Kinder Scout - yet again!

At last I'm back.

The guilt caught up with me and I decided to ignore the kids' grumbles and go out for a proper walk; my first this year. Adam's had plenty of band practice and several gigs recently, making me feel like a taxi driver, that I put my foot down and planned a full day out. Then I get 8 hours notice for when and where he needs to be - so I put my foot down. Tough luck. The band can suffer and perhaps plan a little more in advance - it's my weekend as well as theirs.

On Thursday, before I knew all the above, I had planned another excursion around Kinder Scout as it is one of my favourite walking places; it's quite near (about an hours drive) and also has many different routes and views. As a bonus there's also some caches.

We set off at 8:30 Sunday morning (clocks forward, 7:30 in my head) and drove there in thick fog. It was quite scary in places and I'm no slouch when it comes to driving but there are people asking for trouble. We arrived safely at 9:30 and I parked at the bottom of Edale, below the railway station, and we set off up the road. It was still misty in places.

Up the road, round the back of the pub and head off up towards Ringing Roger. Blimey it was hard. The raincoat was off after 10 minutes, the long-sleeved shirt after another 10. Huffing and puffing up to the first cache "Anniversary View" (about half way up the hill) it was an easy find, a difficult sign (soggy book) and then back to the kids who'd waited about 50m away. Back to the cache for my walking pole. Back to the kids. I took a short break here while we all slapped some suncream on - the sun was burning through the remains of the mist and you could tell it was going to be a glorious day. Unlike my last visit to Kinder THIS time I was prepared.

Edale in the mist

Now dear Reader, hold your forefinger and thumb about 0.5 centimetres apart. Continuing up the hill I was this close to quitting. I know I've not been out this year and it always takes me a while to get going but this was terrible, I was exhausted. We struggled up to the top, I say we but I mean Jade and I as Adam was fine, and we bore off left at Ringing Roger around towards Upper Tor (this is all on Kinder Plateau.)

Thankfully all the altitude work was now done and as we found another cache I decided at 11:30 to stop for a cup of tea and a rest. Sitting in the glorious sun I realised how beautiful the misty views were over Grindsbrook River and Edale so we made the break into an early lunch and soaked up the distant thinning mist and the microscopic runners on the next brow. (There was some annual running event going on, which had started at 10:30, of which a passing hiker had kindly informed us.)

Half way along the top of Grindsbrook

We took our break at leisure, about 45 minutes, and then continued West along the edge of Kinder towards the top of Grindsbrook, passing the point where I ran out of water on my last visit on a baking hot day. Today was warm but perfect, not too hot.

Continuing along to the top of Crowden Brook I we veered off the trail towards another cache "Noe Head for Heights" which Jade found quickly whilst I was looking lower down the rocky outcrop. Continuing on towards the top of the River Noe I had to inform Adam he was going to be late. He wanted to be in Sheffield for 3:30 and we had an hours drive home, he wanted to shower and change and then be taken back into Sheffield. I told him 5pm but privately thought it would be earlier - give them (the band) the worse case scenario and they can deal with it rather than put them off again and maybe again.

At this point we started to face runners coming towards us, the best of the best as there were only a few. They looked better than I felt. I was ashamed.

Adam posing as always. Jade just looks naturally beautiful.

We got the furthest West point of our circular route (near Kinder Low) and started to head South towards another cache "Cracker of a View" where I left the kids on the trail and climbed up 15 metres to the rocks and fortunately quickly found the cache.

We then headed East along a good trail, now passing many runners (or were they passing us?), but fortunately we got out of their way by turning off the main trail to head down Jacob's Ladder. After the lovely walk along the tops this was where the tiredness in your legs started to kick in and it was hard work going down the rocky path. Even Adam was feeling the pain here.

We passed a cache here that I had to leave, it was about 15m below the path and I knew that by the time I'd descended, found it and reascended it would have been at least 15 minutes and I was very conscious of Adam's sound check. No worries - I'll be back one day, I'm sure of it.

We drifted South-East and then East alongside the River Noe (more of a trickle to be honest) and then over Crowden Brook at Upper Booth, all relatively easy going with a gentle stroll along and slightly down fields. After Upper Booth we had a quick detour off the Trans-Pennine-Trail to pick up our final cache "Korean Bed Lab" (no idea why it's named as it is, I never read it.) At this point my legs were like jelly and my right ankle was really hurting. I'd not twisted it but it felt as though I had and it was hard to bend it upwards so I was struggling on any inclines. Fortunately after about 50 metres we were back on the level and it was all flat and downhill the way home (albeit another 1.4 miles away.)

A quick stop at Edale campsite for a well deserved round of icecreams and then down the road to the car and home.

Adam was at his soundcheck for 4:30.

5 caches but most importantly a fabulous 10 miles (right on the nose) of exhilarating countryside in gorgeous weather.

My lack of fitness opened my eyes to the task I have ahead of me in June (the National Three Peaks) which will be 3 times this difficulty AT LEAST, and all within 24 hours. However I'm confident I can get back to last years levels and succeed. Especially with my sister there to kick me up the behind!