Sunday 18th March: Beresford and Wolfscote Dales

Distance: 12.6 km (7.83 mi)
Time: 2 hours 56
Average speed: 4.3 km/h (2.67 mph)

I set off from home in heavy rain, just as the weather forecast had predicted. I was hoping that the forecast would also be right in it stopping by about 9ish, but it didn't look to hopeful. I even passed a car parked by the A515 with sleet on its windscreen. Thankfully the rain had stopped as I pulled into Hartington and I set off in the dry, right about 9am.

This is a fairly gentle route, south from Hartington to meet the Dove in Beresford Dale, and then leave it almost immediately to go partway up Narrowdale Hill. This is one of only two steep bits upwards. The next part is a gentle stroll down into Alstonfield, then east along the road and then a track past the Youth Hostel. In summer this is covered in nettles, not a problem this trip.

Going down Gypsy Bank into Wolfscote Dale was going to be tricky given the damp ground. I'd already tripped twice going over stiles and done the flailing arms think to keep balance. I took care, but still managed to slide once before reaching the Dove at the bottom.

And now the sun came out, most of the time anyway. It's a very pleasant stroll back alongside the Dove and I met a couple of dozen people coming the other way, compared to 3 or 4 on the high road.

Just before meeting the outward route, the route heads up a steep path to a walk in pleasant sunshine along some fields and tracks, then back down into Hartington.

Gnosall and back again

Distance: 26.5 km (16.47 mi)
Time: 4 hours 53
Average speed: 5.43 km/h (3.37 mph)

Not a very interesting walk this one, it followed the old Stafford-Newport Railway line and was thus a) nearly straight and b) virtually level. Unlike last year I went through Gnosall, over the canal and up to the bridge carrying the the A518 before turning around.

Sunday morning on The Roaches

Distance: 6.13 km (3.81 mi)
Time: 1 hour 42
Average speed: 3.61 km/h (2.24 mph)

Slow I know, but I have an excuse.

I checked the weather forecast before I set out that morning. Raining at Leek, but I thought I'd risk it anyway. All the way out there it rained, but heading north out of Leek it was looking more like sleet. When I parked, I'd realized I was wrong. It was actual proper snow.

Having driven all that way I wasn't going to back out. I was prepared to shorten the route and I was thinking about which bits to cut out while getting a face full of snowflakes. The wind was coming from the north-west, which was the same as the first part of the route.

In amongst the trees the snow didn't seem that bad, but climbing up onto the top soon dispelled that illusion. It's lucky the path is well defined and that I'd walked it many times before, the snow and mist reduced visibility. I saw one other person along the top, he looked like he was regretting it as well.

At Roach End, the worst of it over, I decided to stop being stupid and took the easy route back to the car along the road. I stopped only to snap this poor thing:

Poor lamb

Also, my gloves may be warm and light but I question how waterproof they are