Tuesday 31 May 2011

Gargrave to Edale, how the day went

Standing on the bridge over the River Aire in Gargrave at 3 am on Saturday morning I wondered why on earth I had got myself into this situation. While there was a personal agenda, a self imposed challenge, I focused on the many people who had given donations and pledged support for the Help for Heroes charity and it was for the sake of all our soldiers injured on active service that I had to complete the run

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It was dark, it was drizzling and there was a fresh breeze that I knew from experience would multiply many times in strength once we were on the higher, more exposed sections of the run.

Ian Charters, very experienced in both running and supporting long distance challenges, was with me on the first leg and we decided that full, heavy weather waterproofs would be the best choice early on. It was a decision that we were to be thankful for later in the run.

Initially I had split the route into four equal length sections, but Ian had opted for a longer first leg so that the changeover of support could be located at a more convenient spot.

While Ian’s wife Pauline drove round to meet us at a pre-arranged rendezvous we picked our way through fields and disturbed the cows and sheep from their early morning ruminations en route for the Bronte Country, Top Withins and the Widdop area where the first changeover of support was to take place after seven hours and 23 miles of running.

Along the way the wind speed increased and the rain got heavier. They were conditions in which it was hard to keep the pace up yet we arrived at Widdop a few minutes ahead of schedule.

Ian and Pauline swapped roles and my brother Ed, who has been a constant support in planning and training, took over roadside duties. Completing the support team for this section was Julie Laverock who assumed navigational duties as well as sharing other support tasks such as carrying spare clothing and high energy food and drink. On any ultra distance run it is vital to take on regular food and drink and the support team must have the experience to make sure the runner doesn’t neglect this aspect.

By now the rain had stopped leaving behind a strong, cold wind and we traversed Heptonstall Moor heading for Calderdale before crossing the valley and heading up to the monument on Stoodley Pike. For the first time physical problems began to appear in form of a thigh strain that I feared would jeopardise the attempt. In a bid to keep the problem at bay Ibuprofen and a few stretching exercises were tried. The climb up to Stoodley Pike was inevitably slow and a chance to take on more engery food and drink.

Across the top of the ridge heading for the White House Inn on the A58 the pain had gone. The wind was head on and energy sapping but by now the sun was out save for a few squally showers Across Blackstone Moss we reached the M62 and the next changeover where the ladies were replaced by Ed, John Parker and Nicole Kirkham. Road duties were taken over by John Coope who has helped me on many of my long distance challenges. So far 40 miles had been covered and we were still making good progress.

We made good time across Standedge and Black Moss to Wessenden and the long climb up to the A635. From there we had one of the longest between road sections, nearly nine miles, to Torside reservoir near Glossop, where again the strong head winds were making their presence felt to the extent that at times it was hard to keep running. We made it to the Torside rendezvous about an hour late which was a major disappointment as it made a mess of the strategy for the later stages.

The plan had been to reach Kinder Scout before nightfall and hopefully reach the descent before darkness. It was now obvious this was not going to happen and in the company of my daughter Sally and son Eden and their travelling companion from the South, who answers to the name of Spud, we set off up the last major climb of the day to Bleaklow Head and then on to the Snake Pass road, where Julie emerged from one of the support cars to take on the onerous task of navigating over Kinder in the gathering gloom.


Crossing Kinder in the light can often be a challenge even in good weather but in strongly gusting winds and in the dark it became a question of safety first. With head torches now on we were very much down to a walk over the rocks and peat groughs of Kinder and time was passing slowly as we made towards Edale Rocks with the lights of the Manchester conurbation well below us. It was with relief that we saw the jagged teeth of the rocks against the night sky and knew that the final descent was not far ahead of us.

By now there was not much energy left in me and balance was affected by tiredness. I was ably supported, often physically, by one or other members of the team as my gait became more unsteady. The rocky descent of Jacob’s Ladder was much of an ordeal for everyone in the dark and we were all glad to reach more level ground on the track to Upper Booth.


There we were met by Ed and yet another brother, Bob, who had been drafted in as a support driver. Our navigator Julie who had done such a magnificent job guiding us over Kinder, opted to drive to the finish.


From that point it was simply a matter of crossing a few fields to the finish by the Nags Head Inn at Edale. But it was not as simple as that, being the only section that had not had a recent recce. Uncertainty over the route for the last mile meant much wasted time, almost within sight of the lights of Edale.

With that final problem solved we made it into the small square in Edale in a time of 22 hours 50 minutes, well within the time I had allowed but outside the time I had hoped for.


The whole day had been a great team effort and would not have been possible without the support of so many people, working in many different capacities to give me a day to remember.

I have always felt we do not sometimes use enough of the abilities we have to help others and I hope that in completing this run the money donated from a wide variety of sources will go in some small part to help the soldiers, sometimes horrifically injured in the line of duty on our behalf, to have a chance of a better life.

My heartfelt thanks to all who helped to get me through this challenge and to all who have made or pledged donations.


Postscript: The estimation of the distance run was taken from two sources. The Wainwright Pennine Way guide calculates the distance as 70 miles and there is a sign in Gargrave indicating the distance to Edale as 70 miles. However over the years there have been a number of variations to the initial route and Paddy Dillon in the Cicerone guide to the Pennine Way calculates the distance as nearer 75 miles. Whoever is right it did seem a very long way.

A photographic record can be seen by clicking here to go to the regular blog relating to activities of my support team who train and race regularly together.