Crew: Slim, El Pres, PTD, TJ, Troll, Lee, Bern, Coley, Stunt
Route: RB, Clarke Lane, Redway past White Nancy and onto the back of Kerridge with loop back through Waulkmill wood to Ingersley Vale, poachers snicket, reverse Oakenbank, Kiskhill/Jumper Lane, Blaze hill, Kettleshulme Road, Bakenstonedale road, Gritstone Trail, Sponds Hill, Dale Top, Quarries Descent, Birchencliffe, Long Lane, Green Lane/Beeston Mount, Vale
Conditions: Mild, Muddy.
Notes:
Pete plans the route for a Poachers finish, but has to scramble for a reservation at the Vale when the Poachers cancel our booking (staff shortages?), with an earlier finish there is some doubt that we will achieve the plan, but we pop on live location for the Troll to meet us and set off.
Back of Kerridge very slithery, and mud covered tyres on slimy slabs not the most reassuring entry to Waulkmill wood, where Pete warned us of missing spaniel poo to the left hand side!
Gathering the Troll at the corner of the Poachers, the uphill begins with the steady gradient of Oakenbank, before the steep lane up Kiskhill, murky skies all day are clearing with clear views well across the plain to North Wales, and Winter Hill, but no sign of Holme Moss.
At the corner of Jumper lane and Blaze will we decide to go for it on the full route, and head onto tarmac proper to get across to the gritstone. A slight tailwind to help up the track and into the bottom of the clouds, vis is pretty poor but we (mostly) find our way to the trig point, and the right direction back down . We are soon out of the cloud on the uppy/downy bumps towards Dale Top, and from there take the ridge past the new plantation and down the slippy grassy rockiness to Moorside Lane.
No one risks the grassy LHS at Birchencliffe, and the smell of hot brakes at Shigley road. One last little climb to ensure we do Beeston Brow, and regroup at the Vale.
Food quality has improved of late here, and the pies looked a good choice, not sure we had earned puddings, but some cunning cross selling tempted almost half our number to succumb.
Early closing again at the Vale, meant that a final whisky did not count as an Axis of Evil (perhaps it was an Axis of Pudding night!), cold weather anticipated next week.
Amazing full moon with double halo through the cloud to light the way home.