Disturbingly, it was bright and sunny, not our usual challenging weather for our outing from Cutthroat Bridge the day before the official first day of Spring. The Spring feeling stirred a wealth of excuses, Andy was in Chamonix, Chris had returned from six weeks in Portugal, not running, Tom had come back from skiing (again not running) and Pete had got lost on the way, not realising the Grindleford to Hathersage road was closed so making both he and John (welcome back from injury) a little bit late. Simon and Tim were fine but I had a bad back (long story involving a dripping tap).
We felt obliged in Andy’s absence to include some Harmerian ground so after tackling the rocky start to the Derwent Moors, we diverted to the now almost invisible fence for some heather bashing to climb the hillside. It is worth looking at this hill from the car park to appreciate what a climb it is. However, on second thoughts, it’s best to not look at it again to avoid any intimidation. We survived the climb and the heather using some mown patches to reach the path and, then we took a non-Harmerian path past the NT barn/shelter without stopping, down to the reservoir edge.
Whilst we had considered going all the way to Pike Low, on reflection of the effect of our various ailments, we decided to go to the packhorse bridge. We were tempted by the gently downhill sloping comfortable green track, enjoyable running! But not for long, the boundary gate gave us a change into slippery dead bracken on a steep intermittently boggy slope culminating in a stream crossing. By the way, the always precarious looking bridge was still there. The next climb was hard work and, steep and heathery, in places but the biggest challenge was the climb over and through the gate. Pete had a novel technique, backwards with a Fosbury Flop high jump type exit. My failure to execute such a move provided some delight for the others but the traditional climb over, eventually did work,
Which is the optimum route from the gate to Salt Cellar? Left, right or in between? There are patches of clearish ground, heather and rocks with occasional sheep track. Sometimes, a good line is found but sometimes we can enjoy the deep heather up the steep rocky slope. The reward was a wonderful sunset and, thanks to Tom, a chunk of Parmesan cheese direct from Tom’s Italian ski guide. This spurred us on back to the car park via the Coach and Horses (not a pub) rocks in the semi-light and we all managed to avoid using our torches, definitely a sign of spring.
And, at the YBI, Moonshine had returned so under its influence there was a question of who we were and what we were called. The former philosophical question was dismissed as we concentrated more on our names, at least two of the group were called by their middle name or their first name depending on the social group they were in. One of the Slow Warts was even randomly called Eric despite many corrections. We finished off with chicken sheds and earthquakes not mention, of course, drumlins, before agreeing it had been good evening out. Thanks to all.
Graham