Ilkley Moor Vaults

A new pub for us last night (both for the club on a Wednesday night and also me): Ilkley Moor Vaults Our run was a bit different too because we went along the river for a while back towards Addingham then climbed up towards the Beacon along some really nice paths and tracks before descending past the Calvary through Middleton Woods and back along a short section of the river. It was very warm still after a broiling hot day and we all sat outside at the pub, which was okay but not brilliant. I still reckon Bar T'at takes some beating if you're in Ilkley

Year of decision

I bought the Definitive Philly Tom Moulton Remixes boxset recently and have been playing this track loads. It sounds ace in the sunshine we're enjoying at present!

Everything but the girl

Well done Becca!

More Bob Graham success last weekend when Becca got round in 23hour35minutes. I know she's trained really hard and it was obvious she was very keen and focused from the run I did with her last winter. A great result and a brave effort navigating leg 2 in the dark by Martyn

A weekend in Northumberland

We got back last night from four days away in Northumberland. The weather over the weekend can best be described as 'mixed': mixed as in cold, very cold, or simply freezing!

On Friday we'd booked to visit the Farne Islands with Billy Shiels boat trips out of Seahouses, but on arriving at the harbour we were told 'no sailing today, pet'. The weather was bad and we nearly froze wandering around Lindisfarne in the strong wind and drizzle and then later in the day pottering around Berwick for half an hour. We did manage nine species of wader off the causeway leading to Lindisfarne and enjoyed visiting the castle though

Rather than traipse over to Seahouses again on Saturday we phoned ahead and were told the same as Friday. This gave us chance to explore a bit further south and we enjoyed a day of short coastal walks, teashops and an evening hike out to Dunstaburgh Castle from Craster, which was highly memorable

The weather had improved through the day through Saturday afternoon and we woke to lovely blue skies on Sunday morning. We had chance at last to visit the Farne Islands We weren't disappointed with our 'all-day' trip and the highlight was spending three hours on Inner Farne surrounded by three species of nesting tern, shag, razorbill, kiitewake, puffin, eider duck and guilemot!

Yesterday we visited Bamburgh castle which was great and I enjoyed driving back through the dales, including the full length of Wharfedale 'proper' from Cray down to home

Kildwick fell race

I ran faster last night at Kildwick than I did last year but last year there was a small matter of me doing the Bob Graham a few days before. My climbing is strong but I need to work on my flat speed and descending (nothing new there then). Local legend Ian Holmes won the mens race and Mary Wilkinson, who we saw warming up and very focused looking before the start, won the ladies and she was 5th overall

Stef had a lemon drizzle cake induced stitch and didn't feel like she ran as well as she could but she's really enjoying being back out racing again regularly. Ilkley Black was my beer of choice and we had Chinese for supper. I can report that Pertex Quantum fabric is not stain resistant to black bean sauce after having a minor spillage on my new Montane Fireball smock! Results should be here soon 

Happy Birthday to me

It's our birthday today (I have a twin brother who is twenty minutes older than me), and I've had a pretty good day so far. Stef and I went over to Ilkley for coffee before work and after eating some of my cake (a damn fine lemon drizzle Stef made last night) for breakfast in bed. I did some work at home this morning then went over to Huddersfield to see a couple of customers. This evening it's the Kildwick fell race and we're both running. Beer will no doubt be needed for vital re-hydration after our exertions and hopefully the White Lion will have a few good ones from which to choose!

Four Tops

Aretha Franklin

Devon weekend

Stef and I had a good weekend staying with Stef's folks in Seaton. On Saturday we ran (with Sam) from Lyme Regis to Seatown and back (around 13miles and 2000feet of ascent). The ice-creams we had on the beach at Seatown were great as were the chips we had when we got back to Lyme Regis!

On Sunday morning I went down to the estuary bird watching before breakfast. It was fairly quiet apart from sedge, garden and reed warbler at Black Hole Marsh. Later in the morning we had a run out with Exeter City Hash House Harriers It's the second time I've been out hashing and it was far better than last time, with a great course marked out in the traditional way over heath-land from Four Firs car park on Woodbury Common The common is much like the New Forest and I fancy a more leisurely exploration in the future

Surf's Up

Another BG success

My friend Ian from Newark got round the Bob Graham today in 22hours and 55minutes. I'm pleased for him becauce he didn't have much luck on last years attempt and I know he's trained hard again this spring. When I met him for a run over leg 4 a few weeks ago he looked really fit and was absolutely flying

I had four close friends having a go this year and so far they're two from two in terms of success. Martyn and Becca's attempts are coming up quickly, with Becca's starting next Friday evening

Gary Bartz

Night in Ethiopia

I'm reasonably familiar with Jackie Mitto's work but had not heard this until this afternoon

Jack Bloor fell race

It was a perfect evening last night for the Jack Bloor fell race. I'd forgotten how runnable the route is after the initial steep climb and I think I did my second best time for the event assuming Bob Wightman's provisional results were correct. Stef had a good run and enjoyed the bogs and tussocks especially! 

Results should be up later here and there are already some photos up on the Ilkley harriers web-site. The specially commissioned Jack Bloor beer courtesy of Ilkley Brewery was excellent and I seem to have ended up with three bottles after getting Stef's and Karen Ballentine's because she doesn't drink

Terry Callier

Maybe ten years a friend phoned me and asked if I wanted to see Terry Callier that evening playing in a small club in Derby. What's he like I wanted to know. Jazzy, souly, funky, a bit folky, my friend replied. Damn right he was! It was a brilliant night

Bluebells

Photograph taken yesterday on my phone just as you enter the Strid Woods and a prime spot for pied flycather

Wharfedale Bank Holiday birding

Stef and I have done a couple of lovely short birdwatching walks over the Bank Holiday weekend with Stef's parents. Yesterday we parked in Starbotton and walked up to Buckden and back via the excellent West Winds teashop and today we did my old favourite Barden Bridge to Cavendish Pavilion loop

We managed to see all the classic Wharfedale specials I'd hoped we'd see including wood warbler, pied flycatcher, dipper, kingfisher, mandarin duck, all three species of wagtail including a stunning male yellow wagtail, redstart, treecreeper, common sandpiper, nutchatch and sand martin. I was chuffed with a male redstart yesterday and a female this morning in particular, because redstart is a bit of a bogey bird for me!

Candy Says

We've had some of Stef's family staying with us over the weekend and on Saturday night we were listening to the third Velvet Underground album after a splendid night in the Swan

Cannonball Adderley

Miles Davis blowing up a storm with Cannonball Adderley's band

Lothersdale fell race

Last night was my first short race for many months and Stef's first ever race in KCAC colours. We both ran reasonably well and enjoyed catching up with various friends, FRA forumites and club-mates after the race in the village hall. Full results are here and Bob Wightman has some photographs on line here 

Next Tuesday it's the Jack Bloor race on Ilkley Moor and we're hoping to get over there for a run out. I've done the event two or three times and it's a always been a great evening

Sketches of Spain