Easter Sunday: Shutlingsloe

The Peak District Llama in its natural habitat

Distance: 12.06 km (7.49 mi)
Time: 2 hours 47
Average speed: 4.33 km/h (2.69 mph)
Total ascent: 395 m

Another one from my Peak District walking guide. Starting in the shadow of Shutlingsloe, heading north away from it before looping through the Macclesfield Forest and around Ridegate Reservoir to come up Shutlingsloe from behind, which is a lot easier than the direct route.

Like an idiot optimist I started with my waterproof in the backpack. I spent the first 5 minutes of the walk wondering if I ought to put it on because it was a bit cold. Then the heavens opened, which settled the question. Only about 10 minutes of heavy rain, then it stopped and held off, modulo a couple of light showers, until much later.

The llamas appear to be doing well. Actually that photograph above is a cheat. I forgot my camera, so that's from March '07.

Some cyclists and a couple of horse riders were the only people about, at least until I reached the Macclesfield Forest. The the walkers started appearing, two by two. Usually walking a dog or two.

Now either I'm more unobservant than I thought or visibility was much better than the 4 or so times I'd walked the route before, but yesterday was the first time I'd noticed something. Heading on the climb from the reservoir to the trig point I glanced westwards and saw something on the Cheshire plain I'd never seen before. A large white structure that at first I thought was a fairground wheel, but that didn't make sense. There was nothing else near it, except for one square building. It took about a minute of puzzled looks at it before I realized what it was. Jodrell Bank.

Shortly after kicking myself, I got a good look at the top of Shutlingsloe with a handful of people milling about. By the time I got there, there was no one and I had the trig point all to myself. It wasn't until I was setting off down again that anyone else came up.

I take the shortest route down from the top, gingerly picking my way down occasionally using the undignified sitting-down method. Just as I reached the part where I start to feel confident enough to start walking properly the hail came on. Luckingly the wind was going the same way as I was, I hate walking into hail. As the hail passed it was a wierd sight, the wind had mostly dropped so it moved away slowly and you could see it moving like a ghost down the hillside.