Without a bike on holiday in Brittany I wet off for a run around the coastal cliff path from our cottage. The trail barrelled up and down the various headlands with ocean views, golden sandy beaches and glorious blue skies reflected in the gentle waves far below. The track was very rocky in places and I tweaked my ankle several times, trying to keep up a good pace. Dotted all along the headlands were gun emplacements and bunkers, left over from the ‘Atlantic wall’ of WW2 together with the ruins of long forgotten grand houses.
After about 40 mins I stumbled again (probably looking at another view) but this time failed to hold it and started to fall. In a split second I made the decision to crash down 
into the ‘soft’ gorse to my left rather than hit the deck onto the rocky track. I made it, taking the fall on my forearms and hands and rolled over once before standing. For about 10 seconds I thought ‘that wasn’t too bad I thought gorse hurt more than that’ but then the tingling started as the hundreds of prickle holes plus salty sweat did there thing. I turned for home cutting it a little short pondering whether I would have been better falling on the rocky trail as my arms got sorer and more itchy. In fact in the two days since as I have squeezed out countless gorsey spines from red spots appearing all over my hands and lower arms I have wondered the same!
The next MTBO is on Woodbury Common near Exeter, Devon on Sat 11th Sept. I seem to remember from X-Country and orienteering races as a teenager that the gorse there also produced intense itching….
http://www.bmbo.org.uk/calendar/details.php?event_id=118
True about the Orienteering and Itching – however – Dad, Jack and I left there last week confused by how nice it was compared to our O memories!!