I decided to run this route on Saturday more because it was a convenient length and had good view potential rather than as a recce for the Long Tour. All the same, it did give me the chance to re familiarise myself with some sections where navigation is tricky. I started north from Bradwell village and then via the footbridge at Hope Station took the footpath to join the route proper at Aston. A mist hung over the fields below me as I continued north towards the woods on the western side of the Ladybower dam. Last time I was here I could see the gritstone edges to the east. There were no distant views today, but I enjoyed the subtle fade to grey of the views to my right where the mist was lighter. On my left swirls moved in the corner of my eye, sometimes falling back sometimes moving ahead. It was as if I had companions, spectres jostling for position on the narrow path.
I was soon at the highest point of this climb and so started the descent, gentle through the remains of bracken, then steeper in the woods on to what would be the midway point at just over 16 miles (CP8) in the race. A hard turn south east and a short steep path took me down to the broad track alongside the reservoir past the overflow to the dam. There was a lot less water going down the overflow than when I was here three weeks ago.
A lot less water going down the plug'ole than last time I was here.
The 'Tour' then follows the made track alongside Carr Lane, the track crosses the lane after about 1500 metres. Shortly after this the route leaves the track to follow a delightful path across green fields on the Derwent flood plain, to Bamford.
The Derwent crossing at Bamford really is something special, a collection of rude bridges linking piers, planks connecting widely spaced blocks and simple stepping stones. The weirs and mill complete the scene with an attractive dynamic backdrop. This all seems rather apt as it is thought that the name 'Bamford' comes from the Anglo-Saxon Bēamford meaning "tree-trunk ford".
Thornhill side of the crazy Derwent crossing at Bamford.
Bamford side of the crazy crossing.
I made my way through the village to the bottom of Bamford Clough. Here a bit of a problem presented itself. Bamford Clough was fenced off and closure notices were displayed prominently. Apparently it had been closed since October and was to remain closed until April due to "exposed cables". As no other alternative existed I decided to take the Leeside Road ; -).
I made my way up the steep lane, the concrete that has been dumped here and there was as slippery as ice. The mist was waiting for me again as I emerged onto New Road, trees looked spooky cloaked in grey, there was still no sign of Stanage Edge.
A mad tree on Bole Hill, Stanage.
I followed the Long Causeway where it leaves the road and turns into track, past the car park, past woods and past climbers making their way up to the rocks. At last, where the Causeway starts to swing east, I saw the edge looming above. It was not long before I had made my way through the obvious break and turned off the track to follow the skyline path south east.
First sight of Stanage Edge, from Stanage causeway.
As the skyline mostly follows a contour line, I had looked forward to a bit of a rest when I ran this section in the Long Tour. Rest it was not, the almost continuous trip hazards mean picking your feet up high and looking down to study the path immediately ahead. Today, as I had arrived here much fresher, it was considerably easier to negotiate the rocky path.
At times, as I headed towards the southern trig point, the mist lifted a little and I could just make out Hope cement works shining a silvery white out there in the grey.
Stanage southern trig point, the mist is starting to clear.
In the kilometre from the trig point to Upper Burbage Bridge visibility improved considerably, this was welcome and earlier than forecast. At the bridge, a little over ten miles or about halfway into today's route, I rearranged my ruck sac taking out a bun and some flapjack, finished a bottle of cola and put a full one in the side pocket. I went through the stile and down to ford the streams, at the second arch I saw a nice black Labrador having a bath after a fell run. The path beneath Burbage Rocks is well made and is downhill all the way to the Lower Bridge. I passed many climbers with huge bouldering mats coming up the path.
Upper Burbage Bridge.
I crossed the road where the path ends near the Lower Bridge, I found a stile and short path leading along the road to the bridge and brook path. This saved negotiating the dangerous bit of road by the bridge, I had not noticed this short path when running the Long Tour.
The path alongside Burbage Brook is really rather nice, it also very accessible so can be popular. The route leaves the main path after a while and takes minor paths over Bole Hill* (the second and one of three Bole Hills within a few square miles) and through Bolehill Woods to Upper Padley. Navigation is a bit tricky here, I had done OK in the event back in 2012, but knew that there was a more direct line. Today I was determined to find it.
Burbage Brook meanders near Lawrence Field.
Near Lawrence Field (the field north east of the quarry that climbers know as 'Lawrencefield') I moved right off the main path and took a minor path that looked like it would skirt the edge of the woods, an efficient line. The path seemed to come to an end in a tiny quarry. The quarry was a gem of a place, full of millstones. Now it is not uncommon to see the odd millstone in a quarry in Derbyshire or Staffordshire, it is unusual to see tens of perfectly formed and finished stones together. Some were even stacked as if waiting to be picked for an order that never came.
I found a way up through the quarry, it looked like others had used the same route up which was heartening, and sure enough the path continued on the higher ground.
Abandoned stones in a tiny quarry.
My choice of path turned out to be fortuitous for a reason other than the discovery of the gem of a quarry. Not far down the path, there in the dead bracken was some paper crisp edged and well defined, not your average piece of a litter but a pristine twenty quid note! It was a little damp, but otherwise OK, I put it into my ruck sac pocket for safe keeping.
You don't see many of these in the wild!
I carried on down my chosen path, a larger path crossed after a while, which suggested I was on target and sure enough the gate through a wall into Bolehill Wood (CP14 in the event) appeared shortly. I had forgotten how steep the descent through the wood and past the main quarry was. Though it took me by surprise I handled it without incident. There were a couple of moments of 'doubtful control' but on the whole I was pleased with how much better I am handling descents these days.
Crossing the bridge over the railway takes one past signals with the semaphore arm and lamps at eye level. This unusual view fascinated me and I had to have a photo or two. The improving light allowed a reasonable depth of focus on the tracks and signal box in the back drop.
Nice old railway signal from the bridge at Upper Padley, looking in the direction of Grindleford Station.
I had fond memories of the path along the Derwent to Leadmill Bridge, it was green, easy going and peaceful, even twenty five miles into an event it seemed restful. Today I had run considerably less than that so this section seemed shorter than I had remembered.
Leadmill Bridge.
I turned onto the road and over the bridge, second right up the lane to Hazelford Hall to follow the tracks and paths along Highlow Brook (past the third Bole Hill) before taking Abney Clough, at Stoke Ford, for Abney. I made sure I could locate the check point for myself at Stoke Ford, I happened to be temporarily running with someone who knew the location in 2012. It all seemed a bit easier when I was not feeling the mental numbness from the exhaustion of my first ultra.
However, despite my sharper mental state I managed to make a corker of a navigational error in the last few miles. I navigated onto the lane out of Abney and onto the byway. For some reason I then forgot to navigate further. I must have run about a kilometre down the byway and past the path that turned down Bradwell Edge before I noticed what I had done. I had to own up to that mistake as anyone who knows the route will know that I could not otherwise have taken the photo below.
Looking north from Brough Lane.
The descent down the Edge to Bradwell is steep, here one becomes very aware of how much of a battering one's toes have already suffered. I completed the descent then managed a good pace through the village. There is over a kilometre of tarmac before the finish, this is easily forgotten when descending the edge.
I was pleased with my run, I had managed a much better pace than in recent runs, it was my first 50+ mile week since last July and also heralded the start of proper back to back ultra training again. I sat in Bradwell Coop car park with a sandwich and litre of strawberry milk for recovery. I looked up at Bradwell Edge and do you know, from that angle, it was very hard to believe that it was even possible to run down it. I gave myself a little nod of respect.
I felt fine on Sunday's back to back, I enjoyed my local route as much as I always do. The particularly fine weather had me out smiling in shorts and short sleeves. The mood was somewhat spoiled when I saw a planning notice for an open cast mine tied to a stile on Bignall Hill! This will affect a number of the paths that I use and I can't see it improving the view, bugger.
* Update - A little research has informed me that a Bole hill or Bail hill was a place where lead was smelted in the open air. The name is a description rather than place name (though it may later become incorporated into or become a place name).
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