Social Run round the new stone flags on moor - Sat 27th Oct

[paulo]

As you may know, there has been much debate about the new stone-flagged area on llkley Moor.

The Harriers committee will be discussing at their next meeting, and Paul Wood is looking for a wide cross-section of opinion to feed in.

I ran up along it last week and had a lovely run, so have planned this session to let people who want to come and have a look at what all the fuss is about, and to do it in a sociable group. I’m not intending to discuss it or “preach” to anyone – it is just a chance to see it and make your own minds up.

Time and Place
Meet at 10am for 10.05 depart at White Wells Car Park, Saturday 27th October.

The Route
We will go up past White Wells, past the “four trees” and on the main path to Rocky Valley. We will then climb the steps (very slowly) to the top of Rocky Valley and follow the path south. We will soon join the start of the slabbed section which will take us to the Twelve Aspostles. After the compulsory rounding of the Apostles, we will join the new slabbed section heading up to the Trig Point (highest point of the moor).

We can carry on past and visit one of the Poetry Stanza Stones (the puddlestones). On past here past the Thimble Stones, and we are soon be on the older section of slabs that will show what they will all be like once bedded in.

We are then at the Radio Masts (Whetstone gate).

We have then a choice of retracing our steps (making the overall length about 10km), or instead coming down the Keighley Gate road and back to Wells Rd (making the complete circular route about 7.5km). This circular route lets us also pass Cowpers Cross, so of interest if you have not visited it. But I suggest we take that decision at the time.

Circular route mapped here: http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/148062751

Pace and skills required
The intention is go at the pace of the slowest runner, with re-grouping as necessary and walking up the steepest sections (well, I will be anyway!).

If we get a few people then we could even split into a couple of groups, but please don’t feel inhibited in coming along if you run quite steady.

And the idea is really to encourage people who will rarely have run on that top section near the Trig Point to come along. As described below, you can do this in trail shoes or even road shoes.

We will stay together and there is no need to be an expert navigator to enjoy it. There are some great things to see along the way, including plenty of red grouse.

Equipment
I ran it comfortably in an old pair of road shoes last week, although trail shoes would be better. I would advise against studded fell shoes, but you could wear these and run alongside the slabs instead.

I will bring some copies of the OS map with the route marked and other points of interest on. If you have a compass, then bring it along and you can practice some basic navigation.

Running at above 400m above sea level can be quite cold, and wet, so please bring or wear a waterproof, hat and gloves. If you don’t have a waist-pack then just do it the old-skool way and put your items in the pockets of your waterproof and tie it round your waist. Conversely, when it is cloudy in the valley there is often brilliant sunshine up on top.

The current weather forecast looks ok, but if we expect any dense fog or snow we can take a check a little closer.

Any questions, please ask here or private message me

[Soobedoo]

Paul whilst lost the other week abi annabel bailey and I came across some flags,. Can't exactly tell you where they were as we were lost. We were trying to get (initially) to whin gate nick, decided we were too hung over, then tried to find the path that heads you down on rombalds stride route (new route), bit we wanted to go up it sort of in reverse! Ended up left ( that could be east or west or north or south) of buckstones by left I mean I'm looking up and left where I thought I was is on my right. Maybe we could try find those?? Anyway I liked those flags. And I'd quite like to know where they were!! Not that it will actually help me next time I'm lost

[John Hayes]

So you were hung over, got lost and ended up on a nice stone pavement...
That doesn't sound like Ilkley Moor to me. Might you have been on The Grove??