The Hayfield Skyline Walk

Dave Wright led this walk and could not have picked a better day for it, a dry, clear and sunny. Turnout was excellent, 22 of us all told. As usual I do not know all the names (sorry) but our party included Peter Schick, Steve Milligan, Mike Magee, Beverly, Peter Whitehead (who brought his daughter and daughters boyfriend), Richard Edgell, Chris Tarrant, Duncan (no not me, the other one) oh and Duncan (yes, thats me). Of these 18 finished and 2 died (of which more anon!).

Our route was to encompass the entire skyline of Hayfield (as is says in the walk title). From the old station carpark the Sett Valley Trail took us to Birch Vale where we joined the Pennine Bridleway for the ascent of Lantern Pike, an excellent viewpoint. We descended to Rowarth, then up again onto Cown Edge. We left this at Rocks Farm and used an off piste route crossing the access land by Near Painsteads. Over the A624 we made the long moorland ascent up to Mill Hill. Peter showed us the wreckage of the B24 Liberator bomber which crashed here in 1944. Over Ashop Head for the steep ascent onto Kinder Scout, the 'boyfriend' showing his fitness here (well he is a lot younger than the rest of us). Our plane crash expert, Peter, showed where two RAF Sabres crashed (exactly one year before I was born; yes they had Sabres then, not Wright flyers). The next bit of knowledge that he imparted was the site of the 'Charge Stone', a rock that a certain George King (a nutcase) says charges one with energy. I went for a charge up. It did not work. We had lunch here, admiring the views over Kinder reservoir. The river Kinder was nearly dry. After Red Brook we had our first 'death', Steve Milligan tripping and hitting Kinder nose first. After we stopped the bleeding, stuck a plaster on his nose for credability's sake and dusted him off he was OK. Next was Peter's last plane wreck, a Handley Page Hampden bomber. At Jacobs Ladder we had a long wait; the Whitehead party was missing. The fit 'boyfriend' had found Kinder too much and emerged evenually with a bandaged up knee. He had injured it in the gym a few days ago and Kinder's rocks had finished it off. Second 'death'. The Whitehead party was despatched down the Tunstead Farm route back to Hayfield, the least rocky route. Now down to nineteen we traversed Brown Knoll.  Peter wanted to ascend South Head so agreed with Dave to meet him on the PBW at the foot of Mount Famine. If Peter was doing it, I had to too, as did several of us including Richard. Richard continued on over Mount Famine, a shorter route back than Dave's plans. Now we were down to 18. We continued to 'Peep O'Day' then ascended up Chinley Churn via Hills Farm. My feet were sore, unusual for me. A few days later I found out why. When washing my trainers I had removed the insoles and forgotten to replace them, what a claarthead! We descended via Ridge Top back to Hayfield the end of a super walk.

Peter's GPS calculations where 18.5 miles and 3,600ft ascent. To be awkward I made it 35.3 miles and 4600ft ascent. This is home to home; remove 16 miles and 675ft ascent cycling to and from Hayfield so leaving 19.3 miles and 3825ft ascent. The difference of ascent was all the little ups and downs on Kinder (I spent ages studying my GPS logs on that). The walk time was 7hours 37minutes. This is very fast for a social walk over that distance and ascent (rated at 7hrs 10 minutes my pace solo).

Duncan Smith

Peter took some good photos.

I took some crap ones.

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