Time forbids me to post a lengthy blog this week but here are a few pictures from last week's activities. Firstly an unusual picture from last Friday's dawn run over Castle Hill which the local newspaper considered worthy of publication!
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| Sunrise from Castle Hill, Almondbury ( Click to enlarge) |
The sun rose like a genie from the Eastern horizon. I asked a wish, that I might run forever.
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| Setting off up the moor on Saturday's run |
We'd been disappointed at the absence of bird life last week, but on an 8 mile run over Grassington Moor and Bycliffe Hill golden plovers, curlews, lapwings and skylarks favoured us with their presence.. Oh, and a few grouse. The moor is alive again.
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| Lone figure in large landscape |
We enjoyed wonderful blue skies, hardly a breath of wind and a total absence of any other people. Maybe they were all at home watching England being thrashed in the six nations match?
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| One day I gazed into the boundless blue |
A solitary rabbit dived for cover in a shake hole on Bycliffe Hill.
They've occupied that shake hole for as long as I can remember.
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| That big rabbit hole on Bycliffe Hill |
Frogs have not yet returned to their pond down the long wall. nor to my wonderful partner's garden, but a friend of ours reported some frisky activity in his pond. I think he meant frogs!
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| Harbinger of Spring, the lesser celandine |
All the wonderful warm sunshine of late has lured lesser celandines from their winter hibernation.
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| Sheep thinking we were shepherds bringing them fodder |
On Sunday we were attracted by a notice that appeared in the Craven Herald, our local newspaper. It mentioned a new running group - Run for Fun - that met in Grassington on Sunday mornings at 10am.
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| En route to Grassington to join the runners |
We went along to investigate, curious to know who was running the group (pardon the pun). Not that we'd planned to join them. They'd likely be too fast for us!
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| Flying |
But there wasn't a runner to be seen when we arrived a couple of minutes after 10am to the rendezvous point and enquiries revealed that none had been there.
Maybe they don't associate running with fun
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| End of a perfect run - until I fell off a stile! |
We departed, following our own route down to the bridge at Linton Falls and back through fields to Hebden. Weekend mileage amounted to 12.22 with a little over 1,300ft of ascent.
That'll do for me...
Some mornings, ok most of them, on my way to work I wish I had been up in the early hour hours running... But playing coach means I need to spend my running time at the club and I don't have the energy to be running twice a day! Then come the weekends I just want a little lay in!
ReplyDeleteThen last weekend the weather was so perfect I wish I had been out in the evening running on the mountain as the sun was setting!
Like you I wish I will be running for many more years, so I can have the early mornings to watch the sunrise followed by a mid-morning rest!
All that said I did get to spend a magic morning in the mist on the mountain without just rushing through the run. we didn't beat the sun, but there was no sun so we didn't miss anything!
so need to find time to write a post!
Hi there Coach. I used to hate early morning runs - until I started going to Menorca where it was too hot to run after breakfast. To my surprise, I actually enjoyed it and really look forward to my sunrise runs now.
DeleteRunning twice a day is OK, but not if you have to do a day's work in between!
The main thing is to enjoy it, however you plan it...
Glad to see you fit as a fiddle Gordon.
ReplyDeleteYour vibrant set of pics is heralding the arrival of spring.
Greetings from the Alps,
Markus
Hi Markus, great to hear from you. Don't know about being 'fit as a fiddle'. More like ticking over at my time of life!
DeleteI assume you'll be doing the Challenge again? Goodness, what did I let you into at that fateful meeting at Benalder Cottage all those years ago?
We're flying to Madeira shortly. Camping and bothying has been replaced by hotels and half board now! But we're still running and getting out into the hills - which must be unusual for a couple with 160 years between them...
All the best to you.....
Yes you are flying with both the feet off the ground!
ReplyDeleteAnd I was at home watching Wales - England too......
Not a very good day for England was it - and don't even mention Huddersfield Town Football Club!
DeleteI'm not quite ready for summer to be over, but things down here are definitely also starting to turn... The air is nippy most mornings, and our summer pajamas have long been packed away. Lovely photos, Gordon!
ReplyDeleteIt's officially the first day of Spring here today Karien but there could be a bit more snow to come yet. We'd quite a covering last March. Anyway, we're shortly flying to Madeira so it should be warmer there. Cheers!
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