2016-2020 / 2020 / Wild Camps

Seal Stones – January 2020

2019 proved to be a tricky year, redundancy and starting a new job, twice, isn’t for the faint hearted nor does it inspire adventure. So 2020 is going to be a year to correct the balance, adventure is at the top of the list. So to kick things off for 2020, Dan, Dave and I met up at the Nags Head in Edale on Saturday 4th January. We set off from the pub slightly later than we would have liked, and not for the usual reasons, I’m on a dry January so for once I’m not to blame. No, it …

2016-2020 / 2019 / Wild Camps

Swines Back – August 2019

Yet again I’ve neglected to write this up for 6 months, thankfully there isn’t much to say other than, it was a pleasant wonder up to Swines Back from The Sportsman Inn. 31 August 2019 I met Dan, Bryn (numba1) and Audrey at The Sportsman Inn near Hayfield. After a few beers, arguably too many beers, we headed up onto Kinder for a one nighter in Dan’s huge Locus Gear Soris. As it was getting late (too many beers in the pub) Dan made a dash for Swines Back as Bryn, Audrey and I plodded up the hill soaking in …

TGO Challenge / TGOC2020

TGO Challenge 2020 – Route

So our route has been submitted for vetting, we’ve received our feedback and responded to the requested changes and now we wait for the final approval. The comments we received were, as always, very helpful and extremely detailed. Only a couple of minor tweaks and one FWA (Foul Weather Alternative) to amend. Update: We now have approval, the vetters are happy and rubber stamped our route! Our group consists of Pete (my brother), Dean (DeanRead.net, PeakRoutes.com), Tim and Andy (I met both on 2017 TGO). We’re starting at Mallaig and finishing at Lunan Bay, approx 300km. The first day we …

2016-2020 / 2019 / Wild Camps

Lake District – May 2019

I should have written this ages ago, now it’s just a vague memory, so only a short summary of what I can recall. My brother Pete and I set off on the morning of Friday 24th May 2019 from Derbyshire for a 3 day trip in the Lakes. Arriving at sunny New Dungeon Ghyll Inn around early afternoon we parked up in te field opposite and went in for a pint. We didn’t have a route planned as such, just a rough idea sketched out and a few camp locations penciled in. While we worked on our plan of attack …

2016-2020 / 2019 / Wild Camps

Bleaklow Stones – Jan 2019

Wet, Wild & Windy – The first wild camp of 2019 and hoping for snow. Unfortunately all I got was plenty of rain and a good battering by the wind. My brother and I headed up to the Peak District late morning on a Saturday in January 2019. The plan was to park at The Snake Inn and walk up to Bleaklow Stones where Dean would meet us. Dean was walking in from Ladybower following the river Derwent to its source at Swaines Greave (Bleaklow). Pete and I ran into a few issues which delayed our start. First of all …

2016-2020 / 2018 / Wild Camps

Kinder Scout Solo Trip

Kinder Scout – Solo Winter is by far my favourite time of year for a trip to Kinder Scout or in fact any summit. Midday Sunday I chucked my kit in the boot and set off for Edale. I was meeting a few friends (Tim, Faz and Andy) in The Nags Head for a beer. They’d been for a walk that day and planned to go to the pub before catching the train back to Manchester. Arriving in busy Edale I parked at the Ramblers Inn who charged me £10!! Double what I paid the last time (ok it was …

2016-2020 / 2018 / Wild Camps

Wool Packs

Wool Packs The plan was for me to pick up Dean en route to The Snake Inn where we’d meet Dan. From there we were going to head up to Fairbrook Naze where Russ would join us later that evening after work. However, The Snake Inn was closed for refurbishment! Stood out in the rain Dean, Dan and I replanned. 30mins or so later we’d parked up in Edale and sat in the Nag Head with beers. After a couple we’d managed get through to Russ to let him know we’d changed plans and were now heading up Kinder from …

2016-2020 / 2018 / Wild Camps

4 Day Lakes District Adventure

I’d been planning a trip to the Isle of Skye to do the Skye Trail with a friend of mine Dean Read, however plans changed due to various other commitments, so a shorter trip was arranged in The Lakes. Dean and I drove up on the Saturday morning to meet Peter Dixon (The Lake District Legend) near Elterwater. My friend Trevor made his way up later that evening to meet us at Camp 1. Peter had plans the next day so he walked with us for the afternoon and camped with us for the night before heading off the next …

2016-2020 / 2018 / Wild Camps

Alport Moor

Location: Alport Moor, Dark Peak, Peak District Derbyshire Distance: 10km Date: May 2018 Shelter: MLD Duomid XL   Meeting up with a few friends after work Friday evening at The Snake Inn we had a couple of pints before heading out towards Bleaklow via Oyster Clough. The plan was to head to Bleaklow Stones to catch the sunset, however as we were delayed leaving the pub…we stopped short and found a nice spot on Alport Moor. The 6 of us setup camp just as the sun was setting. A perfect evening, warm, still and midge free! The night was clear …

2016-2020 / 2017 / Wild Camps

Bleaklow Stones

Location: Bleaklow Stones, Dark Peak, Peak District Derbyshire Distance: 34km Date: August  2017 Shelter: MLD Duomid   Having not been out walking since the TGO back in May, it was high time I secured a pass out for an over nighter. A couple of texts later, my friend Dean and I had arranged to meet up in Bamford and head to Bleaklow, that was the extent of our plan. Friday evening I received a message from my mate Dan C and coincidentally he also had plans to head into the Peaks that Saturday. He and Dan H were planning to …

2016-2020 / 2017 / TGO Challenge / TGOC2017

TGO 2017

Plockton to Kinnaber Links (Montrose) Day 0 Thursday 11th May I set off from home around 7am – taxi to Derby Train Station and the 0730 to Birmingham. Pete met me on the train at Burton. Arriving at New Street we hopped onto the airport-bound train, where we bumped into Caburn, also flying to Inverness to start his 2017 TGO. The airline flew Pete and I plus one pack to Inverness… yes, one pack short! After a frustrating visit to the customer services desk and some “computer says no” responses, Flybe agreed to fly Pete’s pack (if found) up to …

TGO Challenge / TGOC2017

Off we go!

So it’s finally time for the off!! Tomorrow morning I’ll be heading to the train station to make my way to Plockton via Inverness thanks to Flybe. Tomorrow will be a day of travel followed by a night in the B&B and hopefully the pub before signing out at 9am on Friday morning to start my 2017 TGOC. I’ll attempt to upload some photos along the way, most likely just to Facebook. Good luck to all the other TGO challengers, see you in the highlands!