#55 Kinder Low to Mam Tor

16.28 Miles
1048 Metres Ascent
07/03/14

“I want to go for a walk”

“Ok, could do Barton Hills?”

“I want something hard work”

“Peaks are nearest, but its 3 hours away?”

“I’ll drive”

“Really?  Ok I have a 13.5 miler in mind”

So the day was planned.  James volunteered to drive and I came up with something a decent length with a healthy amount of up’s.   I guessed about 5 and a half hours of walking, which is a decent amount for us.

#21 Peaks wandering and Breaking the rules

13.73 Miles
703 Metres

First off, confession time, I didn't intend to walk 13 miles or to walk this route.  Therefore I broke many rules in the safety handbook.  I survived, others may not.  Today was planned to be a fairly simple walk of about 8 miles, from Edale, up Chapel Gate, along Rushup Edge, Mam Tor, Lose Hill down to the train station at hope.  Easy.  It was another dry day and was actually quite warm, short sleeves the order of the day.

I've been up Chapel Gate a couple of times and it's another walk I wanted to use as a test of any improved fitness.  It was actually better, still hard work and sweaty, but not quite as many breathless stops.  On planning walks for Edale I had often thought of doing a loop from Kinder over Brown Knoll, but every trip report I saw mentioned bad bogs and general sinking.  I mused that it had been a dry summer, not rained in a week and the forecast was due to change to heavy rain from tomorrow.  I could go and see how bad it is...

#20 Ringing Roger

4.45 Miles
596 Metres

My initial thoughts on this walk were posted earlier as I slowly collapsed into a sweaty heap in Hills 1-0 Andy.  Now I have to say I was a sweaty mess.  Much more than I thought I should be.  However, I got up, ate some Jelly Belly beans and carried on.  The plan had been to go up towards Ringing Roger, round the top and back down via Grindslow Knoll.  In to the pub and job done.  A nice warm-up at the end of the day.

In the end I was a bit late and with the light fading I decided that as I didn't really know how far it was round (I guessed 5 miles in total) I better just do a short walk and drop back down.  After my moment I headed up Golden Clough onto the tops and up over Nether Tor.  I was enjoying myself, it was dry and the paths good (too good in places!).  I got to Upper Tor before I figured it was best to turn back.  

Hills 1 - 0 Andy

This is as good a time as any to test this blogging app... So here I am sat on a rock half way up towards Ringing Roger. I've blown a gasket already,sweat poring and feeling a bit demoralised.

I didn't think hills would suddenly get easy, but after losing 20kg's and doing a lot more walking I though I might notice a tidy difference.  As it is I'm all for walking back down and packing the tent up!
 

Admittedly it's a hot day, I spent 3 hrs in a car, put tent up quickly and headed straight up here but tonight was meant to be a warm up for longer walks over the next two days!  Oh well at least I'll be having a steak for tea!

#19 Edale to Jacobs Ladder

#19 Edale to Jacobs Ladder

Distance - 6.15 miles
Ascent - 459 metres

Ok I will admit at the start that this wasn't quite the full route planned!  The plan was to walk to Kinder Downfall and back, the weather was due to be rubbish and the idea was that this would give me a good walk whilst sticking to a good path for navigation and sinking.  As it was, my legs never got warmed up after yesterdays walk and in the back of my head I had the idea of going home early and taking the tent down in the dry.

Mam Tor and Rushup Edge

Following the Pennine Way, the path is well maintained and well marked.  The weather today was meant to be worse than the day before, however apart from being overcast it was fine, no rain or snow.  Kinder was to the right and it looked like the rain of the night had fallen as snow, and to the left we had great views of yesterdays walk.

#18 Edale to Hope

#18 Edale to Hope

Distance - 8.76 miles
Ascent - 605m

This time last year I was getting a tan on the SWCP, this year I'm in a tent and its a bit nippy outside!  I suppose that why we love the weather in the UK so much!  A few days in the peaks was much needed and an awful weather forecast was not going to hold me back!  I arrived late the night before and hardly slept with the rain pounding the tent, remarkably it was only a few spots the next morning.

That's where we are heading, up there...

The walk started fairly easily from the Fieldhead campsite to Barber Booth.  The hills where I was heading were covered in low cloud and along with the lack of sleep were not encouraging me along at any great pace.  Oh well at least I get to try out my waterproofs!