John Dalton

Rain was on the horizon as we drove to the elbow at Midhopestones where there was just an energetic breeze, with no rain, to spring us out of our desultory feeling. Bob had planned a fine tour including the Sugden and Bull Cloughs, Midhope Moors, Outer Edge, returning via, or Read more

There was an almost existential threat to the Slow Warts as our very name was being questioned. Should we indeed be called Slow Warts anymore or something more appropriately slower particularly when the inclement weather had brought an air of lethargy to our group of eight? Rambling Warts, Wamblers, Strollers, Read more

It is with regret that I must report that few if any of the thirteen of us had wet feet at the end of our run from Westend. Whether there were any withdrawal symptoms has not yet been disclosed but it may take some time for the effects to become Read more

Had we not briefly broken in to a slow run during our climb from Blackden, our amended group title (thanks to Bob) may have remained, although our conversations alone may well have justified continuing with the name. The choice of Blackden was made because of the imminent closure of the Read more

Currently, the last entry in the DPFR calendar is for a race from King’s Tree to the cabin in Upper North Grain and back via a sheepfold at the junction of Ravens Clough and the Westend, to be run next year in December. I’m not sure whether recceing part of Read more

Emerging from a long and often challenging winter, our expectations for gentle conditions for Slow Warts’ Wednesday weather had become low to the point when disappointment was sometimes perversely expressed on the lack of wind, rain, snow, flood, pestilence, etc. The weather for our eleven strong outing from Cutthroat Bridge, Read more

Unlikely bedfellows, but Slow Warts can find them especially if they gather at the unlikely car park of the “Elbow” at Midhopestones. Nine of us set off from here along the unforgiving concrete leading to Thickwoods Lane where, to preserve any further damage to bones and joints, we diverted into Read more

Last week’s outing saw us enjoying some challenging weather but this week, twelve of us, including returnees Sarah and Penny, had some of the meanest weather we had encountered. Classic hypothermic conditions were there in abundance, heavy rain, strong winds, fine and large snowflakes, all increasing in intensity the higher Read more

Even in the mist and rain, there was a hint of excitement, well, as much excitement as Slow Warts could generate, as we gathered at the Doctor’s Gate car park near the Snake summit. And the reason? It was the prospect of visiting two caves on opposite sides of the Read more