A Long Hill!  Possibly a Hill Too Far!

When we assembled at Whaley Bridge Canal Car Park it was as if no-one trusted the weather report as we were all togged up for the drizzle of a chilly morning, not the sunshine of the rest of the day!

A quick recce a couple of days earlier meant we took an interesting way out of Whaley Bridge, along Wharfe Road, through an industrial estate, round the back of a row of houses and suddenly onto the secluded banks of the River Goyt which was to be our companion most of the morning.  Up above the Memorial Park, though John and Irene found they were visiting the actual Memorial, we played around (again) on a quite ferocious “pump-track” which I am informed is the correct nomenclature! On then towards Taxall church, ridiculously picturesque and secluded, and into the stragglers of an organised fell race.  Assured they were quite happy to share the track with us we contoured on above the valley (“as any fule no” a contouring track is mainly flat!) negotiating quite successfully the steep up and down of Mill Clough and then on to the dam of Fernilee Reservoir.

The gentle-ish pull up the Goyt is always enjoyable but in the Spring sunshine was an absolute delight.  After regrouping at Derbyshire Bridge and availing ourselves of the always shut toilet facilities there we amazed a few groups of Duke of Edinburgh Awarders setting off boldly up the old coach road to Buxton and a welcome lunch at Wetherspoons.

The post-prandial start is a killer - up the aptly named Long Hill!  And when you get to the top there is an even stiffer climb to negotiate, up the Roman Road where tarmac gives out to a very rocky ascent followed by a speedy but rough descent “Round the Bend” to the White Hall centre and back onto tarmac for a climb through a nick at Wainstones and a final challenging rough track round Ladder Hill with splendid views of Combs reservoir.  This track has it all, tough rocky ups, bits of bowling along but do mind the puddles - as Roger says, “send an expendable first!” -  and then a rough rocky descent to rejoin the tarmac for our return to Whaley.  Nineteen miles but it felt like a lot more!

Home in time to watch the amazing finish to the T20 World Cup!

Rob Newton

Irene's photos can be viewed on Flickr here:

And Roger's now got his own Flickr account so you can view his photos here:

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