16/06/2012 - Three Peaks (and Three Reservoirs)

With a few diary conflicts Martin was unavailable for a Saturday walk so would train solo on Sunday with Polly stuck up in Yorkshire also training solo, it was left to Mark and Lee to train together in what has become one of our favourite training spots over the last few months. 

The training schedule required a 46km - 11 hour walk so a plan was hatched using a route we have done before but adding in a whole new area of territory using the car park at the Knot Inn as a start, mid-point and finish. We would start from Rushton Spencer, head to The Cloud (Peak 1), then to Bosley (Reservoir 1), Croker Hill (Peak 2), back to Rushton, then Gun Hill (Peak 3), Tittesworth Reservoir (Reservoir 2), Rudyard (Reservoir 3) and back to Rushton.

As  this would be unsupported, we packed the car with a coolbox and load of goodies like sandwiches, flapjacks, peanuts, pasta salad, choccy bars, lucozade, extra water along with spare socks, trail shoes and T-shirts.

The weather over the previous few days had been shocking and over an inch of rain had fallen in The Peak District with more forecasted with high winds and blustery conditions. This wasn't going to be a pleasant 46km but would be a chance to test our wet weather gear and Mark's new BAM wicking underwear as at the end of the day - we can't pick the weather on Trailwalker.

Listen mate - we've trained with the Gurkhas....

We hit the trail at 9:10am and headed for The Cloud. As we came off the old Railway and into the fields we were quickly greeted by the boggy conditions caused by the recent rainfall and made worse by the Fresian inhabitants of the field. A little further on we found a sign lying face down in the mud across the footpath. A quick lift proclaimed the footpath closed by National Grid due to overhead line works. Deciding we could argue we missed it, we decided to carry on relying on the rubber insulation of our walking pole handles and boot soles should we get struck by a live overhead wire. Crossing under the pylons, there was no sign of any hi-vis jacketed workers so we pressed on up towards The Cloud.

As suspected, today there was little activity at the top of The Cloud and in a business like fashion we touched the trig point as we passed and headed down the face of the hill towards Bosley. As we came to the low point we were confronted by yet another 'Footpath Closed' sign and it seemed out friends at National Grid were determined to ruin our plan. A quick glance at the map gave us an alternative route along the road but we asked ourselves what the Gurkhas would do? Donning camouflage paint, we decided to go for it and decided the worst that could happen would be getting turned back. This time we could see the National Grid workers high up on one of the pylons and decided we would be through before they could get down to stop us and it was on to Bosley reservoir unhindered.

Bosley Dam - Done

It was business as usual at Bosley, the reservoir level was up given the recent rainfall, the funny looking black sheep were minding their own business and a few fisherman were sat in their shelters. As we climbed from Bosley we stopped for our first break at a point we've used before. A quick sandwich, lucozade, peanuts, choccy bar and flap jack were downed. Mark's feet were feeling a little damp and a quick check of each confirmed them on the moist side of damp so the gaiters were adjusted and we were on our way after about 12minutes.



The climb to the top of Croker Hill wasn't too eventful other than the effects of the recent wet and warm weather had encouraged massive grass and nettle growth to the point where the path had been lost in places requiring us to hold our walking poles aloft like soldiers wading through a swamp with their rifles. Touching the gates to the BT compound at the top we headed on down and then along the Golden Hill ridge noting the surrounding peaks shrouded in mist and the obvious signs of bad weather. Here the wind picked up to the point of making conversation inaudible and as we descended we met two gents heading up - wearing a soaked T-Shirt and cotton shirt and overheard one say to the other "Looks like we've got some weather heading our way". We weren't sure what weather forecast they'd looked at that morning but clearly they weren't dressed for the conditions but sure enough, the weather was shortly on us as we pulled up our hoods as the rain came in sideways. It was at this point something from the Brixham Badgers Trailwalker presentation came to mind - "Waterproof is a relative term". Mulling this over as the rain ran down our outside and sweat ran down our inside we thought how true this is as it became clear something wasn't right in Mark's boots as damp was turning to wet and this would need to be addressed as we reached our second checkpoint at the car park back in Rushton Spencer.

While we had planned a 10-15minute stop it was quickly apparent Mark would need more than a change of socks. As the socks came off, so did his zinc oxide tape as the moisture had completely de-bonded it from the skin and the skin had now softened. To make matters worse, the special orthotic insoles were also wet. A quick decision was made to hurriedly re-tape, change socks and boots. Coupling this with re-fueling, and re-stocking the backpack for the next checkpoint, the stop became an uncomfortable 35minutes sat on the back bumper as the rain re-started.

With Mark still guzzling Lucozade and downing a Mars bar we set off for Gun Hill which was to be a long ascent to the summit but at least now with dry feet. We mulled over how the stop would have been improved. Of course we'd have our support team, they would have the food ready and would re-stock the backpack with water etc. but having to re-tape wasn't something we were hoping to have to do.

The Cloud (left) and Croker Hill (right) from Gun Hill

The walk over the summit of Gun Hill was a case of dodging the big muddy puddles and our preferred route weaved left and right to the trig point and with some satisfaction we touched the trig knowing this was our third 'big' hill of the day and started our long slow descent to Tittesworth Reservoir. Tittesworth dams the River Churnet and supplies 10 million gallons of water a day to Severn Trent Water. It also has a large car park, visitor centre and big childrens play area making it quite a popular spot, though not so it seemed today. 

Lee with his new mate Bob

As we descended towards Leek, we lost sight of the reservoir altogether but once we dog-legged back over a hill it came back into view. It was at this point we realised we'd probably been walking for too long as first an effigy of Dame Edna Everage and then Bob Marley were found lying at the gates of a farm. As we worked our way around the reservoir and into Meerbrook, more effigies were apparent adorning each house. Concerned that we might end up as effigies ourselves we pressed on to our third checkpoint - a nicely sheltered (and empty) barbecue area at the side of reservoir. 

So thats where all the water goes...

Something had been bothering Mark in his right boot over the last kilometre or so, so the chance was taken to inspect and as suspected, the hastily placed zinc oxide tape had rucked up on the softened skin and once again the socks were wet through. A quick minor re-taping job and the wet socks were put back on as there were no spares in the backpack. At 33km, with an anticipated 13km still to go (it was actually 15km), blisters were a concern now. Lee was also feeling the effect of the distance and terrain with pain in the knee joint. 

 As Mark put the medical kit away, a strip of ibuprofen fell out and a second thing from the Brixham Badgers presentation came to mind - "Drugs" - so we duly obliged and within minutes of setting off round the lake both commented on how much better we were feeling and happily threw a stick several times for a demanding Border Collie who seemed to have befriended us on our journey round the lake.

Tittesworth Dam

Crossing the dam at the far end of the reservoir we were soon ascending once again and ticked off our second reservoir heading for the last one on our list - Rudyard. As we climbed over our final summit, we knew it was all downhill and then there would be a long flat to the finish. Skirting the edge of Leek we dropped down to the old railway line. At this point, Mark proclaimed us to be a little over 6km from the car with the clock stood at 9hrs and 24minutes we agreed if we hit Gurkha "Tab" pace we could make it for 10hrs 30minutes. So off we set as the rain once again had other ideas, marching rapidly, walking poles pumping along the former railway line.

Boathouses on Rudyard Lake

Rudyard Lake was built to serve the expanding canal system in the early 1800's. When a railway was built linking Uttoxeter and Manchester, it became a haven for Victorian day-trippers. Among these were a courting couple who married and named their son after the lake - Rudyard Kipling. As we marched along as the rain fell, Mark mulled over the words to "If" - and the line "If you can fill the unforgiving minute with sixty seconds distance run" he wondered whether Rudyard was looking down on us now trying to work out whether we would fill sixty minutes with distance Tab. 

The old Railway Line seems to go on forever

What was clear is that the two and a half mile long lake seemed to go on forever and the railway line just seemed to keep going into the distance. The pace was taking its toll, Mark's feet were wet and sore, Lee's knee was hurting but we refused to ease off the pace. 10 hours 30minutes was the target and we counted down the kilometres and then the metres to the car park arriving there at 10hrs and 30minutes with the odometer showing 48km actually walked - further than we'd been before and despite the problematic pit-stops well on target for a 24hr Trailwalker pace. The Garmin download also showed we'd broken the 1000m climb level which was equally pleasing.

Resisting the temptation to stop for a pint in the Knot Inn, we stretched off, packed up and headed for Mark's house where wife and support team member Kate was rustling up some protein in the form of fillet steak as a reward for the days endeavours.

It was pleasing to report that despite wearing waterproofs for the full duration of this walk and getting wet feet, there were no blisters and the wicking underwear did exactly what it said on the tin.

This was our penultimate big training walk. This Sunday we plan to walk the entire length of the Sandstone Trail starting in Whitchurch and ending Frodsham - 55km with 1250m of climbs. This will be our first training walk with our support team and we've broken it into 5 stages to try and stay consistent with Trailwalker and give the support crew practice. We hope to complete it under 13 hours.