Thanks to Clive and Bob, we were made aware of the grouse shooting restrictions on the moors around Broomhead and Bradfield where we had planned this Wednesday’s outing. So, after a couple of attempts to find somewhere free of shooters, Andy chose Cutthroat Bridge to start our exertions.
We have been on this route through the heather to the Coach and Horses rocks many times without going the same way and it was no different this time. We six, including newly crowned world champion M75, Pete, spread out widely, fighting the bracken, bilberry and heather searching for breaks in this undergrowth, to actually run over. In the rush to the rocks, there were close encounters with paths and I accidentally (?) strayed on to the main Derwent Edge path to cries of “road runner, shame on you”. Whether deliberate or not, it was satisfyingly quicker and provided me the opportunity to practice the other Slow Warts’ hobby of photography, basically an opportunity to stop and rest.
Continuing our “sinful” running on the Edge path, towards the Salt Cellar, there is the danger of missing it, it’s not visible from the path and the fast boys did a little tour of it to ensure future visits would be more direct.
Encouragingly, there was a path through the vegetation down to the lower path by the wall and the gate. Discouragingly, however, the path evaporated within a few yards so penance was being paid for straying earlier onto a path. John W had led the way so we hadn’t seen him negotiating the gate. It took the rest of us to steady the wobbly gate and chain and some impressive contortions to conquer it. A pleasant descent and a dry stream crossing near the packhorse bridge was our reward. However, after pleasure comes challenge and more penance, a steep ascent through sky-high bracken. There was a path through it but only if it could be found.
After such labours, we regrouped to run (yes!) up to Warren Plantation and down to the reservoir (very low). More road running followed before we dispersed, again, up to the shelter cabin for a long climb to the edge. Although we regrouped at the Edge path, we split again on the return to Cutthroat Bridge, all of us attempting to find the perfect line across the moor; will we ever? After an excursion to the Derwent moors, the final challenge is to run from the Bridge to the car park over the short hill, avoiding the road, some of us did and some didn’t.
After what we thought was a strenuous outing, the talk in the YBI was mainly about sleeping and the warmth or otherwise of bedding. This then morphed somehow into cross country running with heavy clods of clay sticking to our shoes and the effect of the clay dropping off to allow us to run as if we were floating (!). Yet more discussions were made to decide our next venue, three were suggested, each conditional on the moor closures due next week. However, such problems were as nought, we’d enjoyed the hilly outing so thanks to all.
Graham
