Thorpe Cloud - "a Monday Night Training Run"

During work yesterday i decided to get out in the hills and just run for a bit...

So nearest tough steep climbs are at Thorpe, there are quiet a few either side of the Dove, Bunster Hill, Twelve Apostles and a trig point north east of Reynards Cave at 369 all of which can give a nice varied upping!



Arrived at just before 7pm and chucked my gear on, i think i would rate high on the struffy fell runner scale, pair of old and tatty Inov8's with duck tape in the heels, and old HH long sleeve what more could you need, bum bag with camera and a little water, have in the past found the odd jelly babbie floating around in there, and did carry some dark chocolate round with me for 12 mths from a trip to Snowdon, Cadir Idris and Pen Y Fan.



Set off and soon met the first hill, thrope cloud and nice sharp climb, that used to take me five and half mins, today even with a real effort just under 7 mins, soon got my lungs stretched and pushed on the descent before hitting the next climb and then a nice little ridge run towards Thorpe Pasture.

Generally a great little route that gets the quads burning on the upping and downing, also the beautiful surroundings that are Thorpe and the Dove valley.



* You can see the rifle range to the right of the ridge, when red flags are flying you have to keep low the left off the ridge

Unsure of the feet of ascent i think from memory when i used to do this twice a week last year it was getting close to 2100ft in less that 4 miles and real push, managed this in 1 hr and a few seconds, not bad.... but its wasn't about that.. its was about getting out, what great views.



Nice Cheesy picture here, i am on the top of Thorpe Cloud here, i was trying to get the rocks in the foreground with me and the height i am at, all in one shot, and it worked out ok, apart from a little bit cheesy...........

Oh and saw Tracey Greenway, who lives and trains in Thorpe who finished off the final climb with me up Thorpe Cloud before making her way home.