Hope Valley and the Great Ridge

I finally made it out for a proper fell run, the first proper run for six months.  My return to running after a three month lay off was inauspicious, the pain behind my left knee returned almost immediately.  However, as the rest of my knee had had a good rest, I found that I could feel the pain from the worrying injury in a more critical way.  After a little experimenting, I found that it was the last few degrees of movement of my leg as I propelled myself forward that caused the pain.  I found that running with a shortened stride, i.e. 'recovering' my trailing leg before it has fully straightened, seems to stop the pain getting too bad.  Of course, this has had a rather detrimental effect on speed.

How did three months turn into six?  Well, I was tapering just before the lay off anyway,  I also sprained my ankle soon after starting back, then went over on it again a few weeks later.  Although running again fairly soon, I did not feel confident enough to test the ankle in a remote location in winter.

I planned my run to be scenic and challenging, but to be in a popular area and not too far from roads just in case.  I had some inkling that there were uncharted paths along the top of Winnats Pass western edge.  I recently found a description so decided to piece this into a route taking in Mam Tor Great Ridge.  I added a few zigs and zags to get the distance up to around 15 miles, and threw in Winhill to get the ascent up to around category A.

Winnats Pass

I started out from Mam Tor car park, it wasn't too difficult to find the route to the uncharted path along the top of the pass's craggy southern skyline.  When I arrived visibility was so poor that I could barely see the road below.  Fortunately the mist lifted in less than a couple of minutes.

Peveril Castle - looking just a stones throw away, but actually the other side of Cave Dale.

Picking up the right of way at the other end was a little harder, but no great challenge.   I soon left that RoW to follow a permissive path to the edge of Cave Dale and get a great view of Peveril Castle before descending into Castleton.

The Hope cement works from Dirtlow Rake, not pretty, but interesting in its own way.

I had decided to run up Cave Dale then back down Dirtlow Rake.  This part of my route was illogical in terms of progress, but added some interesting views, distance and ascent.  I then picked up the minor road to Hope, crossed the main road then crossed the river and railway to start the ascent of Winhill via Twitchill Farm.  This is a steep ascent not to be underestimated in terms of effort, though never technical.

Stricken tree - on the ascent of Winhill.

Striking tree - on the ascent of Winhill.

Summit of Winhill - Ladybower Reservoir far below.

I ran west then north west along Hope Brink, finally turning  a sharp south east to follow the path back down the Brink to Twitchill Farm then down into Hope to start up Lose Hill and the beginning of the ridge.

Lose Hill from Hope

The ascent of Lose Hill was very hard work.  Mud had been a problem all day, on Lose Hill it doubled the effort required, sliding back to the start point of any particular stride was not unusual.  A few fingertip touch downs were required to stay upright.

The summit of Lose Hill and a nice couple I met while there.  The ridge can be seen snaking into the distance at the left of the picture

I met a nice couple on the top of Lose Hill who offered to take a photograph of me, I explained that I didn't want to risk damage to my camera.  I took a photograph of them with their phone before setting off along the ridge.

Vale of Edale from the ridge.  The path very close to the edge on this section, descending to Hollins Cross.

Mam Tor from the ridge.  The light was against me by now, I grabbed a chance to take this shot when the sun went behind a heavy cloud.

Running up to the summit plateau I approached another runner coming down.  Suddenly a dog came out of the sun passing the runner then me and going like a bat out of hell.  It was a medium sized dog and unlike most fell running dogs it was quite a burly breed.  Whatever it was it seemed superbly adapted to descents, I'll swear it sported a smug grin or maybe that was just the effect of acceleration.  It was a real treat to see a creature having so much fun, the memory of it is enough to make me smile.

Mam Tor summit - enduringly popular at only 100 meters above and little more than 500 meters away from the car park.

All together my route was just shy of sixteen miles and six feet short of category A (I ran from the car park down to the road and back again to make it up, honest).  In a sensible form (best line from Castleton to Winhill and Winhill to Lose Hill) the route would be around twelve miles.

Under lilac skies.

Well the condition affecting my left leg appears to be chronic, whatever it is.  I am hoping that careful planning will allow me to do enough training miles to do some ultras/marathons this year.  The long rest has done some good, I can feel the injury in a more critical way.  This might allow the possibility of redesigning my training and of modifying my gait to minimise  aggravation of the injury.  Even moderately quick road work causes a flair up.  This will mean abandoning my lunch break sessions, a shame as they were very convenient.

Popular events get more popular all the time, entry lists get full earlier and earlier.  It is going to be difficult to plan ahead with my present lack of confidence in my fitness.  I will go for Beachy Head Marathon, I just love that event.  The time limit is generous, if worst comes to worst I will rest rather than train for it and then walk round with the occasional trot.  I would also love to do the Isle of Man Mountain Ultra again, though I don't exactly have much time on my hands in that one.

I went down to Barlaston Downs for a gentle walk with friend Geoff Berrow, Geoff is a bit knackered from chemotherapy at the moment so just a gentle stroll. This allowed me a pleasant recce of the area with plenty of opportunity for photographs.  It was a bright day and evening crept lilac into the sky, my photographs do not do the light justice, I hope Geoff will share his later.


Long shadows as evening creeps over Barlaston Downs.

I enjoyed the Downs greatly, careful route planning would allow good runs of around 4 - 5 miles, laps would be needed for more.  I doubt if I will make the journey often, a twenty mile round trip in order to run five miles would make me feel rather guilty and indulgent.

Lilac skies as the sun goes down, Barlaston Downs.

Nearer home everything is getting rather muddy, a momentary lapse of attention caused me to slip and hurt my right ankle again.  I am back in action, though I think I have put recovery from the previous ankle sprain back a good bit.

The woods look fantastic with their bare branches everywhere.  I cannot capture the impression the scenery makes on me.  The complexity of it all just seems overwhelming in photographs, the eye and brain seem to 'zone' things when actually there.

Perch Pool, Watermills Wood, full to overflowing at the moment.

Watermills Wood, another lilac sky

I was looking forward to my first proper fell run in six months last weekend.  What with the knee still playing up and re injuring my ankle, I decided to give it another week.  Trotting round my local ten mile route went well enough, I think I'm up for a leisurely fifteen in the Peak next Sunday.  I will just have to see what the weather brings.