The weekend saw riders tested by not only a very challenging course but by the Lakeland weather. Fairly benign down at HQ in Threlkeld but higher up on the fells the wind and the rain were ferocious, especially later in the day. This and the recent rain made the fells very wet and soggy slowing riders down.

There were two obvious loops, Skiddaw House via Mosedale and the coach road. We honestly did not expect riders to complete both in the conditions but we were proved wrong by quite a few of you. The sensible choice was to do a clockwise loop which meant you descended Mosedale but Jason Howell proved me wrong and scored one of the highest scores doing it the "wrong way round".

Control #21 caused a few comments. Most took one look at the route from the coach road and said "no way", but 7 hardy souls took on the challenge. Sam, the planner, assured me that, when he did a recce, he cycled it but in those conditions it became a 2km out and back boggy push as I experienced when I set and collected the control. Once again Jason opted for something different by dropping down through #21 to #14 and his splits suggest it was a good move. In hindsight, in those wet conditions, perhaps it was not a good control but it did open up an extra route choice?

Many thanks to Sam Huddleston for having a go at planning his first course.