HRP ... and beyond: Peak District 2023

Wednesday 3 May 2023 10.1 miles 20,596 steps

Having survived yesterday in reasonably good order - legs felt quite OK this morning - I thought it was time to get back up to the Kinder plateau. I set off up towards the reservoir, but this time went up William Clough, one of the popular routes up to the top. The one that was taken on the Mass Trespass, in fact. They were clearly fit in those days, because William Clough is quite steep and rocky. No need for scrambling though, and I got up to the junction with the Pennine Way in good order. The plan was to follow the PW back towards Edale for a bit, as far as the Kinder Downfall, and then to find a suitable path back down towards Hayfield. I had forgot that there are steep bits on the PW as well, and it was a 100m ascent up steps to get to the Plateau proper, so about a 400m climb in all.

Easy going after that, however, and I walked along to Kinder Downfall - more of a Kinder Trickle, today - where I sat for a bit. A few people about, as is to be expected here, but it was not busy or crowded. Then I set off, continuing towards Edale, to Red Clough where I thought there might be some routes back down the mountain. Indeed there were, and the path I followed was a really pleasant path, a delight to walk on, that meandered along the side of the hill, descending gently as it went and with fine views over towards Hayfield and beyond. A dry turf path, with a springy peat underlay so your feet bounce as you walk, is the very best walking there is..

I heard a cuckoo today, and several curlews. I love curlews, they always signify the high moors to me.. Their appearance and their calls are very evocative, and so distinctive even I can recognise them. Not so many as there used to be, sadly.

Having got back to Larry, and had a nice hot shower, my friend Wayne appeared. We had a beer and a chat and then set off up to the pub which I had booked for dinner, The Sportsman Inn.. We had an excellent meal, much better than normal pub grub, and next time you are in Hayfield, I recommend it. And we had a good chat too, so that after the meal it was necessary to come back down to Larry and have a nice glass of Malbec and chat some more. But tomorrow, we are set to traverse the whole Kinder plateau so an early night was called for.

A good day, overall.