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Saturday 10 February 2018

25m Anglezarke Amble Fell Run


As part of the training for the 2018 Chester Ultra Marathon, Dave McDonald and I decided to take part in the Anglezarke Amble. It’s a Long Distance Walking Association event with a choice of two circular loops heading out of Rivington Village Hall in Bolton. Runners are made welcome too (but start an hour after the walkers). We took the longer of the two routes of 25.5miles climbing over Rivington Pike, Winter Hill, across Moorlands to Darwin Hill and Tower and then looping around to take in the ironically named Great Hill (which really isn’t!) back to Rivington. The time of year adds to the challenge. As we had the pre run briefing in the Village Hall we were warned that Snow had forced the move of one of the pit stop check points as the four wheel drive couldn’t get to the original location! Nice!

We started at 9.00am in rain that turned to sleet and fog as we immediately started to ascend to
Rivington Pike. The mud under foot turned to slippy ice on the climb. The summit was shrouded in mist so not a great deal to see other than the pike monument.

From there we continued to climb up to Winter Hill which at 1500ft was the highest point of the run and really was bleak in the conditions.

A few miles of steady descent across snowy moorland saw us catching up with first Harold from work who was walking and then Stuart (who previously joined us on our #BikesBoatsBoots adventure). A quick hello and then on around Turton and Entwistle Reservoir (whose dam was once the highest in Britain).

The first pit stop was very welcome before making the long but
gradual ascent along undulating and boggy tracks to Darwen Moors and the ascent to Darwin Tower. I’ve worked over in Accrington on and off for nearly 19 years and the Tower is visible on my commute from the M65 but this is the first time I’ve seen it up close! Again the weather meant that the views out to the Irish Sea were obscured in mist and sleet!

From Darwin Tower a short descent took us to Roddlesworth Woods. Another Pit Stop at Slipper Lowe fortified us you for the climb  over Great Hill. This really was a climb through bog land mire! Walking was slow and laborious, running seemingly out of the question! At last we reached the ascent and then a slippy and muddy descent down White Coppice saw me lose my footing falling head over heels through mud! Fortunately the soft mud broke my landing and saved me from any injury but I was covered in it!
A final pit stop at White Coppice Cricket field and the undulating trek back to Rivington to finish in 6 hours and 18 minutes.
The LDWA events are extremely well organised and great value for money… Where else can you get pit stops and a meat and potato hash with mushy peas at the end!