Near perfect weather (no rain, not too cold, following wind…) on the back of a period of mainly dry weather over Christmas and the New Year delivered excellent walking conditions and fast times.
Other than a bit of mist on Bleaklow Head, visibility was good too.
Excellent support by Granville’s Glorious Soup Kitchen meant the participants were kept full and warm with soup, cakes, teas & coffees etc.
Numbers down a good 30% from normal due to the train strike, but multiple offers of lifts at The Ramblers made sure everyone got back somehow.
Some stats:
Completing the M-E single: Members 8, Associate Members 1, Guests 8.
Completing the M-E double: Members 7, Associate Members 3, (plus 1 member who did the overnight E-M only).
Doing various partial routes: Members 22, Associate Members 2, Guests 3.
So, total on the hills: 55 (Members 38, Associate Members 6, Guests 11).
First to The Ramblers: Associate Member Simon Rippon – 1pm.
First Member to The Ramblers: Jean Llewellyn (that new knee must be working wonders!).
Many thanks to Carole Smithies for counting them out and counting them back in again, to Granville Toyn for excellent soup & cakes at both Longdendale and Upper North Grain, and to all those who stepped up and gave lifts from Edale. Also thanks to Dominic Oughton for the photos.
All in all, a grand day out, as they say!