Never be afraid to change your plans Pt.1.

Den and I started off on plan, arriving at Hathersage by mid morning.  We wove our way up the lane to Sheepwash Bank beneath Stanage Edge.  The plan was roughly as follows:


1) Get up onto Stanage Edge, walk along it.  


2) Down to the A57, cross it.


3) Up to Derwent Edge, walk along it.


4) Find somewhere to camp up high.


5) Wake up, go down to Ladybower.


6) Over to Hagg Farm (why anyone would want to farm them, I've no idea), then up onto Win Hill to camp 


7) Return to car via the lanes, and paths.


7 easy stages in the wonderful English hills.  The reality had us telling a somewhat different story....


We huffed and puffed, straight out of the car yomping through the bracken, and sloppy sheep trails up to Stanage Edge buffeted all the while by the Westerlies.  Quickly we noticed we both had a permanent list to the Port Bow.

Looking over Dennis Knoll to the Pennines beyond

The going was good underfoot and the views tremendous, we had got lucky.  The sun was shining, and the air was dry.  The hoolie that was blowing, though, made my smooth blue line into a rather wiggly one.  Den and I bounced off the invisible wall of wind, into gritty puddles, and off into the heather.  We could barely even hear the kwok-kwok-kwokking of the grouse over the sound of the rushing air.  Ok, so I might be being a tad over zealous, but I have to - I'm building up to a route change!

Den on Stanage

No really, it is!

We got to the northern end of Stanage Edge, an 'Edge' I've wanted to walk for years and never have and hoofed our way quickly down the be-littered A57 to make our way up to Derwent Edge which we hoped we might get most of the way along before pitching for the night.  The lower altitude, and position away from the edges had made little difference to the effect of the 'breeze' and we paused for a breather, and a bit to eat in the shelter of a stone wall somewhere by Moscar House.  We were both thinking the same thing....  ....we'll camp low tonight.  But where?  


Our thoughts bounced around for a bit and we eventually decided to knock the edges on the head and stay low for the rest of the day. 

Heading up the track by Moscar House, shortly before the decision at 'The Wall'

We pointed out noses more or less South and picked up a footpath that would take us past (but not into) the Ladybower Inn.  We'd find a spot on the western shore of Ladybower, which we generally agreed would be sheltered from most of the blusteriness.
A relatively short section of road walking across the Ashopton Viaduct saw us onto the shore(ish) path of Ladybower itself.  


Plan B was to walk the entire western shore, north of the viaduct scouting for suitable and discreet spots to pitch.  It was still relatively early, with a few hours of daylight left so we knew we would have to linger for a while before getting the tents up.  After earmarking a few ok spots, and one cracker, we pootled up to the picnic area at the northernmost tip of the reservoir.  


Cups of tea were purchased and consumed, I had a large and Den a regular - for I am large, and he is regular.  After discounting the picnic area itself as a spot to settle for the night (on account of the CCTV cameras and millions of people and rangers office, etc. etc.) we retreated to the cracker spot we had seen on the way up.  Still in daylight and frozen stiff on account of the wind chill, we loitered without tent for what seemed like a yonk or maybe more.  You see, we needed the light to fade enough to conceal our camp making activities.  The whisky found its way out of its bottle by about 4pm and strangely we found the courage to say 'sod it', and pitched the tents anyway.  We had a few excuses at the ready, just in case an officious type tried to move us on, but thankfully they weren't required.  

Den's trusty Vaude from my trusty Tarptent

By 7pm we were both asleep and although our spot was sheltered, we came in for a bit of a gusty battering nonetheless.  Many very strong punches of what seemed like gale force winds hit us that night, but in spite of these attacks, we snatched a good few stretches of slimber between us.  I suspect the Whisky and the rather large helping of Spaghetti Bolognaise helped me on my way.  I spent the waking moments wondering what it might have been like had we stayed on the tops.

This was my rushed attempt at one of those TerryBND shots

I think that'll do for this post - I'm getting tired of it myself so I'll stop for now and do part 2 another day.  Bet you can't wait ;-)