We learnt from last Wednesday’s epic wet and windy wanderings that it was useful, sensible and safer to split ourselves into two groups, so we did. There were five fast Serious (Slow) Warts (including birthday boy, Tom) and four slow Serious (Slow) Warts and, there was Jim O who, as usual, went out bravely on his own. We were also joined by Russ, a fast S(S)W. In keeping with our strategic grouping plan, kit and car keys were transferred so that changing could be completed in relative comfort, though there was always the warmth of the fire in the Strines Inn, if necessary.
All this faffing was before we even started running, well, perhaps walking, towards Strines Moor Ridge in the twilight with the fast S(S)W’s easing ahead. The plan was to reach the Cakes of Bread via Strines Moor which we did after a long moorland crossing with a few groughs, now in the dark, causing our first serious torch use of the season. There were a few boundary stones and plenty of bog to guide and entertain us on the way. And. we found a potential bivouac site under a rock, only provided the wind was in the right direction.
Slabs were now our guide along the Derwent Edge path to Back Tor on our way to the next check point of Howshaw Tor. Leaving Back Tor on a boggy trod we were on the correct bearing but I thought I saw a cluster of rocks (possibly Howshaw Tor?) on our left to which we now mistakenly headed and then decided to abandon the check point and instead head for the blockhouse. In so doing, as Moz correctly pointed out, we’d gone round in a circle! I don’t suppose we’ve never done it before nor will we l never do it again. I shouldn’t be led astray by vague shadows in the dark.
After sightings of the fast S(S)W’s crossing the moor (see their track below) towards the block house we also headed there, again over groughs and moorland but, we missed it. We consoled ourselves, only slightly, by having completed one of the three checkpoints, The fast S(S)W’s however waved at the cakes of Bread and didn’t quite make it to their extra CP of Low Tor and completed the outing with a return from the blockhouse, hence two or three or four. So, the fast S(S)W’s scored 50%. the slow S(S)W’s scored 33% which was not a bad effort for the older slow S(S)W’s. Not that we’re competitive!
Back at the Strines Inn, there was a welcome fire warming the place and us up. There were only two other people in the pub and they were depriving the ten us of from the direct heating from the fire. Our conversations were mainly about routes, (of course) and where to go next week, it was to be Cutthroat Bridge at 5pm.
Graham
