03/11/2019

A short walk from Edale.

This week i was lucky enough to get a rare Sunday night off work which is great, as it means that i can get out to do a decent walk. I let Karen choose todays walk "why not a quick jaunt up to Ringing Roger with a return over Grindslow knoll ?"..Good choice i thought..we pulled into the car park at Edale which was already half full. Not raining today but the last month or so has been a complete wash out. My boots were soaked through after yesterdays walk with the Ramblers around the Yorkshire sculpture park, luckily I had a spare pair in the car.A bit chilly as we set off as I am still wearing my shorts..i have been wearing them since March the 29th this year [obviously not the same pair]. I think it is almost time to get the trousers out. We passed the Rambler pub followed by the Nags head, maybe we could pop into one of them for a pint on our return...Before long we were free of the village and heading for the hills.

Todays walk was to be no longer than 6 mile, 6 wonderful miles over some of the best terrain in the Peak district. Its a steep path that zig zags up out of the valley, but after half an hour or so we had made it up to the fine crest of rocks along the little ridge of Ringing Roger...I don't know who Roger was or why anyone would want to ring him..I have an idea that the ringing bit comes from the noise the wind makes as it blows through those rocks and maybe the Roger bit comes from the French word for rocks "Rocher"...one thing I do know is that it always seems to be quite windy up there..i remember a few years ago we stumbled across a German choir up there belting out songs amongst the rocks...I remember it well...I remember it as one of the best things I have ever heard in my life...no singing todays just the rasping of my lungs as I left the path to enjoy a scramble over the rocks...Superb place

From here its just a short easy walk up to the path on the plateau of Kinder scout..Having walked many of our countrys mountains and hills, I consider Kinder to be up there with the best of them, It has dozens of routes up to the plateau .No one ever got bored of dear old Kinder, Ok it has its busy spots but there are also places to walk that gets away from it all especially along its northern edge.

We followed along the edge...Dawdling, taking photographs,  exploring the windswept rocky tors..just taking it all in..too good to hurry. It was great...I was surprised how dry it was up there after all of the rain we have had of late..We crossed Grindsbrook and changed direction heading for Grindslow knoll.The 1972ft summit seems to have turned its back on Kinder scout, its an independent peak, all alone, like its been left out of the party...Not much to.be seen up there today as the mists dropped down.

We found a rock to shelter behind, sat down for a drink and to eat the leftovers of last nights pizza along with a vegan sausage roll..Time to head back down..Mist fizzled out and we were treated to some nice views again over the Vale of Edale.

So that's 2 more tops ticked off my Peak 170 challenge..28 now done...Back in Edale we decided to visit the Ramblers inn for a pint..Farmers blonde for me while Karen chose the Ramblers Gold..Might as well have a bite to eat while we are here too..Nice way to end a walk.