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The Four Inns Walk 2013 By Bob Howe
Hi Folks, I ran/walked the Four Inns Walk on Saturday 6th
April and thought you might be interested in hearing about it.
Costs about £35 each (includes B & B for two nights plus Saturday dinner
and all you can drink and eat on route). Teams start in pairs every two minutes and we set off at 06.30am in the cold dawn light up a steep minor road through the village. Yes we started off at a run, showing off. This was soon reduced to a walk up the climb out of the dwellings where the road became a farm track with occasional frozen snow drifts. It was a glorious morning, very cold with the sun rising behind us as we made our way to the checkpoint at the first of the Inns. The Isle of Skye's been ruined for more years than anyone can remember so no chance of a pint. We were going well at this point with about 50 minutes of jogging and fast walking behind us and the first of several climbs completed. Here after moving generally away from the finish at Buxton we turned south onto the aptly named Blackhill along the Pennine way flagged path. Unfortunately this could have been named White Hill as the path had loads of frozen snow on it. Having said that it was reasonable underfoot and we continued to pick off earlier starters all the way across to Blackhill summit where our route leaves the Pennine way trod and we pushed on over the frozen moor, lots more drifts here too, reaching the second check at Hey Moss after 2hrs 10 minutes. We were still going well but were 10mins behind our pervious year’s time. We were also passed here by a team of young lads flying along. The route remained across the rough frozen moorland in the bright sun to the next check and first feed station at Crowden. Two and a half hours gone and we topped up our bottles, grabbed a drink, biscuit and a sarni, passing a couple more teams who were taking it steadier. We don't usually stop anywhere on route unless we're in trouble - Al's rule, not mine, and our team name FOA comes from an expletive I shouted at him a few years back when my cup of hot soup proved a greater incentive than the thought of leaving shelter to venture into a snow storm at the Cat & Fiddle. Back to 2013 and after Crowden we crossed the Torrside Reservoir dam past the checkpoint and started on the second big climb up onto Bleaklow. The path is initially steep and rough but after a while there's a route choice between the direct route to the summit over lots of peat hags or a slightly longer route following the path before taking straight line to the summit The latter is definitely quicker particularly as the hags were full of snow. At the summit we passed the significant remains of a WW2 bomber which had just failed to clear the heights. Quite a sombre place and feeling. Next was the Doctors Gate check after what seemed like the never ending expanse of moor that is Bleaklow. More refuelling and off again down the Snake Pass road to the second Inn, The Snake Inn. Been going for 4 and a half hours now and starting to feel a bit weary. Now for the biggest climb of the day onto Kinder. Again it starts off on a steep path which then becomes a very steep climb up to a rocky outcrop. It was quite sheltered now with a warm sun on our shoulders. I've never really bonked before but here I ground to a halt. Al came back to me looking a bit concerned. He took my sack and after a Gel and a drink we made the top OK. I felt loads better but I was worried as we'd still about 25 miles to go. Another gel en-route to the steep descent into the check at the third Inn, the Nags Head at Edale, which we reached after being on our feet for 6 and a half hours. Al reckons that Edale is about half the distance and two thirds of the climb. It was lovely now, warm & sunny for the steady climb up the snowy Chapel Gate track and over to joining the road for the drop into the check in the only town on route Chapel en Le Frith. Loads more food and drink for refuelling in the local scout hut before a swift exit through the town and a gentle minor road section through a small village, with folk enjoying a pint outside the village pub, leading up to a very steep minor road climb up to the next check at the Derbyshire CC outdoor centre at Whitehall and a very welcome portion of hot Rice Pudding. We'd been out more than 9 hrs by now and I was not looking forward to the final climb from the reservoirs of the Goyt Valley which we now descended into. Only the valley not the water! The climb is not dramatically steep but seems to go on forever up to the final Inn, the Cat & Fiddle. I guess the Rice Pud worked as I went well up this climb. All down hill from here as someone said, but still over 4 miles to go. Finally into Buxton at a trot to finish at the school in 11hrs 45mins. Lots of helpers at the finish supplying Drinks and biscuits followed by a shower, change into our kit which had been transported from Holmebridge. A great dinner - Jacket tatties, Chilli, Apple Crumble & Custard before a stroll into Buxton centre for a few splendid pints of good ale ensured we didn't need much rocking in our sleeping bags in the school gym. Breakfast was supplied too before the presentations where we discovered to our delight and surprise we were the fastest over 50s time of the day - The Innsman Trophy is ours to defend in 2014, by which time I'll be 67, Alan 71 and Ian, the bairn, a mere 53. A great day out and fantastic event. Surely the running Smellys can raise a team for 2014 to take on a team of mostly pensioners. Anyone up for the challenge?
Bob
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