As the UK faced a deluge of showers this weekend, intrepid guests at Blenheim Lodge were nevertheless keen to get out and about and enjoy the countryside. One, a fell runner, went out early in the morning for a run in the rain.
The Lakeland Fells are the historical and spiritual home of one of the oldest and most gruelling of them all [extreme sports] – fell running, and it’s still going from strength to strength. Welcome to the ultimate test of physical fitness and mental toughness. If you find it hard to contemplate running up a mountain, just imagine sprinting down.
Cumbria hosts over 50 fell races every year. There are short races up and down a single slope, or marathons like the Borrowdale and Wasdale runs : traditional events that involve the whole community. At the other end of the scale, there are solitary personal challenges that will take you to forsaken summits and unspoilt uplands. Try a ‘Bob Graham Round’ – 42 peaks in 24 hours!
(Quoted from www.neforum2.co.uk/lakedistrictsports/fell-running.html.)
True walkers are of course never fazed by the weather; and yesterday we had an older couple completing The Dales Way at the back of our house, whilst today we had a group of 6 walkers tackling the less muddy footpath around Rydal Water. An easy hike from Rydal Water to Rydal Cave and on to Grasmere makes for a picturesque way to reach Dove Cottage, Wordsworth’s home from 1799-1808.
(Words and photo courtesy of www.visitcumbria.com/amb/rydal-water.htm.)
I have written recently about ghyll scrambling in another post, and this is a great activity to enjoy when it rains. ‘The traditional name for a mountain stream in the Lake District is ‘ghyll’ although you will, sometimes, hear the word ‘gorge’ used. These fast flowing watercourses have cut deep into the hillsides, providing the backdrop for the jumps, slides, dives and climbs which make this activity so different, exciting, popular and memorable.’ (www.glaramara.co.uk/activities/ghyll-scrambling) Reading between the lines then, ghyll scrambling in the rain will likely make this adrenaline-filled adventure more exciting as more rainwater causes mountain streams to tumble faster downhill and there is more of the wet stuff to enjoy too!
There are lots of other outdoor activities to take part in even when it rains. Kayaking or canoeing, abseiling, mountain climbing, green-laning, mountain-biking and cycling, quad-biking, horse-riding, sailing, etc. are just some of the adventures you can enjoy in the wet as well as in the dry. For the more sedate among us, you could also go bird-watching, fishing, orienteering, clay pigeon shooting, or try your hand learning some bush craft.
I have purposely set out some outdoor activities that are enjoyed by visitors to the Lake District come rain or shine. I will tell you more about some popular activities for those who prefer to remain indoors when it rains – or who prefer to keep out of the rain as much as possible – in another post. Meanwhile, put on your macintosh and let’s start ‘singin’ in the rain’!
Blenheim Lodge . . . panoramic Lake views, peace and tranquillity, nestled against acres of beautiful fields and woodlands, in the heart of the English Lake District National Park.’
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