Ian P

Another biggy as a training walk for the Ultra Challenge in support of DementiaUK. This one started on the familiar ground near Deer Hill in the Colne Valley but headed over the top into the Holme Valley. The contrast between the two couldn’t be more marked: where my beloved Colne Valley was bleak and wild, the Holme Valley was lush and verdant (even though the might of Black Hill was brooding over it!). It was 14 miles with more elevation than last week but I felt good throughout. Time was OK, too. Btw Nearly trod on the frog!

Continuing my prep for the North Yorks Ultra Challenge raising money for Dementia UK. The Marsden Cuckoo is a 20 mile trog over the moors above the town. The mini Cuckoo Walk is only 10 and it’s my go-to walk any time of the year. To push up the distance I got dropped off and walked home. It was a perfect day: bright sun, absolutely freezing but al the better for it. The walk starts in Marsden. I usually park alongside the football ground and head off from there. After passing through the dark, satanic mills Bank Bottom Mills (now disused) it climbs the steps to the beginning of the Wessenden Valley. Butterly slipway was in full flow - a far cry from the hosepipe bans of the summer. Travel along the valley, then strike up a series of relatively new steps on the Pennine Way. The walk now follows the Pennine Way to Black Moss reservoir and almost to the A640 miles away. The path was frozen and slippy so the pole was made good use of. Black Moss was frozen at its edges, too. For me, the highlight is always the traverse of Millstone Edge and the magnificent views over Saddleworth. When nearly at the A640, its a long descent on the Rape’s Highway packhorse track all the way to Eastergate Bridge alongside the infant River Colne. A stroll then brings you to Tunnel End where the canal goes beneath the hills you’ve just walked over. For me, now there was a good 4+ miles to get back home, whereas normally it’s about a mile back to the car. The total of 14.6 miles was wearying but not overly so - flat canal walking takes more out of me than the hills!

Followed the Hudds Narrow Canal to Marsden and set a good pace then climbed the opposite side of the valley to the Deer Hill Reservoir catchment. Once on the plateau it’s solid, fast walking. Dropped down via Jerusalem Road but couldn’t take the planned path back up from the road as it was too overgrown. All in all a good workout building up to my 31mile/50km target.