Challenge Training Raining Friday 3rd Feb 2023

Andy and Martin had travelled up from the flatlands of Cambridgeshire to get some hills in their legs.

The TGO Challenge is only a matter of 3 months away so hill training simply cannot be delayed.

Unfortunately their arrival in Edale was delayed by stupidly heavy traffic – as was mine….and Edale is, relatively speaking, on my doorstep.

Anyroadup at shortly after 11am we headed up to the Nags Head for a quick selfie before following the ‘old’ Pennine Way route up Grindsbrook and onto Kinder Scout.

That's me smiling.

The weather wasn’t as good as it might have been in fact a letter to the Peak District National Park folks may well be in order – all the photos I’ve seen show either glorious sunshine or beautiful snow covered hills, NOT persistent rain, muddy paths, and general grot. In their defence, they didn’t mention the excellent company I enjoyed today.

Whatever…

At the top of Grindsbrook we continued through the slutch to Crowdon Tower then to Pym Chair. The original Plan (always good to have A Plan) was to go over Brown Knoll, on to Rushup Edge then back down into Edale….but we weren’t expecting so much of the wet stuff….and it’s accompanying views.

Plan B was put into action: Edale Head > Jacob’s Ladder, then following the ‘new’ Pennine Way route, back into Edale for coffee and buns. The excellent Penny Pot Cafe provided said coffee and buns – both were excellent.

A good day out, if a little damp….okay, VERY damp. Thanks to Andy and Martin for inviting me out – it was just what I needed!

Where we went:

 

Around 8 – 9 miles with 1600’ ascent

Edale to Chinley 16th April 2021

It was a very last minute decision to hit the hills: at 6.50am I jumped out of bed, 50 minutes later I was running for the train (my first time on public transport for over a year) to head to Edale.

The trains were very quiet, the few passengers on board were, apart from one, wearing facemasks.

By 10am I was heading south to climb up the the heady heights of Mam Tor and Rushup Edge. The sky was blue, the sun shone strongly, but it was chilly – I kept my Velez on for most of the rest of the day.

I initially mis-read this as 'Hardenough Clough'

 

Looking back to Mam Tor from Rushup Edge

 

Not part of the nice view

The views from Rushup Edge were good, apart from a couple of dog-poo bags on the footpath. There’s no excuse for this kind of couldn’t care-lessness, it’s just abdicating reponsibility to the non-existent Dog-Poo Bag Fairy. What sort of people do this?

At the west end of Rushup Edge I headed north up the Pennine Bridleway. I found a nice spot just south of Roych Clough for my lunch – this was the only time I took my Velez off.

For Judith

I followed the PBW to a point just west of South Head where I turned downhill to eventually arrive in Chinley. 15 minutes later my train arrived, I was back home in the late afternoon – just in time for tea.

It was good.

The trains south, beyond Manchester Airport, still aren’t running due to Covid-19, but when they do I’ve got a few routes on my to-do list, including a walk home from Holmes Chapel – I need to get some miles in my legs!

Where I went today: 

Around 9 miles with 1650’ of ascent.