kinder trog recce

within minutes of leaving the car the drizzle started. but the steady climb to lantern pike kept us warm. touch the summit and straight back down. despite the wet the ground was still hard under foot and the going was good. a bit further down and then there it is, back up we go. the higher we climbed the less we saw. the clag was thick but the path obvious. running along the slippery flagstones across the plateau and now into the wind. time for jelly babies. with no view to distract the from the constant pounding of rubber on stone all we could do was push on. an eye on the watch, unsure if we'd make the cutoff.

drizzle turns to rain, winds to gusts. stop to add a layer. stuff aching damp fingers into gloves. try not to lose the map. a sudden realisation that it really is cold. round the edge of kinder. bet the views would be great. we can hear the waterfall but we can't see it. keep moving. then another realisation. which direction? the flagstones have gone. replaced by a lunar landscape of peat bog and rounded grit stone. back to the trig point, duck down out of the wind and take a bearing. more jelly babies.

keep moving. down, down, follow the faint trod. lose the trod but stay on the bearing. at least we're out of the wind. slightly. across the stream and straight back up. definitely on route again. keep climbing. keep warm. along the top and an easy path. the cloud begins to lift. lush green fields, neatly squared by dry stone walls. burnt orange grass and dark, chocolaty peat. we can see it all. some more jelly babies. take a layer off. the final down and up. leads perfectly to the final down.

tea loaf awaits us in the car.