Tally-Ho! Championship 2021 18th Dec 2021

A not very good run for me.

Having suffered significantly reduced lung capacity for quite a while I was more than a bit apprehensive about taking part in the Club’s annual championship race.

I don’t like racing at the best of times, and fortunately (for me) the Club is essentially non-competitive – but the odd race does get slipped into the calendar.

The Championship takes place at the Club’s pre-Christmas run from the Boar’s Head, Higher Poynton. It’s a trail race and generally follows an ‘out-and-back’ route. The plan is to follow the trail to the half-way point, shake hands with the trail-layers, then run back to the start. Then it’s first man back, although there’s also a handicap to even things up.

The handicap committee are beyond reproach and completely void of moral corruption, and anyone suggesting otherwise could find themselves is serious trouble …..although I have spotted the odd Club member cosying up to committee members, buying them drinks etc.

Whatever, no amount of bribery was going to help me today.

The gun went off at 2.30pm but the field soon left mebehind, I just didn’t have enough lung capacity to be able to exert myself, especially on the uphill bits.

After ten minutes I decided to settle down to a brisk jog and put the race to the back of my mind. It was a cold day, but dry and bright.

When I eventually got to the half-way point the trail-layers had left to walk back to the warmth of the pub – of course I didn’t realise I’d arrived at the half-way point, there was nobody there!

I ended up doing a bit of a loop before heading back to the pub. 

Me, running flat out = not very fast at all

Fast Taylor following trail

 

 

David Bell dishing out the awards:

 

The route was lovely, conditions ideal – I just couldn’t hack it.  Not my best day:

 Around 6 miles.

More photos here, including Vinny's excellent contributions.

Tintwistle Tally-Ho!

An unusually mild autumn day, 12degC and quite dry. Well it was dry at the start.

In the Beginning

I was really looking forward to this run, I was at last shaking off the after-effects of Covid-19, and my R lung was slowly starting to work, after surgery in May. All was going to plan…until 2 days before the run I managed to do a nasty to my back. Oh well….it would have to be a walk.

We had a guest runner out with us: Paul, aka Henry, aka Wodge. This was his second outing with The Club….he’s in danger of becoming a member.

The trail started from the very fine Bulls Head (great pies), although the sawdust was rather thin on the ground which caused a few runners to run around like headless chickens looking for trail. Nowt new there then.

Spot the trail!

Eventually small clumps of the stuff were spotted and off we jolly-well went, north-east(ish) out of the village, on the dreaded tarmac.

Trail was often difficult to spot, sometimes there were huge clumps of the stuff, the rest of the time it was sparse enough for many to lose trail altogether.

We turned south to cross the dam between Rhodeswood and Torside Reservoirs, and then uphill by Clough Edge, on a section of Pennine Way. 

It was here I stopped to chat to Tom, a backpacker, looking for somewhere to plant his tent for the night. 

We turned west, over Glossop Low, where I spied a lovely grassy, flat bit of ground with great views: a potential wild camp spot. I need to re-visit to check for water. A nearby well is indicated on the map.

Downhill by Blackshaw Clough, don’t go this way, it’s private <koff>, then onto a bit of tarmac.

Light was fading fast and it was beginning to drizzle. I was on my own, plus I couldn’t find the sawdust trail, so, paraphrasing Wainwright, I made my way down.

By the time I got back to the Bulls Head it was dark, I really should have carried a head torch, but I wasn’t anticipating being out so late – route finding had slowed me down considerably.

Mark T stood me a pint of Wainwright, and we all sat down to an excellent dinner of steak pie, chips & peas, followed by delicious syrup / treacle sponge and custard.

A lovely route, especially once we crossed the reservoir dam and got up high.

Where we went:

8.8 miles (probably) with 1400’ of ascent.

It took me 3½ hours which, considering the amount of faffing needed to find the route, I was quite pleased with.

At the end

More photos here

Windy Bottom Tally-Ho! 26th Sept 2020

Here we go again….

The Trail Layers, me and Whitehead, ably accompanied by Ade, met at 11am on the appointed day in the large and already quite full car park of New Mills Golf Club.

Loaded up with more sawdust than very loaded-up trail layers, we set off west on a stony track to descend to Brook Bottom. 

Fortunately, and depending on your point of view, the Fox Inn (Robinson’s) was yet to open. With no excuse to stop we descended further, following the initially very stony Goyt Way / Midshires Way, to Strines and it’s cobbled road – treacherously slippy in the wet. Don’t ask me how I know…

Windy Bottom Farm

Windy Bottom Farm Audience

River Goyt

Heading NW and along a good track that ran (?) parallel to the railway line and the R Goyt, passing the delightfully named Windy Bottom Farm, Strawberry Hill, Roman Lakes, and then the last of the bottoms of this route, Bottoms Hall.

Bottoms Hall

Roman Lakes: Closed

A climb up Old Hall Lane took us by Linnet Clough Reservoir and another climb to join a nice track to Linnet Clough Scout Camp Site, temporarily closed due to Covid-19 precautions.

We laid sawdust on the still open public footpaths through the campsite, giving us a good insight to modern day Scout activities. How times change.

Mellor marked the beginning of the return leg of our route, we headed south, skirting the Mellor Golf Course before turning East along Black Lane, a track open to motor vehicles.

 Geoff in trail-laying mode, followed by Ade

 

Geoff & Ade at The Cross

The curious sight of a large crucifix, sited by the 327m spot height was too good an opportunity to miss, so we trundled up, scattering sawdust as we went.

A crucifix was first erected by Marple & District Council of Churches in 1970, and replaced with this very substantial affair in 2018.

Curiously, the cross isn't marked on the current 1:25k OS map, but it does appear on the 1:50k.

Crossing Mellor Moor and continuing to the end of the long straight track we turned SE-ish along the delightfully named and very runnable Primrose Lane.

A stony / rocky descent to cross a minor road and then more footpath running followed. At last we head West, via the hamlet of Whitle and then final approach to the Golf Club, tea, coffee, dinner...and fizzy beer.

Whitle's centre piece

 8.5 miles of running appeared to be well received by the 20 or so runners who attended, although the good weather probably helped colour the opinions of many. 

The Golf Club allowed us to used their changing rooms and showers, sensibly limited to a maximum of two at a time, although few took advantage of the facility.

Indifferent and not very hot meals followed, but stomachs were filled. The choice of Farmers Chicken, Fish & Chips, and a vegetarian option was, on reflection, a bad choice. A better choice would have been the more usual no choice – other than having a vegetarian option.

The beer was fizzy. I may have already mentioned that.

Whatever, it was a good day out and members seemed happy that we return to the venue in the, hopefully Covid-19 free, future. 

Where we went:

8.5 miles, 1260’ ascent. Max / min elevation: 1070’ / 300’

 

(Note that some of the photos were from the recce)