Today's the day the Edale Skyline got ticked off the 70th Year List, and it wasn't as brutal as I'd feared. Not quite!

I met my friend Rachel, of Peak Walking Adventures, at her house and she drove to Hope where we met today's four clients. The first ascent was sustained, but on a skyline walk you've got to get up there and Win Hill was where the walk proper began.

I've done bits of this walk before, either with friends or on my own and the edge of the Kinder Scout plateau is amazing. Weird gritstone shapes, large areas of exposed peat hag - which is slowly being replanted, masses of cotton grass and the heather just beginning to flower. My usual way of ascending Kinder is up Grindsbrook Clough, and indeed we could see a lot of people doing that. 

Apart from a few water/snack stops we kept up a good pace, although from Rushup Edge onwards, ie the Mam Tor section, I was extremely slow going uphill, much of which is steps :-o As usual I was the oldest by a decade or more, it would be nice not to be. Eventually the last hill, Lose Hill, was done and the descent began, which my knees didn't like at all.

The most amazing thing about this walk is that you have a complete view of where you're going while walking the first half, and the complete and astounding view of where you've already been, while walking the second half!

I arrived home by 7.30pm and had a long soak in the bath which was bliss. I managed to eat something sensible, but only because I'd got it out of the freezer this morning. In bed by 10.30pm.

Extra: me having a rest by Hope Cross

19.3 miles
3,315 ft elevation gain 
8 hours moving time

I've turned comments off (again) because I just can't get round to commenting. Sorry Nicky, if you've got anything to say use WhatsApp x