A SOUTH Lakes author and running enthusiast was able to introduce a blind man who featured in her book to trail running for the first time.

Dave Williams’s visit to Coniston also marked the first time that Eileen Jones was able to meet him in person.

Mrs Jones arranged for Mr Williams, who has been blind since birth, to be guided along a course around the Coppermines Valley, which sits above Coniston, by running coach Wayne Singleton.

“I thought the hardest part would be the heat, and the steepness of the hills, but it was the terrain under foot that was the toughest,” said Mr Williams.

“I’m a road runner, I’m used to listening out for traffic and being told where there’s a pavement step.

“It was an experience I’ll never forget.”

Mr Williams, from Worcester, featured in Mrs Jones’s book how parkrun changed our lives, about the free, weekly 5km runs in parks and open spaces that have taken the world by storm.

Mr Williams had done more than 60 parkruns and numerous marathons, but had only ever traversed flat routes.

He got in touch with Mrs Jones to ask if he might try trail running during a family trip to Coniston.

Mrs Jones, of Ambleside, put him in touch with Mr Singleton, who runs coaching business Jogging Pals.

Mr Singleton said guiding Mr Williams was a humbling experience.

“It’s amazing to be trusted to guide someone with a visual impairment, and it presents all sorts of challenges that I wouldn’t normally think of,” he said.

“There’s a constant commentary to ensure that Dave doesn’t trip or stumble, as well as making sure he didn’t get branches in his face.

“It’s awesome to be able to try and describe our scenery to someone, in an appropriate richness, to enable them to ‘see’ through words.

“It’s also interesting to learn about vertigo from the perception of a person who can’t see the drop.

“It presented me with equal amounts of joy, terror and glee to have the responsibility of guiding Dave today, and it was topped off by being introduced to his family and sharing a paddle in Coniston after our run.”