and I was happy to walk where it was tricky, and the views were lovely, even without the wow factor of the previous day.  The morning passed in a pleasant assortment of country lanes, footpaths and bridleways, and I reached CP2 at Kendal after 18 miles. I was grinning from ear to ear, and declared that I was loving it so much that I could run all day. Good job too – it was already early afternoon and I wasn’t even half way through the route...  From Kendal the route had to cross another housing estate and I once more had to navigate a series of alleyways. This time however, the footpath that I was certain was the correct one had barrier tape across it and a big sign saying it was closed. A few days earlier, I might have panicked and phoned Steve to ask what I should do. This time however, I just picked a new route to get me to the same place. Simples.  More quiet roads and footpaths and then crossing a few farmers’ fields, where I again managed to unintentionally do some creative navigation. I must have missed a path and taken a path on a similar bearing instead as the compass was adamant I was going the correct way, but the land and the map disagreed.  The exit to the field was not where it should have been, and I’m ashamed to say I lost patience with the map and continued on that bearing, requiring me to climb over gates that were clearly not intended for public access. Sorry to the farmer(s) but I’d had enough over the last few days of missing paths and unmaintained stiles and I didn’t wish to spend another hour or two looking for more.  I got where I wanted anyway, but the diversion had cost me time. Unlike the other days, when the other 4 runners disappeared out of sight within the first few miles, I’d caught sight of Andy and Karen quite a few times today, and was closing the gap. But after going wrong, I lost them and never made up the time.  Andy M was at CP3 and said that I was about 30 minutes behind them. My heart sank a little. Not because I was competing for a place, but because of the amount of time I’d wasted, and that I’d be on my feet for that much longer as a result. Shortly before I got lost I’d been 1-2 minutes behind.  The route from here was fairly straightforward and mostly followed the Dales Way along roads and footpaths. At CP4 I was told Andy and Karen were only 20 minutes ahead, so I’d managed to make up a bit of time. With just 4 miles until the end though, I figured they’d be nearly home.  I got a second (or by now third? Fourth? Fifth?) wind and managed to run most of the last few miles, and as the last mile ran along the River Dee, I saw the top of the Trans Britain flag waving in the distance, signalling home for the evening. I arrived in the campsite just 4 minutes after Andy and Karen, completely unexpected, so that no-one was there to welcome me in, as they were busy giving Andy and Karen their dinner!  Far from being the toughest day, I had found it to be the easiest, and most enjoyable. The route was lovely, my running was as smooth as could be under the circumstances, and I now had two easy days left to complete my challenge.