Mam Tor - Edale Loop with East Cheshire Ramblers Nov 2014

Mam Tor - Edale Loop with East Cheshire Ramblers Nov 2014

Now we are back in Overwater Marina, we have gone into our 'winter season' of activities.
One of which for me is to regularly get out walking with the Ramblers.
This walk started from Mam Nick Car Park in Derbyshire and did the southern edge of the Edale skyline before crossing the road and heading to Edale on the lower path. We went on to Barber Booth and then crossing the valley floor, headed back up the slopes to Mam Nick.

11.8 miles and 2700 ft of climb

Setting off from the NT Car Park - Mam Tor looks brooding in the low cloud

We encountered driving sleet on top of Mam Tor - here posing by the Trig Point at 1,696ft

 

Looking at our route eastwards towards Back Tor and Lose Hill

Here climbing Lose Hill and looking west, back to Mam Tor

Coffee break on Lose Hill looking east - the weather has improved!

Anther view east picking out Win Hill - too far today!

 

 

Having crossed the road - heading up the old Roman Road

Crossing the stream at Jagger's Clough

Arriving at Edale Village

We came across a helicopter and workmen in a field just outside Edale. The big white bags contain heather brashings being lifted up onto Kinder at Crowden Tower - this reduces erosion and with the planting of grass it is hoped to stabilise the peat moor

 

Crossing the Manchester - Sheffield railway line

The old dairy at Barber Booth

Whilst climbing the southern valley slopes - looking north at Crowden in the afternoon sun!

A last look north at the edge of Kinder - great views and a great walk!

 

 

Cheviot Original Mountain Marathon Oct 2014 - Day 2 and Finish

Cheviot Original Mountain Marathon Oct 2014 - Day 2 and Finish

Our Sunday course was for 5 hours to get back to the finish.
Happily we were only a little stiff/sore and started at 8.00am in the wind and rain!

You are only given the map with the check points that can be gained for points after starting. We made a bit of an error by charging off without properly lining the map up to magnetic north and got the wrong side of a barbed-wire fence before realising and getting back to find our first control.

We made another navigation choice error but made good time until a further error by me reading the detail on the indistinct map - should have gone to Specsavers! - and missed a couple of check points.
Still, we finished with a bit of a run - with our best result yet over the three years we have done the mountain marathon since I retired.

Looking back to the overnight campsite - it's 7.30am!

Dan walks up the field - windy and raining!

At least we got to the Day 2 Start!

Looking north

Wrapped up against the weather - glasses needed to read the indistinct/poor map

Following a fence line to help navigation -  the answer to a FB query, our jackets are full of our food for the day's efforts and extra hats/gloves. Dan has tucked his map into the straps of the rucksack

Looking down a valley where tree felling has taken place

 

We climb up through a felled area

Only to slither down this steep slope - it is much steeper that it looks!

Looking across at the sheep farm from last night

Dan checks the map - "it must be down from here?"

I'm having a breather!

 

Final run in - pleased to have finished!

Back at the Event Centre - a well deserved rest!

 

Results for Day 2: 200 points  with 13.2 miles and 2680ft climb 

 

Overall Results:  520 points - 55% of the Winners (up from 39% last year!)

 

                             116th out of only 164th finishers

 

                             52nd Vet Team

              

 

 

 

                       

 



 

Cheviot Original Mountain Marathon Oct 2014 - Day 1

Cheviot Original Mountain Marathon Oct 2014

Daniel and I ventured up to the north east on the last weekend of October to have our annual challenge on the Mountain Marathon. As in the last couple of years we entered the Medium Score Event which takes 2 days to complete - 6 hours on the Saturday and 5 hours on Day 2 on Sunday.

This year we had a very early start at 8.09am, so having packed away our overnight camping gear, we kitted up and headed up the valley to the start.

Day 1

At the start - the weather was gentle at this point!

Reaching the hill top of Sneer Hill 1450ft - the wind was strong on the exposed tops

A view looking east across Kidland Forest

Dan wrapped up in the wind!

Another view across the forest

This middle section on Day 1 went through the centre of the forest on tracks - we made good time here

We're heading down there

Out onto the open moor - at 1640 feet and climbing

Here I get ahead as we drop to a check point - see the sun on the hills in the distance!

Inside the tent at the halfway camp - happily getting out of the very strong winds. Here is my kit laid out with our food in the plastic bags.

Time for a brew!

Dan seems cosy in his sleeping bag!

 

A photo of the overnight camp taken from high up the hill - we used a sheep hill farm as a base for the night

 

Results for Day 1: 320 points 14.2 miles and 3450ft climb - 97th out of 170

 

 

Our Summer 2014 Cruise - Summary

Our Summer Cruise 2014

This has been our longest and furthest cruise in nb 'Song of the Waterways' - and reflects our ambition to travel on the waterways since we retired 3 years ago.
There were a number of 'firsts'!

On the southern Oxford Canal - heading north at Aynho Weir Lock

 

It was our first time stopping at the Saltisford Arm Trust in Warwick (to be recommended); our first at the Stratford River Festival (although our 5th time by boat to Stratford itself); our first excursion along the Southern Oxford Canal and the first time we have gone onto the River Thames - cruising the Upper Reaches to Lechlade.

All-in-all, things went well although we did have an alternator problem in the intitial week and needed to change to our spare - after that and some 'tinkering' we were charging OK.
Having said that, there are some 'running repairs' that will be completed during the winter, including an oil change.

For those with an interest in these things, here are the summaries form from my cruising log:

Numbers of Nights out Cruising:      103

430 miles  361 locks  803 lock/lift/swing bridge miles
264 Engine Propulsion Hours
  57 Engine Domestic Battery Charging    

Overall Average Lock/Bridge Miles per Hour - 3.0

We cruised along 9 different Canal systems and 2 Rivers  

Looking her best! - Song of the Waterways at Norbury Junction

Audlem Awaits - Last Days of Summer Cruise 2014

Our Summer Cruise 2014

Day 101 North to Market Drayton - 11.5 miles and 5 locks
Day 102 Adderley Locks to Audlem Lock No.2 - 5 miles and 7 locks
Day 103 Audlem flight and back to our berth at Overwater Marina - 2.5 miles and 13 locks

We continued our relaxed pace that has been the 'hall mark' of this year's summer cruise - taking 3 days to head back north. We reflected on the summer of waterway cruising both agreeing that our stop in Birmingham, the Stratford River Festival and time on the Oxford Canal and the Upper Thames were extremely enjoyable.

For now, the last set of photographs on what has become a familiar stretch of canal.
It felt like coming home?!!

Yet another photo of the famous bridge!

Newly hung embankment safety gates - here at Knighton

Looking back as we enter the Woodseaves Cutting

Looking back up the Tyrley locks with the sandstone edge showing

Always makes me laugh!

I spotted this - we met Ike Argent at Ellesmere Port Boat Festival many years ago!

A very likeable man, born on an boat and passed away on his boat - an inspiration

Chris pausing as we lock down at Audlem

A photo of one of the fierce byweirs on the Audlem Flight - easier going down!

The Captain smiling - it's been a great summer cruise!

 

The last day's boating - looking down the flight towards Audlem

Although it's quite warm, autumn is here

Arriving back at the Marina - bringing the rain!

Pointing out where we got to on the Upper Thames.

Sam and David from the office are so pleased to see us again!