Waterfall hunting

I asked Lucie if she fancied a waterfall hunting adventure on Sunday as I wanted to explore the ones other River Alport. I knew there would be some scrambling as there was no sign of paths nearby the contour lines were very close together.

We started at Doctors Gate and headed up the pennine way, we turned off at Hern Clough where we had a dip in a little plunge pool before carrying on over an area called The Swamp, fortunately in the current heat wave it was dry.

We then joined the start of the River Alport, it wasnt long before we scrambling down to the river to find the 'falls' marked on the map. It was fair to say they were stunning and we had lots of fun playing, but the pool wasnt deep enough for a dip.

Some more scrambling down the river lead to our next waterfall.

This was the one I'd seen the photo of on the Internet and it was lovely.

the next stop was a surprisingly deep plunge pool, I even did some jumping.

Then a really deep channel, I could only just get deep enough to touch the bottom.

There wassome scrambling along the river when the sides were too steep.

The last dip on the River Alport was a lovely little pool where we could admire the heather and look down the valley.

Then we headed up onto Alport Moor before dropping down to Nether North Grain as there were falls marked.

We found the first one, a lovely little one that was super cold!

The secobd just 50m further wasnt as cold but also very cute.

From there it was onto the A57, where it was a shock to the system to see peole, before walking up the road to where we parked. We picked up a ridiculous amount of rubbish on this 200m stretch and could have picked up more if we had a bigger bag.

A Great adventure, 7miles covered and 8 dips!

Not the PB57

So last year we went into lockdown meaning the PB57 was cancelled, my entry was rolled over to this year. The original route was along the Pennine Bridkeway from Middleton Top to Hayfield. To make it work in Covid times the route was changed to an out and back along the Pennine Bridkeway from Hayfield with individual start times. This meant they wouldn't have to bus us to the start. Unfortunately this year's was postponed to September and the date was close to another event I am doing.

So I decided to run the original route and Ali kindly offered to support me. Ali suggested doing it midweek so the trails would be quieter since the trails here are so busy at the weekends at the moment. Then we had to find a date we could both have off work, which turned out to be yesterday.

The first 13 miles or so is along the High Peak Trail, so easy running. Unfortunately it was also into a head wind and the weather was being changeable so I had to stop a few times to put my jacket on and off.

Ali met me at two points along the way so I could replace my water bottles and top up my food. It worked really well and I couldn't have done it without her. She had new bottles ready every stop with torq mixed in which saved me loads of time.

Leaving the trail the weather closed in again and I couldn't see that far so it meant no enjoying the views. Meeting Ali at half way I had a stitch and my feet were getting sore. I knew that the route was about to get a lot hillier as well so it was time to get my poles out.

After what felt like a lot of tarmac I had some steep climbs, which actually felt good. I think partly as I didn't feel I should be running which I did on the flatter parts.

The weather even played ball and the mist cleared so I could enjoy the views now I was higher up.

Ali came up the hill to meet me when I was a few miles from the end and got some lovely photos for me to remember the day.

Finished still feeling strong, if a bit slow and sore. Really pleased with my overall time of 8hrs 30mins.

Grindleford Gallop

This weekend I was meant to be at a weekend canicross race but it had been cancelled a few weeks ago as the ground was too saturated for parking or camping. Luckily I got a transfer place into the Grindleford Gallop which starts a few miles away from where I live and is a 21mile loop. 

I cycled to the start as it was close to home and there isn't a lot of parking there, this meant I didn't have to get there super early to get parked! 

All the registration was done outside due to the Corona Virus meaning we had to be careful about being around people. 

I'd already done a reasonable amount of running this week, including a 17 mile run with Chip on Wednesday, so the plan was to use it as a good training run. Then they said GO and of course I was running as fast as I could to the queue for the first stile! 

It wasn't long before the climbing started and I was walking! But the views were stunning. The day had started off misty but the weather kept improving with the sun shining by partway through, in fact I was wishing I had shorts on! I was behind a guy descending well into Longstone and I was able to stay with him. I mentioned to him I often find the Monsal Trail hard in races and he said just treat it like a parkrun. I may have took that too literally clocking a sub 8minute mile! 

Leaving the trail we headed up towards Chatsworth, I enjoyed eating my cake while walking up this that I had picked up at the checkpoint on the trail. Heading towards Chatsworth my legs seemed to be struggling and once I got to Chatsworth I started to really need the toilet but I knew it wasn't far to Baslow! Getting there it was a quick toilet stop and I got one of my bottles refilled. 

Up to hill onto Baslow Edge, it was just along Baslow, Curbar and Froggatt Edges before dropping to the finish. It felt like I was just shuffling along while more and more people came past me. But once descending to the finish I found some more oomph and even a sprint along the road to the finish! 

I was aiming for sub 5, with sub 4.5hrs being my A goal. So I was super happy with finishing at just over 4hrs!

After finishing they fed us soup, which was delicious, oh and lots of cake options! Then I had to cycle home.... It took me a while to set off and the uphill was hard, at least then it was mainly downhill to home! 

It's definetly an event I would do again. Also showed me I probably need to do some more long training runs without Chip so I don't just die! But the really good thing is I managed about three 500ml bottles of liquid and the day after my legs weren't sore, meaning I was right about a lot of the soreness after the Wales race being down to barely drinking anything! 

190th/387 runners

44th/147 females

27th/76 V40 females

Now to hope my main event in April goes ahead!

A morning Run up the Edges.

Laura and I met up at Curbar Gap this morning for a run, I had told her we didn't need to worry about it being busy as the Peak District only opens at 10am. We went out along White Edge where the deer were as close as I've seen them in a long time, back along Froggatt dropping down under Curbar and along under Baslow where we met the Highland Cooos. Back over onto White Edge we arrived back at the car park after 9.5 miles to a busy car park and lots of people heading out. Meanwhile we'd had empty trails most of the time.

Dark Peak Trail 14

I contacted the organisers of this race a while ago to ask if I could run with a dog, explaining that he would be attached to me on a short lead at all times and I had my own insurance. They kindly agreed and I decided to take cybi as the route went over cut gate which I know can be boggy. He will just keep going, chip wouldn't enjoy it.

Getting close to the event I was nervous as I hadn't done much running in November due to illness but the Monday before cybi and I did ten miles so I was confident we could do the distance, fourteen miles.

The day came and I kept cybi away from the start so he didn't get over excited, once they started going we joined the back and he was a star walking and jogging till the field spread out and we worked our way through on the first hill as cybi obviously thought I should be running it. It was a lot less boggy than expected as it was cold but that meant a lot of ice. One bit even cybi slide on! Soon we were descending to Howden Reservoir and the views were stunning. Some easy running along Howden and we turned off leaving the marathon runners to their longer route. It wasn't long before we started the steep climb up to the edge, near the top I was even using my hands, cybi kept an eye on me as he had no issues. From there it was nearly all descending back to langsett reservoir. Here there was a short section of road before a last climb to the finish.

A brilliant route and so pleased I got to run it with the wee man, who turned left for another lap at the finish!

A run with Chip

Last year I did a number of the Dark and White trail runs but some of the spring ones they didn't allow dogs and this year said it would be a week before they would let us know so I didn't enter. The first event in the spring series is tomorrow and has sold out but also no dogs. They put the maps online so I plotted it on my OS map, planned parking at the top of the loop and this morning me and Chip went to run the loop. It was good for me to practice my map reading as well. The loop was lovely heading up onto Stanton Moor to Nine Ladies, somewhere I've never been before which is an overnight. We got back to bumble just as the rain started so that was perfect timing. I enjoyed the loop especially the first half (from where I started) and will definitely do more running round there.

Getting a long run in.

After a busy week at work, including working Wednesday when I would usually try and do my long run I ended up with only Sunday left to do it and no motivation. Fortunately I have the best training partners and headed out first with Cybi and George. I wan't to run a certain path in the opposite direction from previously and wondered if a path I've used on the bike would take me far enough the main road.

The path did take me a fair way but not as far as expected so there was some running on the main road to Bakewell which meant I kept stopping to get the woofs off the road. But it was worth it to link in the other path on a stunning morning. We ran 8 miles and only saw two other people.

After getting home and sorting the boys out with PJ's and their breakfast I headed out with Chip to run to Tideswell to meet Ali. We went via Eyam and along the fields, there are lots of stone stiles this way and notmally Chip needs help over them, not today she was climbing them like a pro.

Once in Tideswell we grabbed lunch and spent some time with Ali before heading home on tired legs, this time staying the other side of the main road. I definitely had tired legs and the final descent to home was the slowest I had ever ran it. Chip on the otherhand was still running like a pro on her longest run yet.

So 21.5 miles with 900m of climbing. Maybe I will manage to ultra in Jan.

Clearing my head

Not sure why this didn't post when I wrote it a few weeks back... 

It'd been a busy day rushing around, first to a school to do a Dr bike and then back to make a Dr's appointment. One of the reasons I think I've struggled a bit recently is I've been working a lot more than my contracted hours, I will get the time back but it's left me overtired and struggling. So i decided to headed out with the boys for a run. I had a look at the map and spotted two paths I hadn't ran before that could make a nice loop out via combes Dale and back via Tideswell lane and Eyam. It was a lovely day, one of the paths was a bit non existent but the other lovely. Coming out on the main road I decided we were having too much fun to just head up Tideswell lane so we headed along to silly Dale before heading back. It was a lovely loop and I am so lucky having the boys to share it with.

The Edges - White, Froggatt and Curbar

I suggested to Vikki we run up at the Edges this afternoon as it was lovely out. So glad we did as the views were stunning.  We could hear the stags most of the run and at one point saw a couple. On Froggatt we met some cows with calves who were a bit too interested in us. I hid in the bracken with the boys whike Vikki circled them and moved them alone. Lovely run and definitely one of my favourite loops.

Dark and White trail run - Goyt Valley

After last months dark and white trail run at Carsington Water I was quick to enter the next event at the Goyt Valley. George had cried at being left behind as I ran with just Cybi. So today I ran with both of them. The route had everything. We were soon in singletrack the boys somehow managed to run side by side even though I barely fit along some of the bits. Then it got a bit boggy, Cybi managed to find a deep but of bog and sank right into it and needed some help getting out. It was a lot hillier than the last one and with it being technical underfoot the downhills were taken slowly.

As we got on the more open tracks the 5k runners caught us, having set off later, and before we knew it we were at the feed zone. I had some juice but the boys were fine after enjoying the many muddy puddles we had passed. George was doing well and even coped with an off lead dog running up to him. I was starting to find the hills hard but with both the boys smiling they kept me going.

Finishing we had missed out on a gold time by 7minutes but all three of us had had a lovely time and the boys were so well behaved. We're all tired after the 17km.

A lovely wander with the boys

After a lovely day in the hills with Hannah yesterday she was a little broken and Ali is still struggling with her ankle that she sprained a couple of months ago so we decided to go to the yonderman and have one of their amazing breakfasts for lunch. While the other two went in the car I walked there with Cybi and George (George is a foster dog who has been with us a week). It was a lovely day and only right at the end did we end up going through a field of sheep. The three of us were loving it. After food I decided to walk back as it was such a nice day, since George had seemed fine (trying to build his exercise up slowly) both the boys walked back with me.

A bit of practise for Saunders

We were meant to be at the Welsh Ride Thing this weekend but Ali has a sprained ankle and would like me about, she'd also really struggle to walk the dogs. So Hannah and I planned a little adventure, which went from biking and bivvying in the Peak, to a training walk (with maybe a bit of running) but sleeping in beds since the weather overnight wasn't meant to be that great.

We choose four points on the map, the plan being to navigate between them and hence practise our navigation as well. Ali dropped us off at Great Hucklow so we were a little closer to the first point. We got very close to the first point, a trip point, but it wasn't assessible without climbing over walls and walking on gliding club land so we had to make do with a wave. Onto our next point and that was easily ticked off before dropping into Hathersage, we had quite a steep down where Cybi wanted me to go faster than I could! I think Hannah was glad she didn't have a dog attached to her at that point.

Our next point was a Fort in the hills outside Hathersage, well being a Fort on the top of a hill. It was brilliant up there though and worth the climb. We then descended to longshaw Estate, planning on grabbing a drink at the cafe, which was shut meaning it was later than we had realised. It also started to rain so we made a quick call to Ali and arranged for her to collect us at Grindleford Station, which was a lovely walk through Padley Gorge to finish the walk.

14.5miles in total.

Mini adventures

Yesterday Ali was off to the football so Cybi and I had a couple of mini adventures. The first one was when we walked to Spar picked up lunch then walked the long way back, stopping by the river to eat lunch.

Then in the evening we walked over to Hassop Station, it was a lovely evening for a walk and we even saw hairy coos. I had pizza and then we walked home, the last part of the walk was in the dark. We were home just before Ali and all three of us were ready for bed.

A morning run

Cybi and I have a race in Wales next week so I need some miles in my legs otherwise it's going to hurt a lot. I also want Saunders to hurt a bit less this year so need to do some hills and get used to wearing a rucksack. Since its now getting busy out here at the weekends I drove us up to Cubar Gap for 730am and we set off along Cubar Edge. It was a lovely morning and we were just jogging along, with lots of stops for photos. We continued along Froggatt Edge and then up to White Edge, here we saw deer. We finished off with Baslow Edge getting back to the car just as people seemed to be arriving, we saw about four people the whole run and had a great time easily doing the distance, maybe next time I'll try and move a bit faster.

Monday Riding

Hannah over again to spend the morning playing in the dark peak, Nick joined us in Hope and we headed up the Roman Road. Lots of climbing, lots of rocks, a new bridleway to me and lots of mincing from me before cake at The Woodbine. Another fab Monday.

Bike Swapping

Chatting to Rachel at Mountain Mayhem she really wanted to have a go on a Kinesis Pro6 as she's thinking of getting a cross bike. We compared calendars and worked out we were both free today. Her and James came here and after failing to get my pedals off we just swapped shoes. The weather wasn't as amazing as it has been and at one point we all had waterproof jackets on. I led a route I knew would be enjoyable on a cross bike over to Hope where we had cake at the Woodbine. Then back over to home finishing off with the rocky descent down which Rachel cleared.

I was riding her Cotic Solaris which was maybe a little too long but definetly enjoyable, but apparently this was a demo bike and the production model is a little shorter. Certainly a nice bike.

Cutgate before work

Yesterday I was starting work at 3pm so Hannah came over and we rode Cutgate. It was very misty and most of the time we were in the clouds but once again it was a fantastic ride. Right on the edge of my technical ability and reminded me I need to ride my mountain bike more.

Finishing off #rapharising and not quite killing Ali

I had 1400m to do to finish the Rapha Rising challenge but I definitely wanted to go mountain biking and I was hoping Ali would join me for some of the ride. We decided to head over to Hope for lunch, well a late lunch as Ali was catching up with the cricket. I took her up to the Gliding club to show her two of the new trails I have ridden this week that I love. Although she wasn't feeling great her smile showed she loved the trails as well.

It was overcast which led to it being noticeably cooler which was nice for a change, although won't help my tan lines!

After lunch, two main courses for Ali, we headed through Castleton and up the broken road, the food had done its job and Ali was flying up the hills! So instead of heading home and me going out again to get my climbing we went right and over to Rushup Edge, I had forgotten how much climbing there was up Rushup, but it was in lovely condition. Down Chapel Gate into Edale and then over to Jaggers Clough, we went on a ride here when we first started going out on old heavy bikes so it was great to return!

All that was left was descend, via an accidental ascent of Win HIll, my first time up there!

An amazing day and nearly 40miles and over 1500m climbed meant a tired Ali and the challenge complete!