It was to be an evening of sustained altitude training for the seven Slow Warts, but only after we’d reached our higher than typical altitude of about 2000ft, on the Kinder plateau. Climbing Fairbrook Naze was hard enough but a strong westerly head wind added to the general enjoyment. However, and unusually, we had competition or, at least, some motivation, a threesome of non-Dark Peakers had set off before us from Snake Bridge and were seen silhouetted above Nungrain as we set off.
The wind battering was temporarily relieved in the lea of the Naze but returned with full force at the Mushroom Stone where we path-ran to the head of Fairbrook to the second crossing of the DPFR Triple Crossing of Kinder race. The faint trod used in the race, now about 45 years old, still brings us, via a watershed, close to Kinder Gates. After some more pleasant grough free watershed running over quite extensive areas of crowberry and cotton grass, we saw Manchester, a rare view for Slow Warts.
Sprinting along the edge path, we saw the mysterious threesome ahead only for a short time but we were catching them. We saw them again later leaving Kinder Low trig and, again, we were still making ground on them.
Kinder Low
The mystery of who they were and what they were doing however, was never resolved. We didn’t see them again. Maybe they continued to path run. We didn’t, as we followed the watershed with more cloudberry, cotton grass and willow herb, to the summit (2067ft) of Kinder. However, we were later lured on to a path in the upper reaches of the Kinder river which took us deeper into the bowl of the Kinder plateau. We had to escape from it with a sharp right turn which gave us a strenuous and long crossing of many deep groughs before arriving at the “event horizon” (thanks Michael) of Seal Edge.
Seal Edge and the Warts descending from it
Harmerian standards continued to be maintained as we descended steeply through deep heather and bilberry towards Middle Seal Clough, over Seal Flats (compared with the adjacent areas, it was flatish) and down Nether Seal Clough to Fairbrook. After this rough descent, I must admit there was a distinct sense of relief to be back on a path. We relaxed, and enjoyed the run in back to the Snake Bridge.
Our 2 hours 45 minute outing had just about matched last Wednesday night’s trip over to the three sheeper, perhaps all this summer light is encouraging us to stay out for longer. Nevertheless, we still had time to enjoy a pint or two at the Yorkshire Bridge though there was some concern that the choice of beer was reduced by the introduction of a royalist Jubilee brew, fortunately, though, republican choices were still available.
Yet again, we all agreed it had been a splendid outing much enhanced by the plant life and one hare.
Graham
Where we went (track thanks to Clive)