Unbelieveable i know, but unlike every other bank holliday, this Easter it has been glorious and sunny. Even nicer is that i've had the last fortnight off school, so i've been out walking on most days. Fuck all the religious crap (Easter is a pagan festival that the hateful intolerant catholics overrid anyway), Easter is all about getting out on the fells and noshing on loads of chocolate.
On Good Friday (good, as in its quiet due to all the bible-bashers being in church) i met up with a load of mates for a nice picnic walk down the slopes of Barlow Dale. Had a plesent chill out on a ridge in the warm sunshine, chatting and enjoying the sun. One of my more wierder, exerzise-nut freinds buggered off as she wanted a 'walk'. We let her go- it was meant to be a nice get together, not a race around the hill. Ended up at Hill Top, fooling around at the park untill 16:30. Despite it supposedly being a short picnic walk, when i got home i found out i'd actually done 10.5 miles- probably due to me having to walk over town to meet everyone, and takng a freind back over some fields with Jake and Shell (she doesnt like walking through them alone).
However, Saturday was the best part of the weekend- Kinder Scout, the hghest of Peakland's 3 mountains. As there aint any busses out to Edale at the foot of Kinder and its a 20 mile drive from home, we dont often get to go on it. Luckily, Dobbo and Jake secured lifts out and by 9:45 we were walking in the glorious Edale Valley. The weather was perfect- bright sunshine, no clouds, a light breeze- and the fells unusualy quiet, adding to the charm as we walked up the valley. We decided to do the 'tourist route' up Kinder- Jacob's Ladder-, which, though easy, offeres stunning views as one climbs up onto the Kinder Col at 533m. I love this part of the Pennines, high up amongst the big hills of Peakland, the yellow grass and brown peat covering the fells, open skies and just the squarkng of grouse to be heard.
Our route was my favourite- up to the summit and over Kinder's wonderous central plateau- the highest ground in the Pennines and England south of the Yorkshire Dales- to Crowden Head, before heading over to Grindslow Knoll (the 4th highest hill in Peakland) and down to Edale. It was a glorious walk, jumping over groughs, crossing the bogs, chilling out for an hour on the summit (636m/ 2088ft- the highest in Peakland) and laughing as Jake and Dobbo had a peat fight at Crwden Head. For 3 1/2 hours we were above 2000ft on the plateau, seeng few people (some were a bunch of townies struggling over the bogs- they looked riduculous and should have stayed in the towns where they belong), enjoying what it the very best part of Kinder Scout.
We ended up on Grindslow Knoll (601m/ 1971ft), a satelite peak of Kinder where we spent 45 minutes veging and savouring the views. Eventualy made the horrible 1300ft descent down to Edale to get a lift home. Walking down through the village we passes a bunch of scousers who made loud comments on us being scruffy, odd looking and smelly. Haha, stupid scousers for you- out in thier scummy chav clothes- they should have been back in Liverpool steeling hupcaps, not polluting the countryside with thier thick heads.
Sunday was fun, ended up walking 14 miles due to a cold, strong wind blowing over the hills, finishing with a bbq at home. On Monday we met up some folk we go to Cornwall with on holliday for a slow wander up Stanton Moor. Despite it being cooler, the walk was fun with a good climb on the Cork Stone on the way down.
On Good Friday (good, as in its quiet due to all the bible-bashers being in church) i met up with a load of mates for a nice picnic walk down the slopes of Barlow Dale. Had a plesent chill out on a ridge in the warm sunshine, chatting and enjoying the sun. One of my more wierder, exerzise-nut freinds buggered off as she wanted a 'walk'. We let her go- it was meant to be a nice get together, not a race around the hill. Ended up at Hill Top, fooling around at the park untill 16:30. Despite it supposedly being a short picnic walk, when i got home i found out i'd actually done 10.5 miles- probably due to me having to walk over town to meet everyone, and takng a freind back over some fields with Jake and Shell (she doesnt like walking through them alone).
However, Saturday was the best part of the weekend- Kinder Scout, the hghest of Peakland's 3 mountains. As there aint any busses out to Edale at the foot of Kinder and its a 20 mile drive from home, we dont often get to go on it. Luckily, Dobbo and Jake secured lifts out and by 9:45 we were walking in the glorious Edale Valley. The weather was perfect- bright sunshine, no clouds, a light breeze- and the fells unusualy quiet, adding to the charm as we walked up the valley. We decided to do the 'tourist route' up Kinder- Jacob's Ladder-, which, though easy, offeres stunning views as one climbs up onto the Kinder Col at 533m. I love this part of the Pennines, high up amongst the big hills of Peakland, the yellow grass and brown peat covering the fells, open skies and just the squarkng of grouse to be heard.
Our route was my favourite- up to the summit and over Kinder's wonderous central plateau- the highest ground in the Pennines and England south of the Yorkshire Dales- to Crowden Head, before heading over to Grindslow Knoll (the 4th highest hill in Peakland) and down to Edale. It was a glorious walk, jumping over groughs, crossing the bogs, chilling out for an hour on the summit (636m/ 2088ft- the highest in Peakland) and laughing as Jake and Dobbo had a peat fight at Crwden Head. For 3 1/2 hours we were above 2000ft on the plateau, seeng few people (some were a bunch of townies struggling over the bogs- they looked riduculous and should have stayed in the towns where they belong), enjoying what it the very best part of Kinder Scout.
We ended up on Grindslow Knoll (601m/ 1971ft), a satelite peak of Kinder where we spent 45 minutes veging and savouring the views. Eventualy made the horrible 1300ft descent down to Edale to get a lift home. Walking down through the village we passes a bunch of scousers who made loud comments on us being scruffy, odd looking and smelly. Haha, stupid scousers for you- out in thier scummy chav clothes- they should have been back in Liverpool steeling hupcaps, not polluting the countryside with thier thick heads.
Sunday was fun, ended up walking 14 miles due to a cold, strong wind blowing over the hills, finishing with a bbq at home. On Monday we met up some folk we go to Cornwall with on holliday for a slow wander up Stanton Moor. Despite it being cooler, the walk was fun with a good climb on the Cork Stone on the way down.
This last week of the hollidays has followed a similar pattern- short afternoon or evening dog walks with mum on tuesday and wednesday, a delightful walk over my local hills with grandma on thurday, veging on friday (should have done homework, but still...) and a big walk on saturday. Thursday was interesting, heading over Lenny Hill and Flask Edge from Totley, finishing off by going over the fields home. Mostly, on hot, sunny days i lothe to be on my local fells, wanting to be out in the heart of the Peak District Pennines. However, thursday's walk rekindled my fondness for them, all deserted and tranquil, the open heather moors dominating the pastoral fields of the Totley Valey as it heads towards Sheffield, away from the Pennines, reminding me how lucky i am to have the Pennines only 1 1/2 hours walk from home.
Yesterday was a kiler though- got the bus out to King's Tree at the top of Derwentdale in the heart of the Howden Moors- Bleaklow area and climbed the 4 highest hills on the Eastern Edges and in South Yorkshire : Horse Stone Naze (530m), Outer Edge (541m), Howden Edge (550m) and Back Tor (537m). The walk was a gem, crossing the wildest, toughest and remotest parts of Peakland, away from the crowds over a wilderness of peat bog, heather and moorland grasses. However, the heat was intense, making walking a wee bit tough (i could smell myself when i began the decent down to Fairholmes), especialy over Middle Moss where the nearest road is 2.5 miles away with the whole moor compleatly deserted. Still, the walking was grand, i got a good 30 mins chill out on each hill at the least and i avoided the crowds. The descent of Back Tor, with the hills all golden-yellow in the light and the fells deserted perfectly ended a simply superb fortnight of great walking.
Photos (top- bottom):
- Me resting on Jacob's Ladder with Kinder Scout beyond (the peak is The Pagods at 630m/ 2068t)
- Me at Kinder's summit for the 17th time
- Dobbo and i posing at Fox Holes Crag en-route to Grindslow Knoll, with Win Hill Pike and Lose Hill below
- Jake and Dobbo chilling atop Grindslow Knoll
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