A cycle around Derwent and Ladybower

This poor old blog of mine has been languishing in some dark, dusty corner of a digital cupboard for a few months now and if it were a mirror onto my life, it wouldn't be a very good one.  Hmm that sounded cleverer in my head than it looks in words.

Anyway, roll back to just before Easter when I was in full swing, preparing for the TGO Challenge.  First Christine messed up her knee and was out of the game and I emailed Roger to say I would be doing a solo crossing.  Then a couple of weeks later I developed shin splints in my right leg, ironically after the walk on Snake Pass gathering weekend.  Full of misplaced optimism but in the knowledge I had 10 or 12 weeks to recover, I carried on fine tuning the gear, buying food, booking trains and hotels, only having to unbook them all and make the dreaded call to Roger to say that I was going to have to drop out as well.  Teams of medics, physios and podiatrists (well one or two of each) have each offered advice, pills, orthotic footbeds and stretching regimes, which have resulted in shin splints in both legs and other weird and scary pains popping up everywhere else.

Nevertheless, I found recently that I could cycle without too much discomfort and whilst my distance limit for walking is a pathetic 2 miles at the moment, I can go for miles on the mountain bike, as long as there is a pack of frozen peas and/or a cold beer at the end of the ride.

I've also taken to cycling to the office from home once a week, on a route which passes by Stanage Pole and then down the edge by one of two routes, both of which require some portage of the bike.  It's been a good time of year for this ornithologically and I've seen more Curlew than ever before up on the moors and also a totally unexpected double sighting of a pair of Golden Oriole, who according to the RSBP web site never venture north of East Anglia - because they're too knackered after their flight from Africa.  Anyway, I know what I saw and a large bright yellow bird is pretty unmistakable.  The moors are also teeming (ish) with baby grouse (grouslings, grouslets?) moving furtively through the heather with their mums, not suspecting any of the carnage in store for them in just a few weeks time.

Yesterday's cycle  started at Fairholmes, on the side of Derwent reservoir (cue Dambusters theme tune) and struggled up an over enthusiastically steep track through the trees to come out on a fine ridge, which rolls pleasantly down to Crook Hill before plunging with aplomb back to the A57.  A mercifully brief section of road takes one to the track round the back of Ladybower reservoir, then a bit more road and a bit more track back to Fairholmes.

Rolling pastures above Fairholmes



Derbyshire seems to be overrun with highland cattle these days.  On a ride 2 weeks ago, I came across this chap and his/her mates.  I'm glad these things are docile.

So that's my news.  As soon as A levels are over (my son's, not mine), we plan to head up to Scotland for a few days, assuming I can walk by then or alternatively, we'll maybe go and investigate the condition of some rock in the Lakes.

I'm not feeling emotionally strong enough to read all the TGO reports yet but I'm sure I'll get round to them one day.  And it won't be long before next year's entry forms are out and we can start the planning all over again.  Then again I already have a pre-vetted route!

Introducing the Sporkzilla

Since everyone seems to be doing gear reviews these days and in the absence of anything serious to write about, I thought I'd bring this new bit of gear to the attention of the world or at least that small corner which follows this blog.

Advertised by Outside in Hathersage as the Sporkzilla, it is a monster spork - the red one in the picture is a spork of normal dimensions This truly hyperbolic utensil it is the mother (or should that be Mothra?) of all Sporks - a spork worthy of Crocodile Dundee II (that's the bad one, set in New York). 

Presumably targeted at those with a larger appetite or in a hurry to eat their freeze dried nosh, it weighs in at a hefty 50g (compared to around 10g for a normal spork).  UL backpackers might be inclined to shy away from such a beast but it could easily double up as a poo trowel, tent peg and comb.  It is almost perfect for getting stones out of horses hooves or boy scouts out of girl guides (or other boy scouts).

So rush out and buy one - you know you want to.

Stanage for sale?

My son found this news item on the UKClimbing website

Stanage Edge, the popular climbing, walking and wildlife area on Sheffield's doorstep, could be leased or sold by the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) to a 'like-minded' body.

http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=61783

and I have since found the original posting on the PDNPA webiste here

http://www.peakdistrict.gov.uk/index/news/news-display-page.htm?id=24802

Now this may be something or nothing, like the proposed sell off of the forestry, but it's hard to see how the free and open access to Stanage and the North Lees Estate that we currently enjoy is commensurate with the needs another owner would have to raise revenue for its upkeep (or, of course, make a profit).

The Peak District National Park, along with those in the Lakes, Snowdonia and Dartmoor, is 60 years old this year.  Whilst much of the land within the PDNP isn't owned by the authority, it's troubling to learn that some of the most precious areas, which they presumably bought in the first place to conserve, are now to be sold off or leased to private organisations as a result of government spending cuts.