Kinder Loop Day Two - Langsett to Edale

Distance: 17.5 miles
Ascent: 900ish m
Weather: windy, varying degrees of clag, rain, hail
Curlews and lapwings
Bunnies: 3
Mountain hare: 1
Red grouse: lots
Grey wagtails: 2
Gripes: mountain bikers who don't ride on the actual path and people who litter orange peel and hard boiled egg shells.

Loaded up with food, we set off just before 10am, out into the wind. The rain wasn't forecast until later, but the clag was low and very damp. Rob was sensible and put his waterproofs on straight away,  me not so much.

The grassy path was still pleasant and grassy,  especially behind the walls that sheltered from the wind. Once out of the trees at Langsett woods, we climbed steadily up onto the open moorland on Hingcliff Common where it was very wet, very windy and very  full of red grouse.

The rocky path along Mickleden Edge and Cut Gate became quite muddy and rutted on the plateau near to Margery Hill and there was a bit of scrabbling around in the heather. I got a wet toe.

We passed some intrepid mountain bikers heading up, as we were coming down Cranberry Clough to Slippery Stones  (which were indeed slippy) to the top of Howden Reservoir,  and then met more bikers at the main path around the reservoirs, who asked us if we had any information. The required information turned out to be a look at our map to see if the path went all the way around. It does.

We had lunch on a little grassy bit at the lakeshore, and contemplated how damp we were. Rob's mustard got a bit much for him at one point, but he survived manfully.

Below Howden Reservoir is Derwent, then Ladybower,  where we called in at the visitor centre, then followed a bridleway up Haggside,  passing Open Hagg and Haggtor Coppice.

Here we met a group of DOE'ers, who asked us if we knew how far it was to the campsite. No.

Crossing Jaggers Clough was a bit wet, but manageable, and at some point around here it started to rain. Then it got dark. Then it hailed. It was pretty miserable, with stinging hail and wind, not being able to see a thing and having very wet feet, the paths seemed to turn to streams almost instantly. Thankfully we made it to the YHA without mishap,  and have got clean and dry and well fed.

The clocks go forward tonight,  another reason for an early night.