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