Last Monday - Win Hill, Lose Hill, Mam Tor and the Great Ridge

Not content with 20 miles and moderate sun stroke on the Sunday, me and Bob headed back out to the Edale valley on the Monday, this time to the other side, to complete a circuit of the Great Ridge.

Parking at Nether Booth, at first glance the 13 mile route looked a bit of a stroll. And so it seemed until we passed through a farmyard to the foot of the ascent onto Win Hill!

All was nice pleasent road and path walking for a while, lots of lambs and calves to look at

After the first farm, came the first steep ascent. And boy was it a bugger! But once up 300m or so, the land leveled out for a gentle wander up towards the summit of Win Hill

Up there, as Bobs pointing out! After a while, the track turns toward the true summit, which entailed a little scramble

Win Hill surmounted, it was back down into the outskirts of Hope, a rather steep descent, during which we not only practiced our navigation skills a little more, but also brushed up on our Fire Control Orders and combat medical techniques! Something neither of us have used for decades.

The climb to the summit of Lose Hill was also a goodly steep walk, made a little worse for me as the path for a good part was at an angle that was not condusive to pain free walking to someone with one leg longer than the other! A ten minute rest was had half way up though whilst we had a good natter with an old couple coming down

And, at the top of Lose Hill, it was time for lunch! Pasta, lucozade, and bizzare long Polish sausage, all enjoyed in the vicinity of a rotting sheep carcass. Rock n roll!

From here, the path was fairly easy, although varying from rubble and ruts to stone paving, across the Great Ridge to Hollins Cross and then up onto the summit of Mam Tor, and its constant supply of day walking tourists and gale force winds

 

With the hills now done, we took the track beside the road back to Edale. Our route, with three miles still to go, took us toward the Nags Head, but as we passed the railway station I noticed the Penny Pot cafe was still open - 'fancy a brew?' says I.

A nice pot of tea later, and we settled into the last few miles across farmland back to the car, which by this time was surrounded by chickens. Despite the factor 50 sunblock we'd used that morning, we were still burnt to a crisp.