Date: Sat 7th June 2008 Distance: 20+kms, took 5½ hours
Location: Edale, Peak District
Conditions: Hilly, not meaning to state the obvious
Weather: Cloudy, with wind
Participants: Pip, Nik, Wol, Gee
The next part of Mrs Pot’s training plan involved somewhere more challenging than flat Hertfordshire, so we decided on a weekend trip up north to the Peak District, to go head to head with some proper hills.
The four of us left Hertford early on Saturday morning, destination Edale in the Peak District. Itinerary for the weekend entailed a 6 hour hill walk on Saturday, camp in Edale, then throw in another 6 hour-er on Sunday.
After just about managing to squeeze everyone’s gear into the Robbo team bus we headed off, up the M1, then across from Chesterfield, over to Edale. 3 hours later, we arrived in a somewhat overcast Edale. On driving through the village Gee was aghast by the sign we past. ‘Edale Jazz Fest, Saturday 7th June’. Unbelievable...anything, please, but Jazz. Rooty Toot Smokin Jez McGoogin can take his slide trombone and stick it right up his loft hatch.
After that initial bombshell we headed off to the campsite, we then set about erecting the tents, Mr & Mrs R in one, the Brokeback brothers in the other. Don’t worry Paula, Carl’s industrial sized duvet-in–a-bag meant there was very little chance of me getting within 5 yards of him, even if I wanted.
Walk #1 of the weekend involved a loop around the north side of Edale. We headed off down the valley, motoring along at such a pace that it was looking that 6 hours may become 4. 
However, this cavalier optimism was dampened somewhat when we reached Jacob’s Ladder, a steep incline up the side of Kinder Scout.
However, this cavalier optimism was dampened somewhat when we reached Jacob’s Ladder, a steep incline up the side of Kinder Scout.Due to the later than normal start we stopped for lunch at the rocky outcrop called Swine’s Head, by which point the wind had picked up & things had turned decidedly cooler. 
Donning fleeces all round, we headed off on Pip’s hastily arranged add on, in order to extend the length of the walk. This was supposed to be up around the rest of Kinder Scout, but we inadvertently seemed to have been transported onto the moon. A lunar type landscape spread out before us, somewhere you wouldn’t want to be lost, on a less then clear day. We continued on, heading off into the peat areas of the hillside. 
It was this sight of peat that Wol felt inclined to issue the statement ‘it must have been a right pain lumping up all those bags of peat up here’. Townies, don’t you just love ‘em.
Donning fleeces all round, we headed off on Pip’s hastily arranged add on, in order to extend the length of the walk. This was supposed to be up around the rest of Kinder Scout, but we inadvertently seemed to have been transported onto the moon. A lunar type landscape spread out before us, somewhere you wouldn’t want to be lost, on a less then clear day. We continued on, heading off into the peat areas of the hillside. 
It was this sight of peat that Wol felt inclined to issue the statement ‘it must have been a right pain lumping up all those bags of peat up here’. Townies, don’t you just love ‘em.Pip’s navigational sat nav skills, normally so reliable (except when there’s a quarry to investigate), seemed to go slightly wonky at this point, as we trekked along & through streams for a while, with only Wol’s favourite geological material as scenery. We finally got back on track, slightly off RobboNav’s estimated position of latitude & longitude, continuing around the ridge. In the valley below, the Jazz tent seemed in constant view, a reminder of what we had to look forward to later...mmm, groovy.
After negotiating the descent back down to Edale, we stopped off briefly at the local church, for the obligatory church photo. Gee, official motion photographer, armed with brand spanking new camera, took the photo, but then managed to drop said camera. Luckily, no serious damage, but lose it, have it stolen, drop it, he continues to prove that a disposable camera has to be considered the safer option.We arrived back at the campsite, where we took a breather, helped by a couple of cheeky beers. A quick shower then it was off to the pub for food & a few more carb loaded drinkipoos. Based on a democratic group vote we decided to wander down to the Jazz Fest. 
However, the Jazz seemed more like rock, with swarms of local teenage hoons buzzing around. Deciding that paying an ayrton (that’s 10 pounds of the Queen’s money if you’re not Vornie) each for an hour’s ropey entertainment wasn’t particularly good value, we headed back to the Rambler’s Pub for another drink. Not the most attractive of hostelries but gave us the chance to pontificate on such issues as ‘what annoys you most’ & ‘where is the oldest pub’? By this time everyone was starting to feel the effects of the day, so it was back to camp for a bit of shut eye, in preparation for another day tomorrow....Over to you, Mrs Pot.......
However, the Jazz seemed more like rock, with swarms of local teenage hoons buzzing around. Deciding that paying an ayrton (that’s 10 pounds of the Queen’s money if you’re not Vornie) each for an hour’s ropey entertainment wasn’t particularly good value, we headed back to the Rambler’s Pub for another drink. Not the most attractive of hostelries but gave us the chance to pontificate on such issues as ‘what annoys you most’ & ‘where is the oldest pub’? By this time everyone was starting to feel the effects of the day, so it was back to camp for a bit of shut eye, in preparation for another day tomorrow....Over to you, Mrs Pot.......Gee
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