Now I have a few minutes, yesterday's walk can be posted!
Up with the lark at 02:50 as that's when my Friday & Saturday alarm is set.
No work, happily so, after checking the weather forecast I drove up the M1 and thence to Baslow, Derbyshire. Parking in a place I've left the car a couple of times before, I checked the temperature and dressed accordingly!!
Hike commenced at 06:00..
The first mile is up a steep, icy and occasionally tarmaced single track lane towards Baslow Edge.
At the top, I turned right towards the Wellington Monument (rather than Baslow, Curbar & Froggatt Edges that I've hiked a few times already)
Wellington Monument, still pitch dark at this point..
Further down the footpath, i heard a
Harumph and a snort from the darkness..
And there were these magnificent members of the Baslow Herd!! (worth looking up if you've not heard of them before)
They're not atall scary despite the pointy bits on their heads! 🐄
Anyways.. The next planned destination was Nelson's Monument & the Three Ships (again, worth checking out the history if you wish)
The path across the bit moorland before Birchen Edge, luckily, was frozen solid otherwise I'd have had a bootfull several times 💦
I missed the left turning footpath due to the snow but found a much steeper way up the rocks guided by several sets of frozen in footprints.
It was now light enough to not need my torches but I was too early for the sunrise so had the time to head up to the trig point.
A few pics.. The solitude & silence was wonderful to behold...
Back down towards Chatsworth House and a flat couple of miles to the car.
I was intending to get the Brommie out of the boot for a few miles but it was just too icy tyrisk scratching it (and me! 😂)
8½ miles but felt like more as walking through snow & ice tends to be a bit more of an effort.
NB In case anyone is thinking 'what an idiot risking life & limb in that weather', I'd planned several bale-out points if it got atall risky.. I was dressed & fuelled up properly for it.
I'll do a 2nd post with a few more random pics.
