Kinder Northern Edges and the Woodlands Valley.


Walkers:-
Steve (East Lanc),Paul (LDWA Chairman),Virginia(Yorkshire),Mark, TOMMY, Val , John, Glenn.



Given the bad weather all week I was pleased to look at the forecast the night before and see THE SUN WILL COME OUT TOMORROW.
Val and I arrived at the lay by to see a good crowd waiting and eager to get off…John was in his trade mark shorts as usual and I immediately thought IF I WAS A RICH MAN I could afford to buy him some decent long trousers.
We set off on the dot of 8:30 and made our way swiftly up to the trig at Harry Hut. We didn’t hang around here and we were soon motoring like GREASE LIGHTNING onto Mill Hill. Soon we were at the foot of the western edge of Kinder and making are way up to the Edge above Ashop Clough.
Progress along this edge is always slow as it sees considerably less traffic than the more popular Southern and western edges. The path is interspersed between muddy peat groughs and grit stone boulders..making a real ROCKY HORROR SHOW.
We decided to have a quick break at the top of Fairbrook Naze. Although the visibility was not good at this altitude, every now and again the cloud would break giving fine views over the Snake Pass and the wonderful Autumnal colours of the Woodlands Valley. Once refreshed we pressed on. John was excitedly chatting about 2010 100.I was quizzing him about the sleep deprivation over the weekend thinking that would have a more profound effect on me than the miles on your feet…I would even go as far to say it could lead to a SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.
All too soon, we were descending at our farthest point of the Kinder edges and making our way down towards Lady bower and Hope cross. The weather was steadily improving and we were blessed with views over towards the Vale of Edale and Mam tor.
We picked up the Hope valley bridle path and I was amused to see the sign post saying bridel path…my GODSPELLing these days is atrocious!!


Lunch was to had here on the path high above the Snake pass….Lunch breaks are usually the que for some light hearted banter and general ribbing. Val and I were asked if we’d had one of our infamous ‘fratching’ moments…to which we started arguing…I told her if she carried on like that I WONT SEND YOU ROSES anymore.

After lunch, we took the path on the northern side of the Snake that brings you out above the pub after some gentle climbing through fields and plantations. Val was telling John all about our holiday home and started laughing about my new found interest in the night sky and the various constellations. I just thought JESUS CHRIST Val, Sirius A is a SUPERSTAR and just mumbled on behind her.

The next few miles took us up Ashop Clough.. the Valley we were previously above earlier in the day. Although the valley is quite picturesque it does appear to drag on a little. I pointed out the ‘Boxing Glove’ stone high on the skyline to John stating we went past it earlier….but we were shifting so fast we must have missed it. The final few hundred yards is on a SANDY track that leads you onto the coll between Mill Hill and Kinder.. where we were earlier in the day. Even Tom was relieved to have a break here and eagerly scoffed down some chocolate.

All that was left was a quick jaunt over Mill Hill and Burnt Hill. The pace quicken here and we were soon on the road back to the cars. Passing the rather welcoming(but closed) Grouse Inn, I noticed a sign in the window saying they were having a saxophonist on later in the week…But I’m not into ALL THAT JAZZ and stuff….We got back to the cars just as daylight was fading.
Superb difficult walk at a great pace.
Distance 21 miles…which if you times by 179 is the distance between Oldham and CHIGAGO???

Footnote….Anyone reading the above may think ’what’s this drivel Glenn is writing’?….well, At the first break John threw down the gauntlet that I had to namedrop as many 70’s musicals or references I could muster in the report…so there you go….I wish he said the 60’s…there’s bloody loads in that decade.

NB…There was no Saxophonist at the Grouse.. that was just poetic Licence.
NB2…I never buy Val roses.. again, Poetic licence
NB3…Tom got away with any references to SWEET TRANSVESTIES

Geese kinder 1 Kinder2 kinder5
kinder6 sheep