Running and an Ode to Joy......

      At a Covenant service conducted by Rev Richard Atkinson last Sunday four stalwarts of the defunct Hebden Chapel were given tickets of membership to Grassington Methodist Chapel. With time to spare before the service we flicked through their unfamiliar hymn book and were a little perplexed to discover four of five hymns planned for that morning were unfamiliar to us.  We needn't have worried for although the words were different we knew four of the five tunes, the first one from Beethoven's Ode to Joy which we Methodists sang with considerable gusto!

'The Route' round Grimwith    (Click pictures to enlarge)

      Prior to the service I'd been running round Grimwith with my wonderful partner, frost crunching underfoot, dawn breaking across the ruffled water, the sky a delicate pink, geese arrowing in to their feeding grounds while mallard swam around making their usual racket.

It was -1ºC  -  so well wrapped up

There's nothing like a morning run for priming the system and preparing it for anything the rest of the day might throw at it.  Another strange thing I've found is the way it affects my singing voice.  It's always stronger after a run. My breathing is more controlled and I can hit those top notes without straining.  Not everyone appreciates this!

The pond - back 'o Grimwith

      Two nondescript cloudy runs over Castle Hill during the week and an eight miler up the ghyll on Saturday brought my total to twenty.

Mist in the valleys below Castle Hill

 The main feature of these runs was the muddy conditions. I've been shooting off at a tangent and clambering through two barbed wire fences to avoid the slutch up Castle Hill.

Trying to dodge the mud on Tinker Lane

      Likewise on Saturday's run it was impossible to keep our shoes clean, particularly in the latter stages along Tinker Lane where sheep looked on,  surprised we should even try!

Still on Tinker Lane

      After formatting the SD card my camera is now fully operational again - which is more than can be said for its owner.  But I can still run.......