After the Pennine Way last year, there was no way we are going to get another 2/3 week pass out for this year. However, 3 days have been agreed, so Jimmy and myself will walk the Gritstone Trail from Disley to Kidsgrove.
We will start on Monday 23rd July, with evening meal and accommodation that night at The Robin Hood Inn, Rainow (via Lyme Park, Bowstones Gate, Sponds Hill, White Nancy). Tuesday 24th July will take us from there, via Teggs Nose, Croker Hill/Sutton Common to the Rushton Inn, Rushton Spencer. The third day (Wednesday 25th July) will include a mid-morning SOTA activation of The Cloud G/SP-015, then the completion of the walk over Mow Cop (submarilyn) to the end of the trail at Kidsgrove.
Why am I telling you all this? Same as last year, we welcome any of our SOTA friends to join us for day walks and/or meals and drinks in the evening. If anyone fancies doing the whole walk, then more rooms are available at the places mentioned, but there’s not many of them - 2 or 3 only I reckon.
For sure it will be the first time anyone has put in a 56km walk to activate The Cloud!
Monday 23rd July - Disley to Rainow
Tuesday 24th July - Rainow to Rushton Spencer
Wednesday 25th July - Rushton Spencer to Kidsgrove (via The Cloud G/SP-015)
We start in the morning, and are looking forward to it, regardless of whatever weather comes our way. I’ve only heard of one person coming for a beer with us in the first pub on the Monday evening, and no-one has accepted the invitation to come for a walk. So I guess we will just have to speak to you all from the good old Cloud G/SP-015 on the Wednesday morning.
Now, Offa’s Dyke or Coast 2 Coast for next year, this is the question…
Finished it at one minute to seven this evening. It was a very enjoyable (and tiring) three days & two nights. The first day was easy, but the next two were more difficult and tiring than I remember for any two consecutive days on the Pennine Way last year! Still, with Jimmy in the team, failure is not an option, and thus I managed to drag my aching body over the finishing line at Kidsgrove station earlier.
Thanks for all the calls on The Cloud today. A full report with all the photos will appear on my website in due course.