Tarnhouse Tarn

If I start off this post in a slightly defensive manner by pointing out that, actually, I'm a good map reader, then you'll have some idea of where this is heading!

I wanted to do a six mile run today and I asked the Minx if she'd mind dropping me off a few miles along the A65 so that I could run home along the maze of back lanes that travel between that main road and the back road that runs from Kirkby Lonsdale to Oxenholme. Ever helpful, she was happy to do this and so around 11am she set me down in a place called Nook, just west of Lupton.

It's been years since I've run this route but I remembered that the first couple of miles would be uphill. It was a lovely day for running, cool and clear, and I set off feeling very comfortable and looking forward to stretching my legs. I'd looked at Google Maps to refresh myself with the route but it quickly became apparent that I'd done something wrong as a couple of turnings I'd expected didn't manifest themselves. Still, the road seemed familiar even after all this time and I kept going.

After about twenty minutes, I reached a crossroads, which I wasn't expecting. Uncertain about what to do, I jogged on the spot for a moment or two. My memory was letting me down; I couldn't remember turning off when I'd run this route previously, which suggested I ought to go straight on. It certainly wasn't a left turn I needed, but the right turn, which proceeded quite steeply uphill, felt like the way I ought to go. So I did.

I spent most of the next mile worrying that it would become evident that I'd taken the wrong turn and that I'd have to retrace my footsteps, and then as I came over the brow of the hill, I saw a lovely tarn to my right. I was pretty sure I'd never seen this before and that I was heading the wrong way, so I took a left turn that presented itself.

This turned out to be a wise decision and, after another steep climb, I reached the back road and began a long, leisurely descent to Kirkby Lonsdale, which was still a few miles away. In the end I ran just over eight and a half miles, which was good because I wasn't sure I was quite back to that level of fitness. (I'll do the same distance next weekend just to consolidate.)

Later on, after I'd had a bath - which is unusual for me but my legs were tired and I didn't fancy standing up in the shower - I suggested to the Minx that we drive out to the tarn so that I could take a photo of it for this blog. When we got there and I went up to the dry stone wall to try and find a decent angle I was confronted by this fellow, who took a keen interest in what I was up to!