I've had a love/hate thing running with Kinder Scout since I was a teenager. I trudged up there with a youth group, had to retrieve by boot from a bog, and generally found it hard work.
A few years later, I walked up with some friends in winter. Saw Kinder Downfall frozen with icicles hanging upwards. Climbed up frozen waterfalls. Got horribly lost and ended up coming down the wrong side.
But a few years ago I visited with a friend on the shortest day of the year. We were very lucky with the weather, and had some fantastic views.
A few years later, I walked up with some friends in winter. Saw Kinder Downfall frozen with icicles hanging upwards. Climbed up frozen waterfalls. Got horribly lost and ended up coming down the wrong side.
But a few years ago I visited with a friend on the shortest day of the year. We were very lucky with the weather, and had some fantastic views.
Last weekend, I went up Ringing Roger with the intention of walking the Edale Skyline round via Edale Cross, over Mam Tor, and back down by Hollins Cross.
Last weekend we did not have good weather. Last weekend was piss wet.
Things looked OK as we parked up in Edale and strolled past the visitor centre and up towards the Nags Head.
Last weekend we did not have good weather. Last weekend was piss wet.
Things looked OK as we parked up in Edale and strolled past the visitor centre and up towards the Nags Head.
The Old Nags Head marks the official start of the Pennine Way. Our route passed the pub on the way out of the village, and led up towards Grindsbrook Clough before bearing right up The Nab, and on to Ringing Roger. The climb up the slope was steep and unrelenting, and I am not ashamed to say I struggled to keep pace with my walking buddies.
As we climbed we started to encounter a light haze of misty cloud, which cast a rainbow sheen across the hillside. We laughed and joked about being above the rainbow, but gradually the winds increased, and the rain grew ever more heavy.
As we scrambled up to the rocky top of Ringing Roger, the winds grew strong and blustery, and the rain came on more heavily.
Optimistic that things would improve, we pressed on westward along the edge, passing Nether Tor and Upper Tor. It's only a shower. It'll pass over.
It didn't.
At the top of Grindsbrook Clough (the upper left point of the route on the map below) we decided that to carry on for another eight or nine miles while our "Durable Water-Resistant coatings" failed us would have been a bad idea, and turned south-east, aiming to use the path down over Grindslow Knoll as an escape route. We dropped down from the ridge into the lee of the wind in an attempt to alleviate the worst effects of the weather, but this traded the problem of wind and rain for the problem of uneven, steep, and boggy ground. We followed the contours around, and rejoined the path as it dropped to our level.
We headed back to The Ramblers pub to dry off. Mixed results on the food. Some of it was excellent, some of it was not, and they delivered the wrong meal after a 20minute wait, but made up for it with a free round :)
Might try the scramble up Grindsbrook Clough for a laugh next time. Looks like a fun route.
Kinder's not going to beat me. I'll be back, and in better weather.
As we climbed we started to encounter a light haze of misty cloud, which cast a rainbow sheen across the hillside. We laughed and joked about being above the rainbow, but gradually the winds increased, and the rain grew ever more heavy.
As we scrambled up to the rocky top of Ringing Roger, the winds grew strong and blustery, and the rain came on more heavily.
Optimistic that things would improve, we pressed on westward along the edge, passing Nether Tor and Upper Tor. It's only a shower. It'll pass over.
It didn't.
At the top of Grindsbrook Clough (the upper left point of the route on the map below) we decided that to carry on for another eight or nine miles while our "Durable Water-Resistant coatings" failed us would have been a bad idea, and turned south-east, aiming to use the path down over Grindslow Knoll as an escape route. We dropped down from the ridge into the lee of the wind in an attempt to alleviate the worst effects of the weather, but this traded the problem of wind and rain for the problem of uneven, steep, and boggy ground. We followed the contours around, and rejoined the path as it dropped to our level.
We headed back to The Ramblers pub to dry off. Mixed results on the food. Some of it was excellent, some of it was not, and they delivered the wrong meal after a 20minute wait, but made up for it with a free round :)
Might try the scramble up Grindsbrook Clough for a laugh next time. Looks like a fun route.
Kinder's not going to beat me. I'll be back, and in better weather.
RSS Feed