Gareth Llewellyn [who had taken over coordination of the Meet] waited until 8.05am incase any ‘doublers’ appeared for breakfast or other takers for this annual Meet pitched up, but there were none.
So, showing true Rucksack Club spirit he set off alone in heavy rain. Over Black Hill on an iced-up Pennine Way slabbed path was tricky [though helped navigation!], followed by careful micronavigaton across Crowden Meadows and on to Crowden where a support team met him. The usual ways onto Bleaklow via Lawrence Edge were steep grass filled waterfalls so he was very wet once on the plateau! The streams down Hern Clough were torrents ensuring all below the knee remained wet! Another respite awaited at Snake Inn and as he set off for the short crossing, the conditions finally improved [although the crossing of Fair Brook was a challenge…in spat it was knee deep and very fast flowing]. Relative calm greeted him as he descended Ringing Roger to Edale. A contender for the best ‘worst M-E’?!
I met him as he arrived outside the Ramblers and he looked as if he had returned from a gentle stroll! Great effort Gareth and all in just over 8hrs…I’d wandered around Kinder for 7hrs, giving up trying to meet Gareth at Bleaklow Head as, for me, the going was so slow!
Andy Tomlinson
A magnificent effort, Gareth, well done!
Yes. Magnificent indeed. Extreme social distancing. But where have the other masochists gone? In view of the forecast has commonsense broken out?