No.10 High Cup Nick - 'And Still I See Them'

'And Still I See Them'

High Cup Nick, Pennine Way

2020

Acrylic on canvas board

14" x 11".

Why I chose this scene:

This for me marks the stage in the Pennine Way when I feel like I'm on home turf. On a good day the view towards the Lakeland peaks is fantastic. Here I've captured it in sombre tones, it appears dark and sinister. I tend to reach this point during the Spine Race, about 140 miles in, in the dark and mist with very poor visibility and in those conditions, it can be quite treacherous. I'm also not looking forward to Cross Fell. During last years race there had been a blizzard, as the visibility improved you could see previous runner's footsteps going round and round in circles on the approach to High Cup Nick. A place requiring deep respect.

Title:

On my first Spine Race, this is when the hallucinations started. I'd left Middleton in high spirits after filling my boots with chicken curry. It was still daylight, early afternoon and I really enjoyed the run up to cauldron's snout. It was a clear, crisp day but I was aware that as soon darkness fell the sleep demons were coming for me. Fortunately, I was running with Mark Potts and he was suffering similarly and we managed to get ourselves safely to Dufton.

Why top 10:

The Spine Race is a significant race in my calendar. This will be my 5th start line on a Spine race. It's one of the best views on the Pennine way but I've rarely seen it in its full glory. This painting captures how I've felt coming across High Cup Nick.

So ends my little series of Top 10 posts. Thanks for joining me and I hope that you've enjoyed reading a bit more background to 'the why?' behind these paintings.

Please continue to follow me on this artistic journey. Will The Spine Race in January 2025 inspire some more paintings of the Pennine Way?

Best wishes

Elaine.