Friday, April 12, 2013
Event Report- The Three Shires Challenge
Oh this was a toughie!! I had originally hoped and trained to complete the full 29 miles... but it didn't go according to plan...
Saturday promised to be glorious and I witnessed a spectacular sunset as I drove my way through the Peaks towards Leek and Swythamley, the starting point of the walk. There didn't appear to be too much snow around so I looked forwards to a good day's walking although I wasn't too sure about my fitness.
After a cup of coffee I stepped out into glorious sunshine as we waited in the car park. We were officially started ('There's only 20 seconds to go so you may as well start now') and were starting the climb towards Gun Hill, and the trig point at the summit.
It was here that we encountered the first patches of snow... but I naively thought that this would be all the snow we'd see...
After Gun Hill there follows a long descent and then sharp ascent to the Roaches. I managed to fall over and turn my ankle not looking where I was going in an uneven field, but despite a few snow patches (surely the last ones we'd see...) the views were glorious and the weather was warm...
Approaching The Roaches
The last part of the climb onto the Roaches is very steep and I was soon sweating and gasping for breath. There is a good path along the top and today the views were extensive... so much so that the huge white disc of Jodrell Bank could be seen.
Views From The Roaches
A good path made of large stones lead down to the first checkpoint at Roach End and I happily jogged down it, feeling that I was making good progress. I stopped for a quick drink and a couple of biscuits before setting off and happily jogging downhill towards the woods.
Too late I realised that I was now trying to run on very slippery mud and soon went down on my arse! A nasty shock awaited us when we got to what I remembered to be a lovely little path descending steeply through woodland. It was still a little path, but due to the woods being quite sheltered it was now covered with ice... everyone seemed to come past me here as I found it really difficult. It took me ages to slither, crawl and wince my way down!
I was so relieved to reach the bottom and the track to Gradbach Youth Hostel, although the track now consisted of slippery wet mud and huge puddles filled with broken ice. The climb from Gradbach to Turn Edge and the track towards Three Shires Head was, although steep, without incident.
I hoped that the track would be relatively snow and ice free. These hopes were not to be fulfilled... at one point I stepped in what I thought was a mere puddle but ended up nearly up to my waist in water, Vicar of Dibley style!
Three Shires Head
I felt that I was losing a lot of time as I am terrible over tricky terrain! There was even more snow, which, in the heat of the day, was rapidly turning to slush, on the track towards Wildboarclough.
Shutlingsloe 2- me 0
Loads more people came past me as I slowly slithered my way down the track, and on consulting my mobile realised that it was already 12:30pm so attempting the Shutlingsloe route would leave me with insufficient time to do the Cheshire Loop as well, especially given the conditions underfoot. So I turned away from the 'Matterhorn of Cheshire' and sought solace in the cheesy oatcakes on offer at the checkpoint at Wildboarclough.
I daren't linger too long of I intended to pull in the 7 mile Cheshire Loop, so after a coffee and a brief conversation with a chap who had lost the friend he'd been walking with, I set off, climbing through fields towards Oakenclough. I was grateful to lose the snow for a short while, although I did a lot of catching up with my old pal, slippery wet mud. Before dropping down to Pot Lords there is am amazing view right over Macclesfield and beyond.
The next path goes through farmland and I remembered it being a little muddy last year, and so correctly guessed that this year it would be a lot muddy... I got to say hi to the snow again too as I fell over sideways into it! I got a little lost and ended up clambering ungainly over a gate, before the gradual muddy and slippery descent back towards Wildboarclough.
Views From The Cheshire Loop
There doesn't look a lot of snow in those photos, but it's deceptive as it had stayed in sheltered spots, and along tracks and low lying areas. It seemed strange walking in warm sunshine but crunching through snow...
Tucking into another delicious oatcake I realised that I only had 3 hours to cover the remaining 7 miles back to Swythamley before the cut off time of 11 hours, so hauled my weary carcass onwards. I wasn't the last, surprisingly- I heard someone say they had another 10 to come in from the Cheshire Loop.
As I started the muddy climb onto the moors leading to Gradbach I caught up with two chaps who appeared to be walking at my speed and stuck with them for the rest of the walk. I wasn't at all surprised by now to find the track kept disappearing under deep snow, water and slippery mud and decided that I had had enough and prayed for a drought this year.
The Track to Gradbach
After negotiating a slippery descent to the Youth Hostel and retracing our steps through the mud, the steep climb through the woods past Lud's Church wasn't too bad. I though we had maybe seen the last of the snow... until the steep descent to Danebridge which was completely covered in snow and ice. If I had been on my own I would have been cursing but as I had company I had to pick my way down in fed up silence. My legs were aching quite nicely at this point and I could feel a blister rubbing as my already soaked feet were pushed against the edge of my shoe by yet another sideways slide.
It was such a relief to reach the road and the track past the Trout Farm and brewery at Wincle. All that was left was a last steep climb and then the long track back to Swythamley.
The Weir At Wincle
A friend of the two chaps I was walking with came to meet them (he was well into his 70s and had finished the walk some time before!) He reassured us that there was plenty of food left and we reached the village as the hills were lit up with the golden light of evening.
We finished with 5 minutes to spare- 10 hours 55 minutes, although the chap had told us that the organisers had realised that they had to extend the deadline as the conditions underfoot were slowing everyone up. A week or so earlier and I think the event may have been in jeopardy.
We did some serious damage to the lovely salads that had been prepared- the food is truly superb on this walk. Despite the snow and slippery mud (did I mention that?) it was a great day and tremendous effort by the Staffordshire LDWA.
... next year I will do the full 29 miles...
Saturday promised to be glorious and I witnessed a spectacular sunset as I drove my way through the Peaks towards Leek and Swythamley, the starting point of the walk. There didn't appear to be too much snow around so I looked forwards to a good day's walking although I wasn't too sure about my fitness.
After a cup of coffee I stepped out into glorious sunshine as we waited in the car park. We were officially started ('There's only 20 seconds to go so you may as well start now') and were starting the climb towards Gun Hill, and the trig point at the summit.
After Gun Hill there follows a long descent and then sharp ascent to the Roaches. I managed to fall over and turn my ankle not looking where I was going in an uneven field, but despite a few snow patches (surely the last ones we'd see...) the views were glorious and the weather was warm...
The last part of the climb onto the Roaches is very steep and I was soon sweating and gasping for breath. There is a good path along the top and today the views were extensive... so much so that the huge white disc of Jodrell Bank could be seen.
A good path made of large stones lead down to the first checkpoint at Roach End and I happily jogged down it, feeling that I was making good progress. I stopped for a quick drink and a couple of biscuits before setting off and happily jogging downhill towards the woods.
Too late I realised that I was now trying to run on very slippery mud and soon went down on my arse! A nasty shock awaited us when we got to what I remembered to be a lovely little path descending steeply through woodland. It was still a little path, but due to the woods being quite sheltered it was now covered with ice... everyone seemed to come past me here as I found it really difficult. It took me ages to slither, crawl and wince my way down!
I was so relieved to reach the bottom and the track to Gradbach Youth Hostel, although the track now consisted of slippery wet mud and huge puddles filled with broken ice. The climb from Gradbach to Turn Edge and the track towards Three Shires Head was, although steep, without incident.
I felt that I was losing a lot of time as I am terrible over tricky terrain! There was even more snow, which, in the heat of the day, was rapidly turning to slush, on the track towards Wildboarclough.
Loads more people came past me as I slowly slithered my way down the track, and on consulting my mobile realised that it was already 12:30pm so attempting the Shutlingsloe route would leave me with insufficient time to do the Cheshire Loop as well, especially given the conditions underfoot. So I turned away from the 'Matterhorn of Cheshire' and sought solace in the cheesy oatcakes on offer at the checkpoint at Wildboarclough.
I daren't linger too long of I intended to pull in the 7 mile Cheshire Loop, so after a coffee and a brief conversation with a chap who had lost the friend he'd been walking with, I set off, climbing through fields towards Oakenclough. I was grateful to lose the snow for a short while, although I did a lot of catching up with my old pal, slippery wet mud. Before dropping down to Pot Lords there is am amazing view right over Macclesfield and beyond.
There doesn't look a lot of snow in those photos, but it's deceptive as it had stayed in sheltered spots, and along tracks and low lying areas. It seemed strange walking in warm sunshine but crunching through snow...
Tucking into another delicious oatcake I realised that I only had 3 hours to cover the remaining 7 miles back to Swythamley before the cut off time of 11 hours, so hauled my weary carcass onwards. I wasn't the last, surprisingly- I heard someone say they had another 10 to come in from the Cheshire Loop.
As I started the muddy climb onto the moors leading to Gradbach I caught up with two chaps who appeared to be walking at my speed and stuck with them for the rest of the walk. I wasn't at all surprised by now to find the track kept disappearing under deep snow, water and slippery mud and decided that I had had enough and prayed for a drought this year.
After negotiating a slippery descent to the Youth Hostel and retracing our steps through the mud, the steep climb through the woods past Lud's Church wasn't too bad. I though we had maybe seen the last of the snow... until the steep descent to Danebridge which was completely covered in snow and ice. If I had been on my own I would have been cursing but as I had company I had to pick my way down in fed up silence. My legs were aching quite nicely at this point and I could feel a blister rubbing as my already soaked feet were pushed against the edge of my shoe by yet another sideways slide.
It was such a relief to reach the road and the track past the Trout Farm and brewery at Wincle. All that was left was a last steep climb and then the long track back to Swythamley.
A friend of the two chaps I was walking with came to meet them (he was well into his 70s and had finished the walk some time before!) He reassured us that there was plenty of food left and we reached the village as the hills were lit up with the golden light of evening.
We did some serious damage to the lovely salads that had been prepared- the food is truly superb on this walk. Despite the snow and slippery mud (did I mention that?) it was a great day and tremendous effort by the Staffordshire LDWA.
... next year I will do the full 29 miles...
Labels: Peak District, Three Shires Challenge
