Off to the Forest of Bowland last weekend to defend our title in the Bowland Challenge. The inspirationally named "Team YAC" (Alan K, Carmen, and me) spent 10 hours on Saturday running/walking/crawling round the hills north west of the Dales, covering about 31 miles/4600 feet ascent in the process. Amazingly it stayed dry all day, and even more amazingly, despite our best efforts in failing to find several of the controls, we managed to win.
Highlight of the day – rescuing a particularly stupid sheep who had managed to end up on its back and was waving its legs feebly in the air, unable to right itself, like a big woolly beetle.
A good fun event, open to both runners and walkers, next year I'll try to remember to circulate details in advance. Their website is here.
The next day Alan stuck with his plan to drive home and sit on a lounger watching golf. Meanwhile, Carmen and I abandoned our plan of climbing steep limestone at Trowbarrow, as I'd managed to strain a leg muscle. So instead we contented ourself with a bimble in the sun around Hutton Roofs – a 6/7m high limestone edge with about 80 routes, mainly below VS, we managed 15 of them. Not a crag to drive a long way for, but worthwhile if you're in the area (eg retreating from lake District rain) and fancy an easy day. UKC crag details here.