It's always an exciting time when you know you’re going to be out for several hours in the hills. It doesn’t matter the weather; all weather has its merits. But after what felt like a never-ending, wet winter, the warmer day was very welcome.
Being away from everything; work, responsibilities, the world’s problems. It creates a mindfulness within me that I find intoxicating…addictive. I love the hills because they help me just to be.
I had known about the Wild Peak Round for some months. Normally I’d spend days or weeks planning a run like this, but when a random Wednesday unexpectedly became free the half round seemed like the obvious choice. I dropped my littlest off at nursery, like I would every Wednesday, and then instead of heading for a busy industrial estate to work for 8 hours, I drove into the green hills of the Peak District.
The night before I had a good look at the route, noting that most of the course I had never stepped foot on before, despite being a relative local.
After briefly chatting with the staff at the Inov8 Bakewell shop, (the start and finish of the full, half and mini rounds) I was off.
9:12am- I’m off. The route quickly leaves Bakewell and follows several lesser used paths through rolling fields. Unimpressed cows and startled sheep, with young lambs, watched me making my way through the misty morning. Descending the first hill, saw me traversing across a steep slope down into Coombs Dale; a lovely, wooded limestone valley. As was a theme for much of the rest of the day, I wondered how I had never run on this lovely path before.
9:55 am- the biggest hill of the day, from the steep valley bottom of Stoney Middleton up to the open moorland of Sir William Hill. Part way up I was struggling, I glanced at my watch. Only 10km! My legs hadn’t recovered from the London marathon just 10 days earlier and I realised this was going to be a long day. However, about a minute later a field mouse scampered across the path and dove into the long grass. This encounter brought a smile to my face which in turn lifted my spirits and spurred me on. Thank you, little mouse, for the enthusiasm boost.
10:15am- a lovely and fast technical descent off Sir William Hill. I soon came to the Hope Valley, which I’ve always considered the heart of the Peak District. Already sweating profusely from the humidity, I realised I hadn't brought any electrolytes; a piece of running kit forgotten over the winter. That might affect me later, I thought agitatedly.
10:51am- enjoying the quiet while heading up the old railway to the normally busy Ladybower and passing a number of carved wooden animals. The sun came out for the first time (in what felt like the year so far) as I reached the first of the six Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reserves; Thornhill Carrs, a steep valley side of mixed woodland.
Soon I was in Hope and luckily managed to refill my water bottles at a pub (it's always surprising how many people say yes, when a sweaty, minimally dressed person asks for water).
11:20am- up a small hill to the next reserve, the moss covered Hadfields Quarry. The old quarry has a surprisingly pleasant path around the active cement works. Relief for the lungs until the last significant hill of the day. Come on legs!
11:45am- at the top of the hill where I find the third reserve, Overdale, a completely different habitat of upland farmland. Where a pack of lambs sprinted around a field, leaping into the air and over each other in a way so joyful as often only new life does.
Two stags watched as I crossed the aptly named Bleak Knoll, looking ragged as their winter coats had partially malted.
It had turned into a beautiful day. A glider soared high above, as another was preparing to take off from Camphill Airfield.
On Bleak Knoll I reached for my penultimate energy gel, but when I took a slurp, it was foul. Looking at the best before date it was well past its best and my last gel was the same. Both were inedible. I still had 20km to go and my legs were struggling, this was going to be hard.
12:17pm- an unpleasantly long section along roads to Tideswell. The road ran through a landscape of only grass and drystone walls. Through this section I was particularly preoccupied with thinking about one of the round’s purposes; highlighting how fragmented these reserves are. Thinking how so many animals and plants would struggle to cross such areas of monoculture and roads between the diverse habitats of the woodlands behind and in front of me. I was in no animal’s land.
12:40pm- past Tideswell and onto the Monsal Trail, a chance to tick off some quick kilometres. Passing the last 3 reserves; Miller's Dale Quarry, Preistecliffe Lees and Cramside Woods, in relatively quick succession. These connected diverse habitats: giving some hope for future wildlife to roam freely. Following the clear waters of the River Wye, imagining the downstream current pulling me along, spotting fish of all sizes. The water was tranquil and clear. My mind was tired whilst watching the fish swimming idly in the gentle river.
By the time I got to the welcoming damp coolness of Headstone Tunnel, I was in a state. The recent marathon and the lack of electrolytes, energy and water were all adding up, but I knew there was only about 5km left.
Turning off the Monsal Trail I walked over the last small hill and gratefully descended down to Bakewell.
1:29pm- away from the reserves. Back to a busy town, the honeypot.
1:39pm- Finished. Finally.
After gladly taking a free coffee and having a chat at the Inov8 shop, I wandered down to the River Wye that runs through Bakewell, where I sat with my sore feet in the (almost too) refreshingly cold clear water, to eat some lunch. I reflected on how the run had not gone to plan, but proud that I had pushed through it.
The day ended in a rather poignant way. Whilst slumped in my car, I thought about the distances between the reserves. It was then that I saw a large wolf spider crossing the road just next to my car. The road is a relatively small obstacle to a human, but to a spider? Halfway across the spider was flattened by a passing car. The distances between the reserves suddenly seemed significantly bigger.
