Circumnavigation

My ability to run longer distances has been improving recently, so when a few guys from the club decided to do the Kinder Dozen (12 ups and downs around the Kinder plateau) I though it would be a good chance for me to see how far my legs would take me around the edge - just one up at the start, and one descent at the end. Other than that, a fairly level run so I could get distance in. Plus, there are several points its possible to cut the run short without being logistically difficult.

It turned out that our pre-arranged date was going to be a hot one. Probably the hottest day I've ever run on, and with my longest ever run to date planned the water bladder would be full to busting. An apt choice of words, as filling up the bladder on Saturday night ended up showing a leak. Great. I can't run without a bladder - bottles just don't work for me. The design of the Osprey bladder is such that the bit which holds the water is surrounded by a mesh outer, and a stiff back to stop it from flopping down to the bottom of your bag. Its a great design, and it works well in my Talon 5.5 Osprey sack - but, the design means that there is no way to repair a leak without hacking apart the outer cover. Quick texts and emails to friends and I'm supplied very generously with a replacement. Phew!!

Bags packed, rendezvous points prearranged with various runners sorted and an early(ish) night. 8am sharp, maybe a few minutes before, and we're setting off on our run. I'm with Alison and Becky, plus Elsa the dog. We head up from Edale to the top of Grindslow Knoll.  The three 'Dozen'ers' (Tim, Julien and Alistair) have left us behind and are mere dots in the distance in no time. We'll be seeing them 4 or 5 times as they summit various ascent legs later in the day.

For now we concentrate on getting to the top...up and up we go. I've marked out each kilometre on the map so know we've got two to go until the top. We reach it quicker than I'd anticipated - a great start to the day. Though it does mean maybe a long wait for the 'Dozen'ers' at our first rendezvous, or skipping the first and continuing with our own thing. We had always said that the two groups were doing their own thing, and if we did meet up great, if not then no worries.

Crowden Tower. This photo and most in the blog with thanks to Sikobe.

Within minutes of reaching the southern edge path we're greeted by Sikobe - he'd run over from Snake summit, stashing spare water and cake at Sandy Heys trig for the 'Dozen'ers'. What a star!  Running round the southern edge of Kinder is amazing - there's plenty of rock formations to look at and we make good progress to Crowden Tower.

Alison, me, Becky and Elsa the dog getting lots of attention.

After seeing the lads at their first summit we continue on to Kinderlow trig.

Kinderlow trig.

After the traditional photo shot at the trig point there's an impromptu yoga session....

Sikobe, Becky and Alison (out of shot is a man looking on a little puzzled!)

...and an even quicker ballet lesson (what exactly is a plie again?!)....

No comment.

...there's then a discussion about veering off our plateau route and plunging down at Red Brook, climbing back up to Sandy Heys trig via Mermaids Pool. I'm reluctant in my head but fight that voice and opt to join the others. I am after all trying to push and challenge myself so another up/down for me will be beneficial. It's a steep heather-tussocky descent and Sikobe and Alison showing their skill at descending leave me and Becky...then Becky leaves me behind too....I catch up at the brook for some welcome cooling off.

Red Brook brings some relief from the heat.

All the time we're keeping an eye out for the 'Dozen'ers' - trying to estimate where they might be but no sightings yet.  Down we go, across the River Kinder....quick dip of the feet to cool off....and up to the pool. It's here we spot the others towards the end of their descent....they'll be on us before long so we don't have much time to loiter at the pool. Just enough time for Sikobe, the bravest of us, going in waist deep. Elsa joins him and shakes her coat to give me a refreshing shower.

Dipping my feet in Mermaids Pool to cool off.

The guys are catching us up and it suddenly feels almost like we're in a race. We don't want them eating all the cake at the top of this summit so we push on and upwards. Converging paths, the seven of us summit together and run to the trig. The banana cake is delicious - I eat some, and a bar of some sort, some peanuts for salt and a few apricots, plus a good swig of the stashed water. Too much - I feel too full as we head north to the edge path. Good job we're on a relaxed pace or I'd probably regret such quantities of food in one go.

The 'Dozen'ers' leave us as they plummet down into Ashop Clough and we turn eastwards for the next planned rendezvous, Fairbrook Naze. The distance for both groups is about the same, and as the 'Dozen'ers' would be faster than us on the descent we don't loiter too long to watch them drop down. Somewhere along here I get a text from Matt - he'll meet us at the next meet up. It's starting to really heat up now, noticeable in the sheltered spots. Mercifully there's a good breeze blowing and I'm not overheating. I'm sipping constantly on my fluids - the only way in that heat. Quite soon we get to Fairbrook Naze - reaching it quicker than we thought.

At Fairbrook Naze.

Soon enough the 'Dozen'ers' are with us, having a short rest and some more banana cake, then off and descending once again to the bottom of Seal Flats. Matt appears not long after they've gone, and sets off to catch them up. Sikobe also departs us here, but not before leaving more of the delicious banana cake - thank you to his wife, the cake bake. The next leg for us three+Elsa on the top is about the same distance as the down and uppers so we keep moving. Somewhere along the northern edge my running feels easier...perhaps because I've not had any ascent to push up for a while, but whatever the reason it's great to feel the freedom of just placing one foot in front of the other.

The next meet up with the others comes and goes (Matt departs alone, back to his car which is over the very western side of the plateau); the top group push on to the 590 trig. It's now the turn of Becky and Alison to depart the plateau leaving me alone facing east to Mad Woman's stones. I pause a few moments as they run off, Edale bound. It's so peaceful, hardly anyone around. I still have to pinch myself - this in my back garden!

I'm brought back to reality with the thought that the three lads will soon be catching me up, not that we're on the same schedule, but a little more distance under my feet will be good before they're upon me. I bound my way across to Mad Woman's stones, passing a large group of walkers on the way. I love the feeling of moving faster than walkers, it's exactly why I started running years ago - to go further distances than I could when walking; plus the look on their faces - silently showing their disbelief in seeing someone up there running. It makes me chuffed to bits knowing that I'm pushing myself and achieving something others are astounded at.

Sure enough, I just get to the stones and the lads are at 590 trig. I wait for them to join me - a few short minutes only. Then we all run together to the north edge - them disappearing off down to Upper Ashop Farm. I've told them my decision to run to Crookstone Knoll then head to Edale without waiting for them....I'm alone now, and at the knoll pause for a while admiring the view. I must say, as I sat there I was very, very tempted to run down to Hope Cross and up to the summit of Win Hill. I could just send Tim a message that I'd meet him in Hope, not Edale. I shake that thought and save that route for another day, my favourite hill will wait for me.

View of Win Hill from Crookstone Knoll....it looks so runnable & within reach. This photo and subsequent ones taken on my phone.

Looking back from Crookstone Knoll to the northern edge, Fairbrook Naze just visible.

Looking down the path to the southern edge from Crookstone Knoll, Mam Tor sticking up and the ridge just visible.

I topped up my water bladder from a bottle; that's over 2ltrs drunk already (bladder + stashed water + swigs from rivers). I sip some more - though conscious that I only have 500ml of fluid to get me 7km back to Edale. There's a spring around here somewhere, but I'm not sure of it's exact location (one to find on another run out). I start to imagine how good a cool beer is going to taste as I make my way round to the southern edge and Druids Stone.

I'm not entirely sure which way down I'm going to head at Ringing Roger, there's a couple of options. But, my left knee/ITB was starting to feel the distance so I opt for the nearest path. I would have liked to extend the run right back to Grindslow Knoll, then it would have been an almost true circumnavigation of the plateau (we had only missed the western tip beyond Sandy Heys trig), but that one too is for another day.

Dropping down I take it really easy, the taste of a beer growing stronger, and now battling with which would come first...a beer, or a sit in the river. I reach the big zig-zag and take a direct line straight down the tussocky heather. As I plummet over the edge there's a group of three ladies walking up the path...one of them, rather loudly, says "Where Is That Woman over there Going?! The path's This Way"...I laugh to myself....and silently reply "why, I'm taking the Best line down". Her comment keeps me smiling all the way down, I laugh out loud a couple of times too.

Onto the path and I'm striding confidently past walkers on the lower reaches of the hill, knee still twingy but not enough to reduce me to walking. The river wins in the beer-river battle. I'd never walk back up from the bottom of the village, and I need my legs to recovery with a decent cool down. I have a good 10 minutes sitting in the water (why do walkers stand and stare at a lady sitting in a river? do they not understand?)...not to worry, now I'm cooled it's time for that beer. The Rambler is my choice - favouring the grass lawn in the sunshine, and view of Ringing Roger. I eat and drink and glance lazily up the hill. Memories of what I've just accomplished are sinking in nicely. 24km. I ran all that way. It was almost the distance I set myself at the start of the year so with the warm up jog from the car park to the start, I've reached my target <big grin>.

The water went down before the beer, honest!

View from the pub, Ringing Roger just out of shot to the left. Lads are traversing in this shot, but tiny specks!

After an hour or so the lads are spotted - traversing where I thought they shouldn't be. Tim explains all in his blog....click here to read his account of the Kinder Dozen. A while later they've done their final up and down, had their recovery sit down in the river, and joined me for a pint of ....was it cider they had?

Alistair, Brae the dog, Tim and Julien - just arrived.

We're all tired and really pleased with our day's running. I've run my longest distance ever - 24km. The time really doesn't count on this one as a) there was no rush, and b) there was loads of stopping, waiting, gazing and general 'stuff' happening, and c) I was smiling - a happy runner is a satisfied runner. Thanks to Becky, Alison, Elsa, Sikobe, Matt, Tim, Alistair, Julien, Brae and all the walkers who chatted or said 'hello' - I had a fabulous day. 

For all you interested in stats and seeing the route here's my garmin track.