Withnail, Wheatear and I

I didn't meet my old boss on Friday evening but stayed in watching Withnail and I instead. Drinks were taken, although not at the same rate or in the same volume as demanded in the infamous drinking game I also watched my newly arrived Bedlamites DVD a couple of times

On Saturday morning I went over to Skipton and bought a new pair of Walsh PBs. On the way to Stanfords one of the town's top-rated pie shops, I bumped into Chris, an old mate from K&C. He's a nice guy and it was good chatting with him in the spring sunshine. In the afternoon I went up to Starbotton and did around 10miles and 3800ft crossing over to Arncliffe in Littondale, onto Kettlewell, then returning the way I went out. It was a stunning afternoon and I had the good fortune to see several wheatear, along with curlew, oystercatcher, meadow pipit etc

Yesterday I went back up the dale and did the first climb over to Arncliffe again (the bridleway over is wonderful, in particular the steep, bottom stretch). After running back over I then climbed Buckden Pike. If anything there were more wheatears on the way up and down the Pike than there were on the ridge between the two dales

I'd intended to have an easier week training this week and did, but still managed 10,000ft+ of climb without having a big day out; my fifth consecutive 10,000ft week