DARK PEAK NEWS July 2009
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DARK PEAK NEWS July 2009 l Thornbridge beckons – time to get the tents out l New whisky stash on K****r S***t l Kev Saville – why was he furtling in his pants? l Where is Pig Rock? WIN A JURA BOTTLE OF pic: ©Andy Howie In this edition» est. 1976 www.dpfr.org.uk THORNBRIDGE DRAWS NIGH President: Eric Mitchell Just a month to go now before the annual Dark Peak summer gathering at Thornbridge, with the traditional Chairman Secretary Saturday formula of fell race, barbie and beer, and Paul Sanderson, Rob Moore the traditional Sunday formula of hangovers and rest. 27 Milden Road, 2 Kerwen Close, New members and families especially welcome. Wadsley Dore, Sheffield Sheffield Page 4» S6 4AT S17 3DF 0114 2206353 07766 520741 CAPTION COMPETITION [email protected] [email protected] OK, you've had your fun with Winterburn's waistline. Now it's Treasurer Membership time to get to grips with whatever Lynn Bland, Gavin Williams Kev Saville was getting to grips 51 Hurlfield Ave 41 Frickley Road, Gleadless, Sheffield with in this antique shot from Sheffield, S11 7EX the High Peak Marathon. Plus a bonus prize if you can tell us S12 2TL 0114 2309227 0114 2646409 [email protected] where Pig Rock is. [email protected] Caption competition, page 8» Clothing and Eqpt. Men’s Captain PUDDING PERFORMANCE Richard Hakes Lloyd Taggart, 454A Loxley Road 47 Brown Edge Road, ...but we can't yet turn our backs on that famous Loxley Buxton, Winterburn belly. Get the inside story of how he Sheffield SK17 7AG acquired it by finally completing the Bob Graham S6 6RS 07747 610150 Round on a diet of rice pudding. 0114 2339912 [email protected] Features, page 16» [email protected] PILLAR PILLOCKS Women’s Captain Website Not just an excuse for extended alliterative headlines, Kirsty Bryan-Jones John Dalton 2, Sunnybank Cottages, 1, Cannon Fields, but the lowdown on how two Dark Peakers who Jaggers Lane, Hathersage, should know better cocked up at Ennerdale. Hathersage, Derbyshire Dog's Diary, Page 33» S32 1AZ S32 1AG 01433 650213 01433 659523 SLAINTE MHATH [email protected] [email protected] John Gunnee sets out his strategy as he Dark Peak News settles into his vital new role as Dark David Holmes Peak's first whisky officer. 615, Loxley Road, Tried and tested, page 13» Loxley, Sheffield, S6 6RR 0114 2344186 [email protected] Dark Peak News July 2009 page 3 The bit at the front Hello again! No, it wasn't the postman who stole it. It has been a long time since we sent you your last edition of Dark Peak News. Far too long. It's a long story, and one I went into at some length at the recent agm, so I won't bore you again with it all here. Suffice to say that the task of keeping the calendar up to date, getting the magazine out, plus dealing with the everyday demands of family life and a busy job were all getting a bit too much. We've been able to get it back on track because there are now two of us working on the magazine. Tim Mackey has volunteered to take on the job of production editor, which leaves me more free to concentrate on the content and the calendar. I'd like to offer heartfelt thanks to Tim for dropping into the role so quickly and dealing with the foibles of the way I put the mag together. As you may know, Tim has a wealth of experience in print production and design, and you can already see his hand in some of the improvements to the layout of this edition. We've tried to get this one out as quickly as possible, and there's been a bit of catching up to do with some of the content. But we now want to put our backlog of printing funds to good use by belting out a few more editions at quite regular intervals. The next edition will feature full reports on the successful BG weekend last month, plus Ian Fitzpatrick's account of his stunning Paddy Buckley performance. It will also feature what you choose to write about or point a camera at. So, please let's have pieces and ideas coming thick and fast. It would be particularly nice to have a few more race reviews coming through, especially from some of the further flung events that fellow Dark Peakers may not have experienced. And is there anybody out there who might fancy sharing the load and taking on the collation of the calendar? The Battle of Wounded Heel It's not just the magazine that has been on the back burner. For months I have been wondering whether I would be able to get back into running after picking up a stubborn injury that left me struggling to do more than go for a short walk. I whacked the base of my heel on a spiky little rock in the Marsden to Edale race, damaging the sensitive heel pad and producing symptoms very much like the dreaded plantar fasciitis. It's taken about six months to shake it off, and now I face the challenge of getting rid of the ring of blubber that seems to have sprouted around my waist without invitation. I draw two lessons from the episode. The first is that Walsh PB racers may be fantastic shoes, but they do cut support to the very minimum. From now on I'll be slipping sorbothane heel pads at the back for extra protection. The second, sadly, is that we may be able to hold on to our fitness as the years advance, but it becomes so much harder to regain it once something goes wrong. Injuries that clear quite quickly in your twenties seem to drag on forever once you reach your ***ties. And as for the fell runner's traditional diet of fish, chips, mushy peas and beer, forget it. If I'm ever going to have a crack at that Paddy Buckley, I think I'm going to have to grow fond of lettuce and water. Dave Dark Peak News July 2009 page 4 News Thornbridge family camping weekend THE ANNUAL DARK PEAK family camping weekend is now fast approaching. It will be held at the usual Thornbridge venue, from Friday 28th until Sunday 30th August. All club members and their families are welcome, and there is plenty of space for the kids to play safely while you relax or maybe even go for the occasional run. If you haven’t been there before, you will find the camp site just south of Great Longstone village, in the heart of the White Peak, GR SK198710. Drive through the village, over the old railway bridge, and you’ll find the Thornbridge Outdoors centre just on your right, (opposite the old Thornbridge Hall). If you are coming from the south, head north out of Ashford in the Water on the B6465, turn first right and duck and weave along the little road until you see the centre on your left. We will have exclusive use of the secure and sheltered camping field, plus the adjacent camping block containing showers, toilets and a fully equipped kitchen with plenty of fridge space. People are free to arrive any time from 5pm on the Friday, and we need to vacate the site by late Sunday afternoon. The programme includes the Ashford fell race at 11am on Saturday, plus a barbecue from 6pm on Saturday evening – the club will provide the barbecues, several gallons of real ale, bread and soft drinks. You provide the rest of the food, plus any instruments or voices that you want to add to the mix of live music that usually gets going all evening. The site is right next door to the off-road Monsal Trail cycle route, which provides flat, safe bike rides for people of all ages. There is usually a bike ride and a social run on the Sunday morning, plus the legendary “string walk” in the darkened woods at the side of the campsite for kids of all ages, (and all stages of inebriation), towards the end of Saturday night. The cost is £10 per adult per night, with no charge for the kids. No need to book, but contact the organiser Tim Hawley if you need any more information: [email protected] or 0114 2339969. Club dinner moves to Bradfield THE CLUB DINNER is moving to a new home this year, as the Maynard Arms was not available during November. Organiser Chris Barber has booked Bradfield Village Hall, on the outskirts of Sheffield, for Saturday 14th November. The hall, finished a few years ago after a long community fundraising effort, can cater comfortably for up to 200 people and has a large stage and dance floor. It also features a real ale bar provided by Bradfield Brewery, with Farmer's Blonde on tap at just £1.80 a pint. The evening will cost £25 per head, which includes a hot sit-down meal provided by professional caterers. They will offer a choice from a menu of up to four dishes, which Chris will circulate closer to the time. Entertainment and dancing will again be provided by the Rhythm Chaps ceilidh band, who performed for us last year. And if you don't want to drink and drive, there's a regular subsidised local bus service to and from the Hillsborough interchange.