Yes, seven Slow Warts started at Doctors Gate at 2pm, in daylight as an antidote to last week’s silent, rocky Fairbrook descent in the dark. Instead, this afternoon’s target was progressive, we’d head for one checkpoint and when there, decide where to go next. So, in pursuit of our possible past glories or failures, we chose a newish bridge used as the first check point in a previous club championship from Glossop.
First, Doctors Gate swamp had to be negotiated. Our absent Andy H has always claimed that paths are dangerous and therefore worth avoiding resulting in our many expeditions into Harmerian country. The stone slabs of Doctors Gate have long been laid and have developed an invisible patina of remarkable slipperiness which is best avoided, hence the alternative of the churned up and swampy adjacent vegetation, always a good start to an outing.
Such dangers were left behind once we’d crossed Devil’s Dike, i.e. the Pennine Way, and ventured to open moorland which was much more consistently boggy. Crossing Urchin Clough (not the one running into the River Ashop), we headed for the delightfully named Birchen Orchard Clough which was conveniently furnished with seats of the same rustic creosotic style as the bridge. All in all, a pleasant picnic spot perhaps for the summer time but less attractive in the current grey, drizzly misty conditions.
Ignoring the rock field marked on the map we left the comfort of the quad track from the bridge and waddled and staggered as elegantly as our legs could manage down the heather covered boulders to Shelf Brook.
Here we six gathered, Jim having gone his own way from the start. We then prepared ourselves for our ascent towards James Thorn and on to the nearby unnamed pond. It does deserve honouring with some sort of title even if it’s only Hidden or Lost Pond, any thoughts? On the way there, our group slowly spread out, Bob, Tim and Roger leading into the mist, I was out of sight, hanging on behind and Moz and John were behind me. Going over the shelf at James Thorn, no-one could be seen so I was seduced by a trod and missed the pond shame on me! Subsequent analysis of the lines taken showed the other three did go there with Bob then taking off on his own, to cross Yellowslacks and on to Dog Rock and back. At this time therefore, our numbers were 1-2-1-2-1. I had a lonely run up to Shelf Stones trig and across the head of Crooked Clough, very sloppy, and over Devil’s Dike taking a direct line over Old Woman, a curious name for a patch of moor, to the carpark. Jim was back having probably been to a larger pond on Alport Moor. The others also returned and we all spent time, usefully we thought, discussing the lines we had taken. This continued at the YBI though I do hope no-one was listening to all our swamp banter.
An excellent foggy daylight outing, thanks to all.
Next week Grindleford Church 5pm
Graham