Macclesfield Forest and Shutlingsloe

Easter Sunday
Distance: 13 km (8.08 mi)
Time: 3 hours 20
Average speed: 3.9 km/h (2.42 mph)

A typical British Easter Day: daffodils, drizzle and the occasional snow drift lying. The narrow track up to Forest Chapel still had deep snow in it, my foot broke the crust on top and my leg went in up to the ankle.

Above Forest Chapel I was in cloud. A brief respite around the reservoir then back into cloud heading for the top of Shutlingsloe. Out of the forest and crossing on the flagstones I was contemplating missing the peak when I saw somebody who made me look almost sane: a hill runner in very short shorts and bright red knees. I was so glad it wasn't me I was on the path heading for the top long before I realize I'd missed the chance to avoid it.

From the top of Shutlingsloe I could see the trig point, the rocks around it, and nothing else. It was quite tricky picking my way down without sliding around and required descending one bit on my bum.

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.

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

Friday: Three Shire Head, Axe Edge Moor and Shining Tor

Distance: 15.6 km (9.69 mi)
Time: 3 hours 28
Average speed: 4.5 km/h (2.8 mph)

I had always planned to be up a hillside somewhere on the 29th, but only decided exactly where the night before. This was the first real walk since the Saturday before, even though I'd had the entire week off. I'd collected two nasty blisters, one on each heel, and had been waiting for feet that were less sore.

When I parked at the Cat and Fiddle it was clear the weather was going to be very clear, possibly very warm but certainly very windy. I set off wearing the waterproof jacket for its windproof qualities. Apart from a couple of cyclists who were packing up at 0930, I didn't see anyone (outside a car) until I reached Three Shire Head. By that time, being down in the valley I'd shed the jacket.

The next person I met was actually working, he appeared to be repairing the path near Orchard Farm and had managed to block it with his lorry and digger. He let me pass, though I had to step over a large hole on the edge of a drop.

Near the top of Axe Edge Moor I was back in the full force of the wind, but I was keeping the jacket off because, nearing 11 am, things were getting much warmer. At the top, sheltering in the ruin were an old couple who remarked that I obviously hadn't any interest in the wedding either.

Now I started to bump into many more people, mainly cyclists. None were listening to radios.

Back at the Cat and Fiddle, still having energy and with untroubled feet I decided to push onwards and went up Shining Tor. It would have been a beautiful view, particularly with that clear blue sky, but there was a haze all around.

Catching up

25th February - Canals again
Distance: 20.9 km (12.99 mi)
Time: 3 hours 49
Average speed: 5.48 km/h (3.4 mph)

This was the exact same route as earlier in the month, although the GPS reckoned it was 100 m shorter. A minute longer, which I can attribute to crossing roads in Stafford. The weather was kinder, less wind.

6th March - The Roaches
Distance: 13.8 km (8.58 mi)
Time: 3 hours 35
Average speed: 3.85 km/h (2.39 mph)

The first trip of the year to the Peak District and as usual it was to the Roaches, just north of Leek. A cold day with ice in the puddles. Only a couple of weeks earlier it had been much milder in the mornings.

12th March - Gnosall
Distance: 22.6 km (14.04 mi)
Time: 4 hours 4
Average speed: 5.56 km/h (3.45 mph)

A new route for me, for this one I followed the old railway line west out of Stafford as far as Gnosall. As it was flat and a proper path I tried an experiment and wore walking shoes rather than boots. The K2B is almost entirely roads and suits lighter footwear, but I do my training on rougher terrain wearing my boots and when it comes to doing the actual walk I prefer to use the same footwear I trained with.

The shoes were a cheap pair I'd got for everyday use, so I need to factor that I when considering the results (1 blister on the sole, could feel most of the stones on the path). No decision yet.

September to November

I've been walking but not blogging. The Sunday morning walks have been mainly on the Chase, but I've been up the Wrekin twice and around the Roaches once in late September.

Sunday: Dovedale

Time: 2 hours, 51
Distance: 13.1 km (8.14 mi)
Average speed: 4.6 km/h (2.86 mph)

Halfway to Uttoxeter I realized I'd left my sunglasses behind, so I had a morning of much squinting. It was a hot day, but not as hot as I thought it was going to be: if you put Ilam into the BBC weather site, it gives you somewhere in Iran. It wasn't quite that hot.

I got to the car park just as the attendant was opening up. I'd planned to start early to get the uphill out of the way before it got too hot and arrived 10 minutes before the car park was due to open.

The route started easy, across the fields to Ilam hall then along the Manifold. Then came the uphill to Castern Hall and across to Stanshope. From Stanshope there is a path down to Milldale which on the lower half is overgrown at this time of year. I noticed the nettles and regretted my decision to wear shorts but managed to avoid being stung.

At Milldale I had a moment of weakness and stopped for an ice cream, the first this year. Then a nice walk along Dovedale itself back to the car park. Most of the people who had by that time arrived didn't seem to go further up the dale than Lover's Leap, many didn't even get that far.

Last time I went across the stepping stones my feet got wet. This time the stones were well out of the river, due I think to new stones rather than lack of water.

Sunday: Shining Tor and the Goyt Valley

Guide book says: 6.5 mi, 10.5 km
GPS says: 10.8 km (6.7 mi)
Time: 2 hours 25
Average speed: 4.47 km/h (2.78 mph)

The previous two weekends I'd just had short walks on the Chase. Exceedingly short the first weekend after the K2B, a little longer the week after. This weekend I'd decided to head up into the Peak District and after a little dithering decided on the Shining Tor walk.

I set out from Pym Chair at 0925. About the same time another dozen or so people also set out, but they were all heading north. There was only me heading up to Cat Tor, and I didn't see another person until I reached the top of Shining Tor. I think I can guess the reason: although the weather had improved since Saturday (no rain, some sunshine) the wind was certainly blowing hard. Fortunately it was coming from the west, so after coming down from the top of Shining Tor I was in the lee.

Other than the ridge near Stake farm, I remained in the lee all the way down to the Goyt valley. It seemed pretty deserted for a Bank Holiday weekend, although there were plenty of cars parked around. I guess they were all wandering around near the reservoir and other than a few hardy souls they weren't venturing up where the wind was blowing.

I'd spotted Jodrell Bank when I'd started up Cat Tor, but when I reached my car again I saw they'd realigned the dish. I got the binoculars out, but they'd finished moving it.

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.