A week of ups and downs

Looking back towards Avon rsvr

Looking down towards Venford

Not a very special week for training, but topped and tailed with two lovely runs around Holne. Today’s started at Cross Furzes (biked there = 40mins), followed the Abbot’s Way over to the Avon Reservoir and upstream to where the Two Moor’s Way takes off to Avon Head, then a steady climb through lumpy grass onto the tops. The run over Puper’s Hill, Snowdon and Ryder’s Hill -highest point on S Dartmoor – is neither steep nor particularly dramatic, but the terrain is challenging, as the boggy ditches which pass as paths up there are only slightly more runnable than the deep tussocks and unseen marshy holes on either side. The views down to Torbay in the East, and up towards Bellever and the heart of the moor in the West, are a lovely but sometimes hazardous distraction from the difficulties underfoot. Once Venford Reservoir was in view I rejoined the route from last Sunday, down to Combestone Tor, the stepping stones at Huccaby and Dartmeet, and back along the Dart valley.

On Sunday the run ended very pleasantly with omelette and chips at Holne Tea Rooms, but today there was the drop down from Holne to Michelcombe (by grassy path) and on to Scoriton (by an unavoidable section of road) and an extra 400ft of climb back up to Cross Furzes, not to mention the bike ride home. Once there, after 3 hrs 40 and no refuelling except electrolyte, I managed to down a glass of the spirulina-based recovery mix I bought in Greenlife (hub of Totnes living), on the basis that if it looked and tasted that foul it must be helping… but next time I will definitely go straight for the omelette.