DARK PEAK NEWS Christmas Edition 2010

l Man traps – another Dark Peaker gets snared on the moors l Crossing the Sahara – how Tim Martin did the Marathon des Sables l Torside torment – tales from that killer club championships course l Socks with sandals – guess who wears them... In this edition»

est. 1976 www.dpfr.org.uk  DANGER ON THE MOORS President: Eric Mitchell Two members of Dark Peak have now snagged their legs in snares, prompting fears that somebody could soon be seriously injured. Both Tim Tett and Nick Chairman Secretary Collier were running on open access land when it Paul Sanderson, Rob Moore happened. The club is now pressing for action. 27 Milden Road, 2 Kerwen Close, News, page 4 Wadsley Dore, Sheffield Sheffield S6 4AT S17 3DF  SHARP DRESSED MAN 0114 2206353 07766 520741 [email protected] [email protected] The clothes are back on for your new caption competition. Club secretary Rob Moore shows Tim Tett how to dress with Treasurer Membership flair, and is now open to your scorn, Lynn Bland, Gavin Williams sarcasm and ridicule. 51 Hurlfield Ave 41 Frickley Road, Caption competition, Page 10 Gleadless, Sheffield Sheffield, S11 7EX S12 2TL 0114 2309227 0114 2646409 [email protected] [email protected]  BLEAKLOW LOWDOWN Blow-by-blow analysis of this year’s club championship Clothing and Eqpt. Men’s Captain from the man who won it, the man who finished fastest, Richard Hakes Rob Little, 454A Loxley Road Flat F, and the sadist who planned that gruelling climb out of Loxley 91 School Road Torside Clough. Sheffield Sheffield Features, Page 12 S6 6RS S10 1GJ 0114 2339912 07791 283861  A LONG WAY TO THE BEACH [email protected] [email protected] Tim and Steve Martin spent 140 miles running through sand dunes and still didn’t get to the sea. Tim does his Women’s Captain Website best to explain the elusive attraction of the gruelling Kirsty Bryan-Jones John Dalton 2, Sunnybank Cottages, 1, Cannon Fields, Marathon des Sables. Jaggers Lane, Hathersage, Page 18 Hathersage, Derbyshire S32 1AZ S32 1AG  RAVISHING IN RUBBER 01433 650213 01433 659523 [email protected] [email protected] Hard core photography for those of you too shy to browse the top shelf of your newsagents. We bring you Dark Peak News Andy Moore in skin-tight neoprene. David Holmes Been There, Done That, page 32 615, Loxley Road, Loxley, Sheffield, S6 6RR 0114 2344186 [email protected] Dark Peak News December 2010 page 3

The bit at the front

Season’s greetings I’M WRITING this in my toasty office at the university, clawing back a few of the long hours that I’ve been working in a hectic spell of teaching, and trying to ignore the smell of wet running shoes. It’s now mid December and the magnificent snow of last week has been replaced by a black gritty residue on the pavements, and by near freezing rain. The run to work this morning was horrible, but my spirits lifted as I ran past two pubs in Walkley: the Crown and the Sportsman. These are classic Sheffield hillside pubs with magnificent views. Both have been closed for some time, but are now happily being regenerated. The Blake is back on its feet after a tasteful refit, and the Sportsman has the builders in. It reminds me of what I love about this time of year: that the darkest, dampest depths of December can be perfect for recharging the batteries and setting new goals. I can imagine it might well have been in December that Steve and Tim Martin hatched their plan to head for the Sahara and the Marathon des Sables, that Mick Stenton and Gavin Williams decided to try the Three Peaks by public transport, or that Dave Lockwood locked onto his next long distance challenge. You can read accounts of all three in this Christmas Special edition. I hope they inspire you to follow suit, and of course to write about it. For me, the next challenge is to try to sing in tune at the Headstone next week, then it’s on to the Bradfield Boundary Run and, who knows, maybe that Paddy Buckley at last! Snares saga To more serious matters. In the last edition, we reported how Tim Tett was hurt when he put his foot through a wire snare while running on the Hallam Moors. The same thing has now happened again, this time on Bamford Moor, where Nick Collier came a cropper. Both were running legitimately on open access land which happens to be in the same ownership, and both were fortunate not to be seriously injured. These snares are designed to trap and restrain moving bodies, and the next runner to encounter one may not be so lucky. The club has responded, through your access officer Bob Berzins, by publicising the problem and by raising it formally with the Peak District Local Access Forum. Bob’s written representation to the PDLAF is deeply researched and makes sobering reading, so much so that I have decided to devote the News section in this edition to bring you his letter in full. This is likely to surface at the AGM, and I thought it was important that everyone should be fully in the picture. We’ll no doubt be reporting on further developments in the next edition. Thanks Big thanks again to "production editor" Tim Mackey for coping calmly with the layout work as I’ve thrown more and more material at him against a very tight deadline. I promise you it was purely coincidental that he also won the caption competition – the decision was entirely mine! Thanks too to everyone who has contributed to this edition; you’ve produced some first class writing. If you fancy joining in next time, it’s always the more the merrier... Dave Dark Peak News December 2010 page 4

News

Snares protest after two runners hurt As you may have read overleaf, Dark Peak’s access officer Bob Berzins has written to the Peak District Local Access Forum pressing for action after two club members were caught in snares while out running. First, Tim Tett was hurt when he put his foot through a trap on the banks of Oaking Clough, as reported in the last Dark Peak News. Now Nick Collier has also fallen victim. He too caught his foot in a snare, this time on Bamford Moor which, like the Hallam Moors, is owned by Jeremy Archdale. Both escaped serious injury, but next time? Bob is now trying to publicise the dangers, and could need support from the club at the next AGM if he is to make progress. In the interests of informing members and stimulating debate, Dark Peak News has decided to publish Bob’s letter in full, plus the reconstructed photos he has taken to illustrate the dangers...

Public safety on Moorland Statement to Peak District Local Access Forum meeting on 2/12/2010 I’d like to inform the Peak District Local Access Forum about two specific incidents in recent months, where runners have been injured on Peak District moors. Normally this Forum operates by working with Peak Park officers to resolve specific issues, but unfortunately in this case the official concerned, Peak Park Access Officer, Mike Rhodes has made it clear that the PDNPA does not want to be involved, so I have no choice but to bring my concerns direct to you. Both incidents involve wire snares, which in this case are thin wire loops about 20 centimetres in diameter, propped up about thirty centimetres above the ground. At this height a human foot readily slips into the loop. There is a few feet of slack wire in the snare system and as the person continues moving, the wire loop settles on the leg just above the ankle. The other end of the snare wire is generally attached to a metal stake driven firmly into the ground. As the slack is taken out of the system the wire loop suddenly pulls tight on the leg which both garrottes the leg and has the effect of pulling the feet from under the person, resulting in a sudden fall to the ground. The first incident was on 21st July 2010, when Tim Tett caught his foot in a wire snare at Oaking Clough (GR253 874). Tim described running along a path mown through bracken, then the next minute he was flat on his face. Luckily his injuries were fairly minor, just a nasty cut and bruise to his ankle. Further inspection of the site showed that there were about a dozen snares in the next 50 metres along the path. The second incident was on 31st October when Nick Collier caught his foot in a wire snare underneath Bamford edge (GR204 848). He fell without warning and was fortunate to escape with minor injuries. Once again a dozen snares were found within 50 metres, this time along a well used footpath, leading in about 1 km to the popular Heatherdene car park at Ladybower. Prior to these two incidents, two separate representations had been made to the Access Officer raising concerns for public safety due to similar usage of snares at Woodhead and about the snares at Oaking Clough. All of these sites are on land mapped as open access. The response from the Access Officer has consistently been that snares are legal and it Dark Peak News December 2010 page 5

would be inappropriate for the PDNPA to comment on the legitimate management practices of a landowner. And pointing out that should the casualty wish, there is the possibility of the casualty suing the landowner. All the runners and walkers I have met simply want a safe right of access to moorland, they have no wish to be involved in any legal action. Let me be very clear about the potential for serious injury, when a person gets their foot caught in a wire snare. My risk assessment is based on a wilderness first aid course I recently attended and medical advice: Blood supply in everyone is relatively poor in the lower leg. This means that a garrotting type injury is more prone to infection and will take a long time to heal, even in a fit, healthy person. Where circulation is compromised due to a history of smoking, diabetes or old age the chances of serious complications are greatly increased, with the potential that the foot could have to be amputated. More serious is the potential injury from the resulting fall. In an elderly person this could result in a broken pelvis. Blood loss from this injury can be up to six litres in four hours, which is likely to be fatal. All of the sites where these snares have been found are away from the road and would require mountain rescue followed by paramedic ambulance with a likely time frame of four hours to hospitalisation. That is assuming the casualty was not walking or running alone. My reading of the CROW Act does not seem to tie in with the picture presented to me by the PDNPA, but then I am not a lawyer or legal expert. The section dealing with Occupiers Liability quite rightly says there is no duty (to protect the public) due to natural features. It then qualifies this by saying in subsection 6C, this “does not prevent an occupier from owing a duty by virtue of this section in respect of any risk where the danger concerned is due to anything done by the occupier- Dark Peak News December 2010 page 6

a) with the intention of creating that risk, or b) being reckless as to whether that risk is created It certainly seems to me that a dozen snares within 50 metres along a well used footpath is reckless endangerment of the public. It’s clear to me that the intention of this section of the CROW Act is to protect the public from any deliberate or recklessly induced risk to safety. Whether this creates a legal case against a landowner is no concern to me, all I am concerned about is that the public has safe access to open country, free from reckless use of wire snares. This is an issue of public safety. I can inform people in the running fraternity of these dangers, but no more than that. Obviously this forum is free to decide what advice it may or may not give to the PDNPA. My request as an individual is for officers of the PDNPA to undertake the following: • Undertake site visits to see for yourself. Words and photographs cannot convey how shocking this situation is. • Undertake your own risk assessment involving medical advice and mountain rescue teams • Talk to the landowners and gamekeepers involved in these practice • If an impasse is reached, get the ranger service involved, to use signs, maps and rangers on the ground to warn the public • Issue a press release to inform the wider public of the dangers of visiting these areas In my opinion, unless this action is taken, a member of the public will be seriously injured. This will then become an issue of national importance and questions will be asked as to why nothing was done to prevent these injuries. Bob Berzins Dark Peak News December 2010 page 7

From the Chairman

have to admit I was caught on the hop when our good editor asked me to write another column for the magazine this side of Christmas, and so soon after the last one. That said I I wasn't going to complain, as at this time of year it provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year’s achievements as well as look forward to the coming year. What is great about our sport is the sheer variety of events throughout the year. Whether it be local races, long distance or ultra running events both nationally and internationally, classic fell races in the Lakes or Scotland, national championships or relay competitions, or perhaps the more esoteric events such as carrying barrels of beer over Kinder, there is always something in the calendar to satisfy even the most demanding athlete. The published results this year show that Dark Peak members have excelled individually, and collectively in team events; we have probably had one of our best years ever. Not all of us may be capable of winning, as I know after 20 years of trying. But what we all do regularly is turn up, don the brown vest, compete to the best of our abilities and just maybe achieve a PB in the process. This year’s results show that the brown vest has been worn in a broad spectrum of events, clearly demonstrating Dark Peak’s taste for both variety and competition. Looking back to early November, we had our club championships and annual dinner. The course had all you would expect from a fine 'Harmer' production, including what can only be described as one of the most vertiginous ascents I think I have ever had the displeasure of encountering in any fell race. Pity that I spoilt such fun by trashing my ankle so badly on the previous descent that I ended the race at an ungainly hobble. Photographic evidence of my misfortune has since reached the pantheon of club injury that is Dr Bob's web page. I have to say that I look forward with some relief to the revival of the traditonal Kinder triple crossing next year. When I wrote my last column and referred to a “bit of gnarly weather”, I wasn't expecting it quite so soon. Over recent years it has certainly not been the norm to be - and I make no apology for going all imperial here - measuring the amount of snowfall in Sheffield in feet rather than inches only a few weeks after the club championships. It has however offered some fine sport over the last few days, especially on the Wednesday night when, in true club spirit, a goodly number of us made it to the Sportsman on foot from various parts of the city. We had an evening of beer, crack and banter followed by a return home at least for some of us via the snowy wastes of Rivelin and Stannington. Finally, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who donated to the Dark Peak team in our recent participation in the global Movember charity campaign. For those of you who aren't familiar, the idea is to start “Movember” clean shaven and then grow a moustache for the entire month. It is great to report that the Mo growing exploits of Tim Tett, Tom Westgate, Dave Taylor, Jon Gunnee, Phil Walters and myself raised over £1200 towards research and awareness of prostate and other male cancers. Suffice it to say, now well into December, I am now clean shaven. But I haven't had so much fun growing facial hair in a long time. Right, better get back to the wobble board and my ongoing ankle rehab. Let’s hope for a great 2011. Paul Dark Peak News December 2010 page 8

Events calendar

Club runs: Every Wednesday from the Sportsman, Lodge Moor, Sheffield at 18:30 or at an “away” venue (usually at 18:45 but check below). People run at different speeds but there are usually two or three stops to re-group. The weather can be bad on the moors, even in the spring and summer. So please be aware of the risk of exposure, and come prepared. Warts runs are in the dark - head torches, whisky and safety gear obligatory.

“Local races” are open events, usually entry-on-the-day with an entry fee and a few prizes. Full details can usually be found in the FRA Calendar.

“DPFR races” are informal events for Dark Peak club members, usually with no entry fee and no prizes. People running in “DPFR events” accept total responsibility for their own safety.

Dec Boxing Day Bogtrot. Start and finish at Ox Stones (register at layby at top of Lady Cannings plantation by 10:40 am); format is a point to point race, checkpoints in any order, Sun 26 10am DPFR race expect to take about 40 minutes for the winner. Checkpoints will be announced shortly before Christmas. Roy Small GR SK278835

Bradfield Boundary Run. Advance notice. Further details Tues 28 6am Club run 48m/5600ft from Dave H in due course. GR SK311900

Wed 29 6.30pm Club run Sportsman. Jan New Year's Day. ... from Mike & Julia Nolan's, soup Sat 1 10.30am DPFR race afterwards. See the website link for a news item with full 8.5m/1450ft details GR SK224780

Sun 2 10am DPFR race Moz's Birthday Run. GR SK124853 10m/3000ft

Wed 5 6.45pm Warts run Low Bradfield. GR SK262920

Wed 5 6.45pm Club run Sportsman

Dark & White Peak District MM. Mini-MM/Score Sun 9 9am Other navigation event with 3 hour time limit for solos and pairs. 7m/900ft Dark Peak. Shining Cliff Woods. From Bear Inn, Alderwasey. Note Sun 9 11am Local race 5.3m/875ft new venue and course. Junior races too. GR SK315527 Winter Series (8). From Bolsterstone Church. Reflective Mon 10 6:30pm DPFR race vest and head torch recommended. Self-timed. See link for further details. GR SK271968 Dark Peak News December 2010 page 9

The Huntsman, Thurlstone. From Andy Plummer's pub. Wed 12 7pm Warts run Note later start time. Southern Warts have option to run from Sportsman at 6.30pm. GR SE229034

Wed 12 6:30pm Club run Sportsman Hagg Farm, Snake Road. Small car park on south side of Wed 19 6:45pm Warts run Snake, opposite Hagg Farm entrance. GR SK16288 Wed 19 6:30pm Club run Sportsman Kinder Trial. £6 pre-entry only, by Jan 15th. Map, soup and Sat 22 10am Local race cake included. Compass and navigational skills definitely 11m/2000ft an advantage for this one. GR SK035873 Winter Series (9). From Bolsterstone Church. Reflective Mon 24 6:30pm DPFR race vest and head torch recommended. Self-timed. See link for further details. GR SK271968 Wed 26 6:30pm Club run Sportsman

Wed 26 7pm DPFR race Warts' Winter Challenge. Venue tbc

Sun 30 8.30am Other Pennine Bridleway Relay. See club captains. Tigger Tor. £5 pre entry/£6 on day. Sheffield Tigers RUFC. Sun 30 11am Local race GR SK299821 Feb Wed 2 6:30pm Club run Sportsman Ewden. Meet at access gate onto Broomhead Moor Wed 2 6:45pm Warts run opposite Broomhead Hall. GR SK242962 Mickleden Straddle. Pre-entry £4.50. EOD £5 if 200 limit 13.8m/ Sun 6 10.30pm Local race not reached. Use entry form from website or FRA form. 1980ft Cheques to "Denby Dale Travellers". GR SE211005 Winter Series (10). From Bolsterstone Church. Reflective Mon 7 6.30pm DPFR race vest and head torch recommended. Self-timed. See link for further details. GR SK271968 Wed 9 6:45pm DPFR race Rivelin Landmarks

Wed 9 6:30pm Club run Sportsman

King's Tree. Note very generous extra 5 mins time Wed 16 6.50pm Warts run allowance to get there along increasingly potholed track beside reservoir. GR SK168939

Wed 16 6:30pm Club run Sportsman

Please remember that the published calendar takes a great deal of time and effort to compile and is designed to give members advanced notice of events. If you intend to stage events, it is helpful to let us know as soon as you can. Please e-mail Dark Peak News with details: [email protected] Unavoidable late additions or changes will be publicised on the website news pages. Dark Peak News December 2010 page 10

Caption competition

Oh you did have fun with the near naked Tim Tett. Almost as much fun as he was having at the time with the cereal box. A very high and diverse standard of entries made this the hardest one so far to judge. Inevitably, a few of you explored the possibility of sexual deviancy, with Chris Barber’s suggestion of bondage and rogering being hilariously close to the knuckle. Tim Hawley’s multiple entries were of a consistently high standard, and he takes second place with “It’s my Preciousssss”, one of several to draw on the Gollum theme. Some of you saw the prehistoric possibilities in Tim’s posture, and this inspired Tim Mackey’s winning entry: “And this demonstrates the missing link between homo erectus and John Gunnee.” Well done to Tim, not least for managing to insult two club members simultaneously. No doubt he’ll be sharing some of his Jura with Tim T. and John to appease them.

Clothes back on this time, as we turn our attention to the club secretary looking smug and pin-striped, (or should that be menacing and pin-striped?). Courtesy of the Sheffield Telegraph, whose business page photograph just happened to find its way into your editor’s inbox. Over to you...

Pathetic excuses for club champs I am 36 and will be until June! Is it going to be a handicap based on age or can we take weight into consideration too, it might give fat lads like me a chance!? Matt Hulley Dark Peak News December 2010 page 11

The questionnaire

Pathetic excuses for club champs Lucy Wiegand I'd like to run in the club champs How old are you? Forty two. Twice as old as I want to be? No. please. My biggest handicap is Probably perfect. running! so I should be one of the first to go! How did you start fell running? By putting one foot in Tim (not very fit) Ray front of the other.

When did you join Dark Peak? Fourteen years ago.

Why did you join Dark Peak? All my husband’s fault. Mad running in the dark, too curious to miss out.

How many miles a week do you run? Never counted, (probably not many).

Admit it, what’s your current weight? My BMI is what it should be.

What’s your top training tip? Have a rest of 10 days before you try anything long.

What’s your favourite race? Warts Revenge - I didn’t come last!

What’s been your best moment in fell running so far? So many dark, snowy, cold nights somewhere round Alport looking at the stars, in delightful company.

And the worst? Watching the penultimate runner draw away in some summer race and thinking why bother.

What shoes do you use? Adidas Swoop. First time I’ve tried them, but good grips and comfortable. Pity about the “drainage mesh”, (which normally means wet feet as soon as you start).

How do you get your socks clean? Dump them in the washing machine, usually scrunched up and inside out, then shake all the bits of heather etc. out in the bin when I put them on.

What’s your big outstanding ambition as a runner? To keep up in the summer and therefore not turn into a grumpy old cow, (“Too late,” I hear you say). Dark Peak News December 2010 page 12 Pathetic excuses for club champs Age 57 would like to have a crack at this year's champs. As I'm club "cannon fodder" a generous handicap would be appreciated. Mike Arundale Features

How I won the club champs

I know Roy thinks I conned him, but I promising on the way up from Wirksworth didn’t lie! The last long race I’d done was with some rolling cloud banks, but Holme Moss, and I’d finished towards the unfortunately they soon cleared. back in the two short races I did afterwards, I have two main criteria for success in way down on my usual place and very lame. races these days: get to the start thinking In fact I’d have retired from Eyam if the you can do it, and then try to finish without shortest way back hadn’t have been to any additional “wheels falling off”. My only complete the course! tactic is to run as much as I can. The physio told me I had sciatica, and for I started, so it was already a 50% once in my life I did the exercises he successful day. Everybody seemed to follow suggested, as I was definitely struggling to the same line onto the plateau and I caught run at all. one or two up. Having gone straight for the I’d missed all my favourite autumn runs: Wain Stones on the recce on fairly rough Sedburgh, Three Shires, Langdale etc. terrain, I decided to go round the edge a bit However as I’d managed to resume a bit of and then cut across towards the Hern Stones running, I said to Roy doing the Champs to pick up the Pennine Way to Bleaklow would be a good opportunity to see Head which I thought would be more everybody as they overtook me, because living away from Sheffield if I don’t race I don’t tend to see folks. I must confess to doing a recce, but this took me three hours, and unless you do two recces, or take even longer, all it sometimes tells you is the way you don’t want to go! The thought process goes surely there must be better terrain than this somewhere; but being an Andy Harmer course one should know better. Pathetic excuses for club champsI must admit come race If my rehabilitation continues I day I’d hoped thought I might have a go at the for clag, club champs as a comeback (or because at swansong!)- more to meet up with least with the folks than for the race after my leanest year ever. If I start near the speed I run at front I should get to talk to these days, I do everybody as they overtake me! have time to navigate Richard Hopkinson although not always very well! Not living up to his name – Clive Last It did look came 2nd in the handicap Dark Peak News December 2010 page 13

Pathetic excuses for club champs please put me in for the club although whether it was quicker I champs. I'll be 75 on the day. don’t know. I was pleased to see a marshal there, because on the Tim Hawley recce I’d had difficulty deciding what was a crag at this location! I was still in front; the cavalry hadn’t arrived. I’d studied the map to no avail to try to convince myself there was a way round going straight up the side of Torside Clough. So straight up it was. Short and fairly brutal. I did allow myself a peek behind at this point, something I don’t normally do. No cavalry - just one lone runner going to the previous checkpoint. Don’t panic. I could win this! Once on the top the ruin was easily found. I gave my number to a group of picnickers thinking one of them may be the marshal. I’d already decided to play safe and run the grouse butts knowing there was a track of Tim Hawley and Kirsty Bryan-Jones sorts, although a potentially shorter route slogging it out over Bleaklow could be to the south of Small Clough. Pub chat afterwards confirmed this to be the best runnable for me. I got to Bleaklow Head the route for me. Tracks and paths led to walls same time as Dick Pasley, who seemed to at the edge of the access land which I have got a better line so who knows if my followed down to the final checkpoint. Still tactic had paid off, although I never saw nobody in sight behind, so just don’t fall. any of the others who were around me Then it was just run as fast as I could down when we got onto the “plateau” again. to the finish, where Roy (Gibson) was The route to the Wildboar Clough surprised to see me. checkpoint brought back memories of when I’d actually won something, even if it had Tanky’s used to come up this way. I caught taken 62 years and as it turned out a up Mike and Jim, and raced John, marshal, generous handicap, and no further injuries so to the checkpoint. It was at this point I a very successful day! realised I was in the lead. This being a Thanks to Andy for organising a great unique experience for me I thought: “Keep course and to everybody who helped. calm, don’t panic! Just keep going and wait Richard Hopkinson for the cavalry to catch you up”. I’d straight-lined the route to the next Pathetic excuses for club champs checkpoint on the recce and ended up I will be running the club champs this year as will descending a steep heather and boulder Jenny. As a guide for me I have only beaten Gavin slope at zero miles an hour. So I decided once this yr and he has beaten me several times, to continue down the side of the clough Ash has beaten me more than I have beaten him where I thought it would be runnable, and Andy Barnett (eyam) has beaten me in shorter and then contour round the rim a bit stuff as have you (eyam, shelf moor). Jenny does and take a diagonal descending line to better on the longer stuff so somewhere between Long Gutter Edge. This worked Kirsty and Lynn may be about right. Dave Sykes Dark Peak News December 2010 page 14 Pathetic excuses for club champs Despite my near demise with my poor dodgy ticker and the enforced rest period I had to endure I have decided The organiser's view that to try regain my fitness I will attempt this years club champs.I'm sure you will look favourably on an invalid. We started the alternative club champs a similar Ian Winterburn routes in 1989, when I put on a rather dilemma challenging but compact course from Edale last year taking in the ponds on Grindslow Knoll, when Bob took charge of Crowden, the bottom of Blackden and back. a rope across the Alport, and one recent Three climbs, some route choice and rough crossing of Fairbrook in the triple crossing ground. Since then it’s always been a case was challenging. As it happened, the water of searching for what astronomers call the level was fine - but it's a significant factor Goldilocks Syndrome, (looking for for any organiser of such a large group at Earth-like planets). In other words, the this time of year. course has to be just right, i.e. not too A few closing thoughts. The club champs rough/long or complex, or the opposite. should be a real test, with all club members This year Bleaklow could have offered being encouraged to run, and those who serious challenges if there had been heavy can’t being encouraged to help. Planners rain or clag. As it was, we had a fairly should resist going for the easy options. In benign and pleasant day - only the respect of knowledge beforehand, I think waterlogged run out being difficult. I was some of the top runners and navigators may reasonably satisfied with the first control, have stolen a slight advantage by recceing less so with the next at Wildboar. I had the route. Maybe in future we should make hoped to drop much further down but some controls known on the Wednesday although it offered a difficult descent, before the event, but keep others back until getting back to Glossop Low might have led the day itself. Plenty to think about. to the railway line/Pennine Way being used. Andy Harmer When I came across Long Gutter it was love at first sight - great views to Black Hill for the marshal, and Torside looked awesome, with a nice river crossing. For the strong at heart and in the legs, there was a fast run off to the finish. I was broadly satisfied, although the course was maybe a bit short and missing another climb in the middle. There were problems ‘behind the scenes’. A dearth of helpers left me struggling to man the controls; only John Myers declared himself well in advance, with Roy and Ian coming in later. Only help on the day made it roll as it should have, and in bad weather we could have had problems. I was also quite anxious about Torside Brook. We’ve had some epics over the years, with runners being swept downstream in the Marjory Hill and a hypothermic Jo Smith being pulled out of the Ashop in a club champs. The heavy rain a few days before left me uneasy. Gavin had Moz and John taking it all very seriously Pathetic excuses for club champs Dark Peak News December 2010 page 15 Despite my near demise with my poor dodgy ticker and the enforced rest period I had to endure I have decided that to try regain my fitness I will attempt 'A thoroughly enjoyable morning' this years club champs.I'm sure you will look favourably on an invalid. “It’s rough up there.” That’s what I had Ian Winterburn been warned by a well-recced Neil Northrop on the way over. “It’s hard to get a good line.” We drove over the summit of Snake in thick cloud as the early starters were finding their way up the hill. My lack of preparation did not augur well, and I was considering the ‘safe’ option of detouring via the Shelf Stones along the route of the Shelf Moor race to guarantee myself a good trod the whole way to Bleaklow Head. By the time we had parked in Old Glossop, the clouds had lifted and the sun was shining brightly if not very warmly. Neil, my two-minute man in the handicap, was being decidedly less cocky. With a few of the late starters missing on the day, it was a lonely group of us that set off at the end of the chase. With excellent visibility and no clue as to where I was going, I set off hard to keep Neil in sight. This cowardly tactic served me well, and I gained ground all the Oli-oop, the eventual winner leaps the way to the top of the hill, at which point stile at Wildboar Clough he took off like a rocket and left me struggling to keep up on the descent down struggling half way up. A last kick up to the Wildboar Clough. ruin at the top, and it was downhill all the On leaving Wildboar, I took the chance to way to the finish. This last section wasn’t get in front, and set my sights on the few exactly straightforward, however, and I had runners in the distance. I enjoyed the section to double-check my map as I dropped off over the rough ground to Long Gutter Edge, the side of Cock Hill to make sure I didn’t and managed to find a good line off the side stray into the forbidden zone on the edge of of Torside Naze. All of a sudden there were Shittern Clough, as did a few others. The a lot of earlier starters around and I was splash along the waterlogged track back to starting to feel really good. Then I looked the finish seemed to go on for ever, as it up and saw the dark south face of Torside does in the Shelf Moor race, and there was Clough looming up above me. Just getting plenty of post-race analysis going on by the to it was hard enough, through a boulder- time I arrived. strewn river, then a slippery, slithery So it wasn’t rough up there after all, and scramble ensued up the bank. All of a was a lot faster than most of us had sudden, Neil appeared beside me with a grin anticipated, but no less of a great club on his face, having found a much nicer champs route for it. A thoroughly enjoyable direct route. morning. Thanks to Andy Harmer for the That gave me a kick up the backside, and excellent planning, and congrats to the real I pushed hard up the remainder of the climb, winners, Richard Hopkinson and Nicky with little breath to spare to offer words of Spinks for the handicap. encouragement to my wife, who was Oli Johnson Dark Peak News December 2010 page 16

DP Wilderness First Aid Course

23–24 October 2010 Pathetic excuses for club champs I'm in, please. 43 on 6th November and, naturally, The weekend got off to a rather inauspicious speed severely curtailed this year by far too many start when the Safety Officer contrived to hours spent walking up and down hills ... crown himself on my more than hazardous Willy Kitchen self-closing car boot; no obviously permanent damage was done however, and a followed dozen budding bandagers were soon by a bit of head assembled in the Hope Valley for two days tilting, mouth to mouth, and chest of “wilderness” first aid. compressions. If I’m honest, I’m still not It may have been the concussion talking, sure what CPR stands for, but did learn that but the most memorable outcome of the doing compressions to the tune of “Stayin’ introductions was the revelation that, Alive” is just about the correct tempo, and despite his admirable diligence in carrying that one should target the spot midway the club’s shiny new red OMM sack and between a man’s nipples. I should be fine first aid kit on every club run he attends, then if ever in need of resuscitation – just Mark in fact has absolutely no idea aim for the midway point between whatsoever what to do with its contents. the ever-present and oh-so prominent Perhaps, then, he might be more Vaseline stains. appropriately re-titled the Safety Porter? Be The second morning dawned bright and that as it may, we settled down to a morning sunny, so it was remarkable that no-one, of scene setting and some considerable (other than the Safety Officer, claiming a debate as to what the club’s responsibilities prior work commitment), had done a bunk. might be in relation to health and safety. Having run quickly through a bewildering Like all the best club debates, we singularly range of other minor ailments, we did failed to reach any meaningful conclusion. finally get outside to practice our new found In the meantime our instructor, Wayne, skills in the afternoon. Fellow members will ruefully watched the clock ticking in the no doubt be relieved to learn that, in each of background. the three different simulations, we had a The afternoon and a good deal of the near perfect record of managing to kill the following morning found us somewhat casualty we were treating – so next time unconvincingly repeating the mantra to when out on a run with your newly trained CPR dummies that we “were first aiders” and duly certificated DP first aiders, you and inquiring whether we “could help”. The can rest assured that help is still only a answer should have been obvious, but mobile phone call away. nonetheless this instruction It’s probably fair to say that different was routinely people took different things from the weekend. Those who had not sat through a work-related first-aid course in the previous Pathetic excuses for club champs ten, (in many cases forty), years perhaps got As an aside, last year some of the more more out of it than those of us who had. senior club members obviously got to you as my published handicap seemed Nonetheless, there was plenty of useful to get worse as the day of the race hill-related advice and food for thought, and approached. I'm looking for you to stand all participants are, I’m sure, very grateful your ground this year and not succumb to the club for subbing the course fees, to to the devious plotting that obviously went on last year. John Armistead Dark Peak News December 2010 page 17

Wayne for the training, and most of all to The mother of all pathetic excuses for club champs Tom and Mark for organising the thing in the FOR ME, I had a good summer with the first place. We are also now all proud owners Monday night Summer series. of handy little First Aid Pocket Manuals, Excuses: should anyone fancy a shufti. However by the end I had an Achilles The overall messages I take away from the problem which I am still nursing, but it is weekend are; improving with cut out heel, more cycling and a little running. I've been in the USA for 6 1. A personal first aid kit should as a bare weeks, 1st I got something from the flight minimum contain one triangular bandage which slowed me down (OK, even further) for and two soluble aspirin, (handily a fortnight, then caught a stinking cold from preserved in a waterproof “ASPOD”), but my new Granddaughter, another 2 weeks no other drugs feeling lacklustre. At least bugs have made me slow down so it has given my Achilles 2. Heart attack is, sadly, one of the most more chance to recover. Then there is my likely conditions to be encountered on the usual: I'm now 60 I've never regained my hill, (hence the importance of aspirin) fitness after my microdiscectomy for slipped disk. Although as long as I keep up the 3. Walking somebody off the hill is, except massages, it doesn't give me much trouble. in the case of minor injuries, generally not Summer 2008 I had a right knee arthroscopy the recommended “first aid” option – operation to tidy up the cartilage that was making as safe as you are able, then giving me trouble. Despite removing 40% of getting help, is nearly always the one of the cartilages, I eventually got the full preferred alternative all clear in September 2008 to "do whatever I was doing before" (seems as long as your 4. It can never be a bad thing to have one cartilage rim is in good shape, the rest does or two people around who know at not matter too much). least the basics of first aid, and who have the nous and confidence to take April 2009. Just got back to some semblance charge should a serious incident occur of fitness and I thought my left knee was whilst out on a club jamboree. going the same way as the right. So little training over the summer. After much toing All of which being said, responsibility and froing from physio and Northern General, for personal safety – including the they can't find anything specific. So I've done carrying of a personal medical kit, a few runs/races (Monday night) which seem (particularly if you take medication OK as long as I don't do too much mileage, for whatever reason) – must continue hence I've done more gym, swimming and to reside with the individual and not cycling. with the club and its members. I suspect we might be hearing more I'll have been in the USA for 6 weeks prior to of this at a club meeting coming to the club champs, mostly childminding, so you soon (enough). In the disturbed sleep and feeling tired, I will also meantime, thanks again to Tom have jet lag. Many thanks for sorting the and Wayne, and apologies to handicap, and look forward to seeing you Mark. I trust the headache has there. subsided by now. Jim Orrell Willy Kitchen Dark Peak News December 2010 page 18

Fed up of cold wet peat bogs and freezing sleeping bag and emergency equipment. To rain? Think it might be an invigorating make it manageable, the event is broken change to take to the Sahara and sample the down into several stages over seven days. warmth of the sun? Maybe that’s what Tim and Steve Martin had in mind when they Day One: 29km entered the Marathon des Sables; it’s not The day started at 6am with the Berbers quite what they experienced. Here’s Tim’s unceremoniously removing our tents. In account. Savour the pain... truth, we had all been awake for some time. The race was not due to start until 9am but A 140-mile, seven-day race across the desert the three hours passed in a frenzy of in searing temperatures with just a pair of activity, eating, re-packing backpacks, running shoes between you and the toughest binding up feet, sorting out snacks and terrain on the planet. The Marathon des electrolytes, and generally getting ourselves Sables, is one of the most prestigious in the right frame of mind. There was a endurance events in the world. The location universal feeling of relief that the wait was for this extraordinary event is the Sahara over, but also nervousness that the factors Desert in Morocco. I had to cope with we had not really trained with - the heat, the mid-day temperatures of up to 120°F, with sand, the greater weight of packs would running across rocky ground, over dried cause problems. lakes and through palm groves, as well as Although my pack was very heavy, the the shifting sands of the dunes. And just for going was firm and I made good progress good measure, I carried my own food, Dark Peak News December 2010 page 19 for the first 5kms, at which point I crossed a discomfort of the day was rapidly forgotten series of passes. There was only one route, as feet were patched up, food devoured and so my pace was dictated by others. This the banter between me and my dad began. continued to the first checkpoint at 12km. Here, the route widened as we encountered Day Three: 40km our first dunes, stretching for 4km. I planned to continue with the 20/10 Although not particularly big, they took a strategy. My attitude was that Day Four was remarkable amount of energy to cross. going to be a killer, so I just had to survive After exiting the dunes I suffered the the day uninjured. Following morning affects of not training with a 10 kilo announcements and sing we were off. There rucksack. My shoulders were screaming, the was the usual chopper-fuelled sprint start, pain eventually worked its way to my legs, followed by a gradual steadying in pace. and with the combination of the heat and The field was fairly spread out by low humidity, I was starting to really Checkpoint One. The stage proved struggle. Falling at the first hurdle relatively straightforward. With the correlated to the amount of preparation I exception of one climb, the first 20km was did, (absolutely b*gger all!). When I finally fairly flat. My backpack was still got back to camp, I stripped off my shoes uncomfortably heavy and the 20/10 meant I with some caution to assess the day's couldn’t sustain my pace when running. The damage. Even though my feet felt bad, they route planners varied the final 10km with a were no way near as bad as fellow series of dunes, a long soft sandy climb and competitors’. I knew the desert would be then a final stretch into the camp which cold at night; I had not imagined it would be seemed to go on forever. A good day this bad. Even with a sleeping bag designed though, even if the temperatures did reach to cope with sub-zero temperatures, I 50 degrees Celsius. struggled. It was a long night. Day Two: 35.5km Day Four: 82.2km This was the biggie – the pinnacle of the My second running day, with my pack- race. The first 20km was over flat but rocky weight cut by consumption of the previous ground, 20km to 27km was crossing a sandy day's food. I had devised a run-20-minutes, valley, 27km to 29km took us through some walk-10-minutes strategy, and so set off at a very grown-up dunes, and 29km to 34.5km canter. The going was flat for the first 5km, was a long and steep climb. Then it was followed by a series of climbs and descents. 10km of the most unpleasant dunes yet I ran across flat ground of varying encountered - depressingly soft and just too consistency, and through valleys, high to scale in one go. This was followed culminating in a 9km stretch across a dried by 8km of soft lake bed, 5km across a rocky lake bed. It looked harmless to start with; it flat stage, and then a final 5km of dunes and was only as we closed in on it that we began into camp. to appreciate how understated our route It was the first time that tiredness had book was with its warning of a “difficult forced me into a shuffle instead of a walk. I climb”. It was a beast. The first two-thirds finally exited the dunes and stumbled into was soft sand - think two paces forward, CP3. It was here, while lying in the shade of one back. This then became a steep a Land Rover and trying to work out how to scramble over boulders while trying to get another two litres of warm water into avoid small falling rocks dislodged by me, that the elite runners sped by. So as not competitors above. Everyone in the tent to spread the field out too far, the top 50 managed to finish day two, and the Dark Peak News December 2010 page 20 The piccy in the middle

So is this the right way to the beach? Tim leads a line of zombies through seemingly endless sand dunes The piccy in the middle Dark Peak News December 2010 page 21 Dark Peak News December 2010 page 22

competitors at that point in the week were Day Seven: The last one! delayed at the start for two hours. The The day that I was waiting for. The dunes leader would then go on to finish in a loomed large, but rumour had it they were staggering seven hours. pretty firm and the direct route missed the I dragged, walked, and stumbled my way largest ones. I shoved down enough across a large dried lake bed and, just as it Ibuprofen tablets and Paracetamol to get me was getting dark, encountered a sandstorm. off of my head. I had decided to absolutely I reached the final checkpoint. From here I bomb it down, because I knew the knew it was just 9km to the final bivouac. painkillers would wear off, and then I would This stretch went on forever until, finally, I be in a world of pain. I lasted 16km, before saw the sponsored teapot balloon which I felt it: the sharp pain in my right hamstring was glimmering in the distance. I crawled brought me to a sharp halt. It felt like I had past the officials on the line and used my pulled or strained the muscle. last remains of energy to crawl into my As I limped into the first and only sleeping bag. I had survived the most checkpoint, French officials, appearing feared day of the week. concerned, pulled me into the medical tent and had a good look. This was taking too Day Five: Rest Day long, and all I wanted to do was reach the The joy of not having the tent removed at finish, so as they turned their backs I pegged 6am was exquisite. We enjoyed a leisurely it as fast as I could. The adrenaline only breakfast and desperately pretended that a lasted for so long. And so the limping lie-in on rock-solid desert floor was in fact persisted until the finish line. comfortable. Mid-morning, we were all I was hustled back to Ouarzazate, (a five asked to congregate in the middle of the star hotel), for a night of celebration and bivouac. The organiser, Patrick Bauer, told constant consumption of Moroccan meat. us that each competitor had to replace their The seven-hour journey gave me time to numbers, as the sponsors’ names were consider the week I had just been through. becoming smeared off. In exchange for the Despite the demands, the Marathon des effort, we got a can of coke, which never in Sables is an extraordinarily positive my life tasted so good. Late afternoon, in experience that I will remember till my what has become an MdS tradition, every death bed. competitor turned out to clap the final few Tim Martin runners home. Day Six: 21.1km Marathon Day As I lined up, there was a general feeling that having got this far, nothing would now stop me. The terrain further buoyed us - no large dunes and relatively flat - as did our lighter backpacks. The checkpoints passed relatively slowly for me, and to make matters worse, my hamstring was starting to niggle. I managed to crawl over the finish line but in a subdued state. Dark Peak News December 2010 page 23

A brief history of some things we run past - part 3

Millstones About five years ago while out running, a bunch of excited Italians showed us a climbers’ guide with a photo of millstones on the cover and asked us by gesticulating where they could be found. We were able to point them in the right direction. A year or so later on a visit round a windmill in Suffolk the guide mentioned that the millstones they used to use came from two main sources – Paris and the Peak District. He said he thought you could still find stones lying around somewhere near Sheffield. I felt compelled to confirm his suggestion having seen loads while out running. unfinished state still exist. If people travel all the way from the Millstones were flat or domed, round Mediterranean for a glimpse, and they are edged or flat edged, each having different mentioned by Suffolk windmill guides, then uses- crushing ore, pulping wood or the I reckoned these large geological polo mints ingredients used to make paint for example. perhaps merited more attention than us Peak District stones were not the best for runners give them. grinding flour because they discoloured it; The Millstone Edge/ Burbage area became hence the preference for imported a major source of millstones in the 16th C. Parisian stones. By the 19th C. it dominated the industry Production ceased in the 1920s when mainly because of the scale of production, paper milling declined, and the abandoned and partly because the Napoleonic Wars pile of abandoned millstones we directed meant imports from France had declined. the Italian tourists to, which the latest The first stage of manufacture was to ‘Exterminator’ route passes on the wide hammer dried wooden pegs into cracks in grassy path between the Millstone Edge the rock face and then to make them swell road crossing and Padley Gorge, date from by soaking with water. The cracks thus the start of WW2. widened making it easier to remove the Old millstones in ones and twos are loosened stone blocks. They would be liberally scattered below Burbage and dragged and positioned using chains and Stanage Edge and elsewhere, and were the bars, and it then took a worker a fortnight to cause of much curiosity when out for a walk chisel a shaped millstone while the block with a couple of French chaps recently. was propped up at an angle with smaller Mike Arundale stones. Abandoned examples in this Dark Peak News December 2010 page 24

Been there, done that...

In Joss Naylor's footsteps Mungrisedale to Wasdale – 3 July 2010

Joss first told me in the Wasdale car park the climbs are much longer in the first half during our 2009 Bob Graham weekend of than the main Joss Naylor Pooley Bridge to his intention to complete a new run the Greendale Bridge Lakeland crossing route. following day. His plan was to run from We also had more convivial rest stops than Mungrisedale to Wasdale in fifteen hours to planned – so what, it was a nice day! mark his fiftieth year of competitive fell The first section with Blencathra and running. Oh yeah?! Then there it was, in his Skiddaw before the fields to Braithwaite is a biography, published late 2009: Chapter 14, big leg, then Grisedale Pike is a long drag, “The Longest Day” (Summer Solstice). and after Wandhope we got horribly After reading the account, Alan Yates and snarled-up in bracken getting off Whiteless I toyed with the idea and thought it looked Pike to the road. An extended tea-break at feasible for a go sometime this summer. Newlands Hause followed by Robinson and Several other deranged people also Dale Head wasn’t too bad, but Grey Knotts expressed an interest, so it was just a matter from the quarries is an underestimated steep of setting a date convenient for all climb - I was even starting to looking concerned. I cobbled a makeshift schedule forward to the more familiar ground of together and, carefully avoiding Gable and onwards round the last section of grandchildren's birthdays, (don't laugh – the traditional Joss Naylor route. you'll get there one day), we agreed an Time was knocking on by the time we got attempt on 3rd July. Unfortunately Alan was to Black Sail Pass; it was 6.30pm, and we going to be away in the Pyrenees, so he set off at 4.00am so we certainly weren’t nipped in two weeks before us and did a setting any records. Having said that we typical AY-type “variation” of the route over hadn't intended to, being content with the two days, missing out several of the listed overall challenge of the route and the fells in favour of his own selection, company. Doc Moseley had kindly dropped presumably to maintain his inimitable and by with a bag of goodies as agreed, (and much celebrated “fellsmanship”. Alison's hair dryer). He said he'd been It obviously doesn’t count then! waiting there ages, and was cold and hungry As it turned out there were four of us on – so we gave him most of the food he'd the day: me, Dick Pasley, Bob Marsden and carried up. Rejuvenated, we cracked on but Alison Shepherd, with Colin Henson and then wasted well over half an hour looking Dave Moseley at the road crossings. We for each other at Scoat Fell. We had split took eighteen and a half hours in the end but into two pairs coming down Wind Gap from didn't recce anything other than the fields Pillar, each then sitting and waiting for the across to Braithwaite, so we were all highly other pair at “different sides” of the big wall delighted with the completion. It certainly opposite Steeple. How daft is that?! took longer than estimated. I thought about We found the good line off Haycock but 15+ hours with carrying our own stuff, but then the ever familiar “gentle slope” of Dark Peak News December 2010 page 25

Seatallan slowed the pace until a good run Route: 40 miles, 16,000ft. 20 summits. down to Buckbarrow bought us a last few (Start: Mungrisedale) Souther Fell, minutes of daylight. We also opted for the Blencathra, Skiddaw, Grisedale Pike, easier right hand but longer descent off the Wandhope, Whiteless Pike, Robinson, top of the crag, via Gill Beck and along the Dalehead, Grey Knotts, Brandreth, Green road, due to the fading light. Anyway, it Gable, Great Gable, Kirk Fell, Pillar, was good. Tougher than we had envisaged, Scoat Fell, Haycock, Seatallan, Cat and good to get finished in daylight - just! Bields, Glade How, Buckbarrow. (Finish: Joss had been up on Glade How earlier to Greendale Bridge). meet us but had returned home and was there to meet us and have a chat when we Editor’s Note: Joss’s original 2009 run clocked in. raised a considerable sum for the Eden Many thanks to Colin for the driving and Valley Children’s Hospice. It was filmed by copious amounts of tea, to Doctor Dave for the famous outdoors broadcaster Eric driving, and also for wearing bright orange Robson. “Joss Naylor – Iron Man” is now trousers as a homing beacon at Black Sail, available as a dvd, produced by Striding (and for eating our food). Also to Alison, Edge Productions. If you fancy it as a last woman of steel and strong all day, to Dick minute Christmas present, you can get it and Bob – excellent examples of how to eat online at Amazon for £15.99. The dvd cover just about anything/anytime all the time! records the run as being 35 miles long, but My own contribution was slowing the pace Dave’s estimate of 40 miles is based on gps down on the climbs. readings that were taken independently by Dave Lockwood two of his supporters.

Left to right: Alison Shepherd, Dave Lockwood, Dick Pasley and Bob Marsden Dark Peak News December 2010 page 26

Twenty-four Forty-eight hours in May

In days of yore, when the Dark Peak BG machine was more of a moped than a juggernaut, I used to lug a rope onto Scafell to help contenders up Broad Stand. With a small, competent party and dry rock this worked well, but with the crags dripping, scaling the corner became a time and energy-consuming mauvais pas. Queuing ensued. Time and momentum were lost. The alternative route now employed, via Lord’s Rake and the West Wall traverse, whilst still being a little intimidating in the mist, keeps everybody rolling along nicely. Assuming, of course, that the perched block at the top of the rake doesn’t roll along nicely. The BG attempt usually coincides with the midsummer weekend, and that in turn usually coincides with many Three Peaks Challenges. Hence, despite the early hour, I always found the lane to Seathwaite Farm chocker with minibuses and bleary hikers asking the way to Scafell Pike. These groups raise large sums for charity, but their impact on the hills and the communities at their feet is now beginning to attract some criticism. Guidelines have been drawn up, one being to limit participation to a maximum of two hundred per event. Witnessing this rural traffic jam every year got me thinking that there must be a better way…

Heading north up the side of Loch Lomond my eyelids started to sag. Mick was already snoozing. Fair enough, after all we’d had a busy time since leaving Llanberis. Snowdon and Scafell were in the bag, with just the Ben to go. I nodded a couple of times, but inevitably succumbed. I awoke to a jolt. We had arrived in Crianlarich. The evening train from Queen Street was dividing, with the front half Oban-bound and our carriages heading to Fort William. Extensive scrutiny of the national rail timetables and a not insignificant number of interventions from booking clerks, guards and ticket collectors had got us to this point. Our plan was to climb the Three Peaks in 24 hours without recourse to a motor vehicle. Instead we were using our push bikes to link to the rail network. It would have been lovely to take advantage of the

Train ticket hell Dark Peak News December 2010 page 27

summit for 2.30 a.m., followed by a rapid descent where we startled a few early hikers. At 4.30 a.m. we cruised into Bangor station, just as the café opened for teas, coffees and light refreshments – an unexpected treat! Half an hour later we were rattling along the north Wales coast to Chester. The departure board showed that our train from Chester to Crewe was running a few minutes late, but since we had plenty of time in hand, we weren’t unduly concerned. Gavin with his bedroom eyes However, the lateness grew. And grew. We divined the reason when the DMU finally overnight sleeper to Fort William, but arrived (DMU = diesel motive unit, for without an unscheduled stop at Oxenholme those of you without train-spotter dads). Junction at two in the morning this was not Only one of its two engines was working, so an option. Instead we had caught the first it was managing barely 40 mph flat out. Our train out of Bangor at around five and were cushion at Crewe evaporated and we finally now on the evening train bound for the Fort. limped in 10 minutes too late for our The fly in the ointment of our sub-24 connection. The original schedule gave us ambitions was that it was now Sunday six and half hours to complete the Lake afternoon and we’d left Bangor on District leg of the adventure. A frantic Saturday morning. thumb through the timetables showed A half hour stint at the Sheffield that, if we caught the next train and advanced bookings counter had could manage Windermere– equipped us with a full-deck of tickets Scafell–Windermere in five and for our journey from Sheffield to Fort a quarter hours, we could get William via Bangor and Windermere. back on schedule. The leg from Sheffield to Bangor The shiny red Virgin proved an interesting warm-up. We pulled in and we missed our connection at wheeled our bikes Stockport and later (much later) towards the cycle failed to get ourselves and our stowage at the front. bikes on the first train out of To our misfortune, Chester, due to swarms of the guard was youngsters heading for a Radio there and she One festival. On the bright side, Pete’s Eats was still open when we eventually rode into Llanberis on a muggy Friday evening. We had tents with us, but since we were rising early we dossed under the stars in a field beside the tourist path. An alpine start (a new experience for Mick!) saw us on Snowdon Our intrepid twosome on Snowdon Dark Peak News December 2010 page 28

flatly refused to let us board, since we didn’t have bike reservations for her particular service! (insert expletives here). That was it; we were stuffed. The choice now was whether to head direct to Scotland, or to continue our original itinerary at a 24-plus pace. Either way we had to find a train that would take us, so I headed for the ticket office to rebook our bikes. The computerized booking system was less than helpful. The clerk couldn’t find any trains that day that could take us. I trudged back down to the platform, wondering how to tell Mick that, instead of the Scottish highlands, we were to spend our holiday in Crewe. As I arrived another shiny red Virgin train was Mick looking relaxed at Penrith station pulling in, so we tried our luck. Quick, no same service, but a day later. Having sorted guard. Throw the panniers on and cram the this out, we caught the DMU, (two engines bikes into the rack. Phew. Crewe was not to this time), to Windermere and cycled to the be our holiday destination, instead it would Lakeland Runner café in Ambleside for be… …Lancaster. elevenses. At Lancaster I tried again to book us onto Stashing our luggage in the storeroom we a Glasgow train, but these were all fully enjoyed a swift ride up Langdale to Stool booked (max four bikes per train). In an End Farm, where Mick had pre-arranged inspired moment I asked the clerk to check bike parking with Mrs Rowan. We vented on availability from Penrith, rather than our frustration on Rossett Gill and were Lancaster or Oxenholme. To our relief this soon scrambling over the roof of England. was possible, so now instead of leaving En route we met some of Simon Patton’s Oxenholme at 1500 on Saturday we were to BG support crew and at the summit were depart from Penrith at 1530 on Sunday – the many folk sweating their way round the Old County Tops. All very sociable. We were back at the bikes inside three hours, which included time for a cooling dip. A steady cycle over Dunmail Raise to Keswick occupied the late afternoon, followed by traditional refuelling at the chippy. We then leant our bikes against the Moot Hall, bought a couple of beers and waited for Simon’s glorious arrival. Some pints later we gave up waiting, (sorry Simon), headed out of town and pitched the tents. Half the club seemed to be in the Lakes that weekend, since we also bumped into the Moores, the Milners and the McIvers. To each couple we retold our sorry tale, becoming quite a proficient double act by the third recitation. Next morning the C2C Scafell Pike during rush hour Dark Peak News December 2010 page 29 cycle way led us to Penrith station, (vast executed rather too much greasy boulder improvement on Crewe and Lancaster), hopping. The steep, rocky, fell race descent where, after sneakily brewing up on the wasn’t at all sensible in the dark, so we platform, we boarded the Glasgow train. Ho stuck to the path the whole way down. As hum, only 24 hours late. we came round the shoulder of Meall an Mick and I heartily recommend George t-Suidhe the hostel lights came into view. Square for whiling away an hour or so on a Despite managing to somehow lose the path sunny Sunday afternoon. A local (pigeon) again, we were soon down, with the clock tried to steal my pizza and a smartly dressed stopping at 1.10 am. fellow invited us to a church service. I tried to kick the pigeon, we politely declined the invitation and boarded our train instead. The West Highland line is a fabulous ride and I inflicted my anglo gaelic on Mick by pointing out the many peaks, glens, lochs and rivers. Dusk was falling as we reached the Spean valley. This was the cue for us to prepare for more action, much to the bemusement of our fellow passengers. We still wanted to find out if sub-24 was possible, so were planning to head straight 'Did we get return tickets?' up and down the Ben. If we made it back down to the Glen Nevis youth hostel before We’d always know that the plan was 1.30 am we’d be inside 48 hours. ambitious, especially given the number of Last winter was a monster in Scotland, so independent moving parts. Punctuality data even at the end of May the Nevis summit for the various train operating companies plateau was snow-bound. Add a moonless averages about 95%. This may not sound night, some traditional Scottish clag and too bad, but it does mean the chances of navigation became a chore. Up through the seven consecutive trains all running to murk we found the top of Tower Ridge, schedule is around 70% (0.957). Sadly we from where we carefully skirted round the struck unlucky. With the exception of one Tower and Gardyloo Gully cornices to the jobsworth at Crewe, all the railway staff trig pillar. A couple of photos, then off on were very helpful and, I felt, rather the magic bearings, which eventually took apologetic at the quality of the service that us back to the zigzags, but not before we’d they were sometimes being asked to deliver. A laid-back approach was definitely necessary, (thanks Mick). Despite failing in our objective, I think we showed that batting about in a car or minibus may not be a necessity for a sub-24 Three Peaks. Of course the escapade may have been easier until the mid 1960s, since before Mr Beeching’s axe fell there were branch lines to Keswick and Llanberis. I do like the idea that an earlier generation of hair-brained mountain-loving folk might have already done the business. Gavin looking for the magic bearings Gavin Williams on the Ben Dark Peak News December 2010 page 30

The Royal Dungworth Saturday 25 September 2010

Ideal weather and perfect underfoot official run-in, (in any event, it was a replay conditions round the whole course enhanced of 2009 for Mick, having come second last the usual gaiety of DPFR’s traditional “rite year to Tom Bell who had also done the of autumn”. Cow Gap deviation). It was a bumper turn-out this year, mainly Hiro’s fan was awarded jointly to the because Penistone Footpath Runners, orienteers, for their collective aberration, (long-time supporters of our race), had with the Granville Harper memorial trophy included Dungworth in their club going to Graham Gristwood, (Mercia), who championship series. Their lad + dad led the other lemmings home. If the tandem of Lee, (eighth overall), and Steve front-enders’ claim on the vulgar Storey, (11th place, first V50), put in a most simulacrum of the original fan had not been noteworthy performance. The DPFR so irrefutable, then Dave Needham and Jim equivalent was former champion Graham Fulton, (possibly others too), would have Berry, (35th, first V60 and first V65), been candidates. The ladies’ moose-head backed up by son Danny, (49th), who came trophy, retrieved from Oxford thanks to the in only just behind Penistone’s Ray Brown, bicycle-courier services of Sean Ledger, (1st V70). went to Rachael Elder, whose time of 41:55 Knott Fell Runners’ club championship is deserves applause. traditionally decided by a single race, (the Andy Harmer popped up from nowhere, Royal Dungworth). As Neil Goldsmith was completely off-cue, to compound the KFR’s only representative on the day, he shambles of the race review and awards went home as their proud Club Champion ceremony. He disappeared just as suddenly, for 2010. having thrust into the hands of John Gunnee A fair cross-section of DPFR elite, the grotesque neo-fascist Brugarolas trophy (including a former Dungworth champion for success in the Loxley Valley rough and the winner of the 2010 Lake District running series. By the time the main Mountain Trial, all of them crack members business was completed John had composed of ShUOC), went off course in the final himself sufficiently to be able to make an mile, with a longish detour via Cow Gap eloquent and plausible explanation for and return on tarmac to the finish field. palming off to someone else the Some allege that this was a rather extreme said monstrosity. measure to avoid the eponymous cow dung Tom Webb and his family kindly on the track into Ringwood Lane. It’s not volunteered to do time-keeping and certain whether Shaun Dimelow, (1st V40), finish-line duties. Sincere thanks go to was with this leading pack or whether them, as also to the other people who Pathetic excuses for clubhe champs just pipped Mick Stenton, contribute regularly to making the race I'd like to enter the champs race (1ston Sat V45), 6th over possible and it being such an enjoyable November please. Not done many races thisthe year, event: the office staff and footpath team of seem to be more at home on the flat! Bradfield Parish Council; David Sanderson, Jan Danilo-Garbacki (for access through Woodside Farm to the turn-round at Jones’s Corner), and Robert Gray at Sykehouse Farm, (for offering a by-pass option round the slurry before the Dark Peak News December 2010 page 31 final stretch of Ringwood Lane); all at The Accounts Royal Hotel for providing warm hospitality, The historic Brasso tin has been excellent beer and chip butties, and such decommissioned, to perform now a purely welcoming surroundings for post-race symbolic-cum-ceremonial role. It has been reflection and celebration. Sadly, Mrs replaced by a sleek, modern-style cash box. Harper could not be there this year to The innovation probably explains why present the Granville Harper memorial takings this year corresponded more closely shield. She had suffered a fall at home. We than usual to the actual number of entrants. hope she recovers swiftly, and look forward The sterling total of £52.90 has covered the to seeing her at next year’s proceedings. following outlay: whisky for D. Sanderson, chocolates for BPC staff, R. Gray and Mrs Harper (£23.50); engraving of the Great Urban Fell Race tankard 2009 (£10: cross-subsidy, leverage approved by FSA); a new small shield with engraving, for Dungworth trophy (£15 estimate), leaving a surplus of about £5 to be carried forward as a float for 2011.

A final reminder that the 27th running of The Royal Dungworth race will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2011, 11 am start from the village playing field. Alan Yates

The author not winning his own race

Pathetic excuses for club champs Please take into account my complete inability to run whatsoever Tim Mackey Dark Peak News December 2010 page 32

Coniston Old Man Half Iron Man Triathlon Sunday 6 June 2010

This was to be my biggest challenge yet. Trev Milner's excellent result from the 2009 race had forewarned me that this was a chunk tougher than The Day in the Lakes Triathlon I'd completed in the same year. The distances were roughly the same - a 1.25 mile swim, a 45 mile bike and a 13 mile run - but The Old Man race took in Wrynose and Hardknott passes and a trip up Weatherlam round the ridge anticlockwise before descending off the Old Man. A recce in the car the day before had done nothing to allay my fears when first gear and a lot of clutch burning was needed for both passes. Surprisingly, as we parked at the top of Hardknott we found ourselves in the middle of the Duddon Fell Race which gave me chance to cheer/abuse (delete as applicable) several brown vesters and take my mind off what we'd just climbed. The biggest worry though was a thigh strain that I copped for during a mountain biking fall the previous week, which had seriously hampered progress during the Hallam Chase and still saw me limping heavily as late as Saturday night. I had a schedule of Ibuprofen consumption ready for the event. Dawn broke on a very misty Coniston Water, in sharp contrast to the blue sky of the day before. I was relieved, as fog invariably means still water. It also meant, though, that buoy number two was virtually hidden in the mist way down the lake. Transition was very empty; a chat with the organisers revealed that only 30 individuals had entered, plus four teams. There was little excess body fat under the wetsuits, so competition was going to be tough. So the hooter went and we set off, Andy Moore in an advertisement for thankfully without the usual kicking and Rubber Weekly punching as we had plenty of lake to go at. Fifty one minutes later, I emerged from the Dark Peak News December 2010 page 33

places with Bob Johnston and once we'd Pathetic excuses for club champs ground up and over Kirby Moor near My good lady wife Donna Claridge would like to Grizebeck it was plain sailing back enter the Club Championships race, preferably to Coniston. with an early start time cos she’s got to then go on As usual, my back had started to cramp to work – someone has to I suppose. swim up badly during the bike. My dodgy thigh Greg Rimmer in 22nd place. was also bothering me. I was now running People’s rather slow times on five Ibuprofen tablets, but there was little would suggest it had been undermeasured evidence of them kicking in. I limped into at 1.25 miles. Transition was the usual the village bent over with a running style lengthy process, due to my hatred of the that must have made me look like the hi-tech all-in-one lycra suits favoured by the missing link. This resulted in my first gaffe rest of the field. of the day when I missed the sign directing All thoughts were then focussed on the us from Coniston High Street up the two passes. Many of the other athletes had bridleway towards Weatherlam. I ended up gone for a “granny ring” on their bike or a running an extra mile up the road before compact cassette, but it seemed like realising something was amiss and retracing unnecessary expenditure to me for one race. my steps; only a chance glimpse of another My 39/28 combination was going to have to competitor got me back on track. do. My plan was to adopt the fell racing The second gaffe followed half a mile tactic - if I thought I could walk up the later, when I missed the turn right up the passes quicker than cycling, then it would hillside that the fell race takes. I ended up in be done. As it turned out, I didn’t have to. front of some cottages hacking my way Wrynose - the least steep of the two through bracken toward the youth hostel, apparently in the car - seemed to be the when I noticed the very same runner high hardest, with the last section going straight up the hill to my right. A further hack up, which meant my legs were barely through bracken, (where is Brackenslayer turning and the front wheel was bouncing Westgate when you need him?), and I was off the road. back on track again, only to be informed I'd After a cheery wave and encouragement lost about 15 mins on Bob by his kindly from The Hairy One, I didn't find Hardknott water and jelly baby bearing partner. as tough if you used the outside of the bends As we climbed toward Weatherlam, the to give your legs brief respite. Just one **** heavens opened as they only can in the in a Range Rover threatened to ruin the Lakes, which meant overheating and climb when he insisted on charging down dehydration wasn't going to be a problem. I the pass leaving me less than six inches to enjoyed the ridge run toward the Old Man, steer my wheel through, but after a cheer especially when other athletes came into from ex member Rick Ansell reciprocating view and I overtook several before the from the fell race the day before, I was cairn. The descent provided my third gaffe looking down the valley towards the sea. of the day, when I somehow ended up in the The descent however was horrendous - a middle of the spoil heap but by now the bad bike crash in the 80s has left me very adrenaline and Ibuprofen had scared of steep descents and my forearms kicked in. I threw were solid from braking by the time I got to the valley floor. The worse part was the ripples in the tarmac that often threatened to Pathetic excuses for club champs shake your hands off the handlebars never Please put me in for the Club Champs. mind the brakes. A calendar may be necessary for my I spent the rest of the cycle swapping handicap! John Herbert Dark Peak News December 2010 page 34

caution to the wind on the worse terrain I have ever encountered and headed toward the valley floor. A welcoming cheer from Mandy and the family at the foot of the quarry spurred me to further overtaking, to give me the second fastest descent time off the Old Man. This was extremely pleasing, considering the detour over the spoil heap. It gave me fifth fastest run overall, which I was well chuffed with as I'd run an extra two miles. Publication of the results gave me 10th position overall in 6hrs 52 mins - a 51 min swim, 3:18 bike and 2:38 run, and confirmation of a further gaffe in that confusion over my and Mandy's email addresses meant she appeared to have done the event not me. Still there's always next year to put things right! Fly me - I'm Andy Andy Moore

Dave’s Training Tips Number two: Stretching Stretching. Any good athlete knows this is important before and after exercise, but far too few do it while they’re actually in action. Watch me pull a pint and you will see an apparently effortless grace and elegance. The secret is in my elasticity; with every stretch of the handpump, my muscles are being eased to their fullest extension. It’s a bit like breathing: out, then in; out, then in. I am not stretching the truth; this is good advice by any stretch of the imagination. Try it, but don’t overdo it. You should stretch your arm no further than your sleeve will reach. I’m tempted to go on, but that might be stretching the point.

Pathetic excuses for club champs BTW, did I tell you I've been injured since August? Just in case you were looking at my June/July David Gilchrist is a qualified barman. results and coming to the wrong conclusion! John Dalton Dark Peak News December 2010 page 35

Tried and tested The Garmin Forerunner 205 RRP: £149 Appearance  Value for money  Performance  OVERALL RATING  The phrase “Andy Harmer wouldn’t like it” to another. Were it not, the GPS satellites is used as an appraisal of anything new, useful would be inaccurate by about 10 kms. Mind or produced after 1950. This applies to boggling, eh? clothing and torches too, especially in the said To the point: there are three basic screens AH’s case. which you can customise to show different So it is with some satisfaction that I can information, and each of these can have either report that he doesn’t like it! Gone are the days three sub-screens or four, depending on your when all runs, Warts’ runs especially, were eyesight! I have the time, sunrise and sunset either a short 10 or a long 10, (miles, on one screen, the height above sea level and obviously), and we could return to the pub, calories used on another, (and something else, pint in hand and have a long, fruitless debate but I’m buggered if I can remember what it is), as to which of these alternatives the particular and on the main screen I have distance run fell into. travelled, (miles or kms), pace in minutes I first saw the Garmin when we did the per-mile, (or kms), and total time taken. The Watershed. Kenny Turner had been given one pace screen is very fast to react and adjusts for his birthday and was still figuring out how constantly. I have the distance as the main to use it. When asked politely, “How far have display but it’s easy to customise. we gone now, Ken?” in the manner of some Download is easy and takes place irksome child asking “Are we there yet?”, automatically when you plug into a pc or Mac, Kenny was able to supply the exact assuming you have the software loaded, information down to two decimal points. The (supplied on a disc). You can then programme trouble was that this became a rather frequent it to remind you to a “workout”, which I find a request and a source of irritated replies bleedin’ nuisance, or simply download the towards the end of the run. We did 43.52 track as a .gpx file to put on the Warts blog or miles, incidentally, due to some minor as a .tcx file which with a bit of clever web navigational error. ‘Nuff said. conversion, puts it straight onto Google Earth. Since then, several Dark Peakers have Either way it tells you a fair bit of information acquired a Garmin, and I just love mine. It can about your run; you can see examples of the tell you the time, (yes, honestly), the time of screen grabs on the Warts’ blog. sunrise and sunset at your exact position on So, ignore Andy Harmer and purchase one the planet, your height above sea level, immediately. This is real nerding while you although this does waver up and down a bit. run and can form the basis of a highly factual Pathetic excuses for club champs Ah, an interesting fact! Did you know that the discussion in the pub afterwards, when pint in BTW, did I tell you I've been injured since August? clock on the GPS satellites is set to run 38 hand you can assure the captive audience that Just in case you were looking at my June/July milliseconds slower, (or is it faster?), than an we ran 9.04 miles tonight with a climb of results and coming to the wrong conclusion! earthbound clock because time runs slower exactly 1,978 feet! John Dalton when an object is travelling faster in relation Chris Barber Dark Peak News December 2010 page 36

10 years ago... The Dark Peak first eleven was thrashed by The Sportsman third eleven in the club’s first and so far only foray onto the football field. The game was one of several events organised to celebrate The Grand Reopening of the club hut, after the extensive renovation works masterminded by Hugh Cotton and Roy Small. Dark Peak News reported that Alan Yates was joint winner of another of the events, a score course devised by Mike Browell. Also in equal first place were Howard Swindells and Tom Westgate, who exploited a slack set of rules by doing nine straight laps of the sports field, (jeered and hissed on every step of the way by “an increasingly hostile crowd”). Dark Peak dominated the Totley Terminator, claiming eight of the top ten places, with Marcus Scotney finishing first. Jim Fulton led his family to defeat in a televised endurance challenge, but captured the nation’s hearts along the way as he led the brood the wrong way of a Wastwater fell. Dave Lockwood became only the thirteenth person to complete the Joss Naylor Challenge in 12 hours, pulling back a significant deficit on the top of Pillar to finish with just three minutes to spare.

20 years ago... The club championship course was to be announced on the day, and would feature the first chasing handicapped start. The AGM agreed the changes because of concern about recceing, and in response to the National Trust’s view that races should allow some route choice and avoid mass starts when possible, (they were worried about erosion on Kinder). The club Bob Graham weekend suffered a setback when contenders Colin Henson and Frank Galbraith lost time while separated from their schedule over Scafell Pike and Bowfell. Their anti-clockwise attempt went to the wire, with Colin just succeeding, (by three minutes), and Frank agonisingly losing out by eight. Paul Sanderson had earlier recorded a clockwise success on a schedule starting at midnight. Andy Harmer and Alan Yates went out “for a jog” in the Yorkshire Fell Running Championships race at Holme Moss but got carried away and finished second V40 and first V45 respectively, Andy finishing second overall to Andy Styan. Dark Peak also took the team prize. Mark Harvey won the Trunce after showing a remarkable improvement through the year. He was 97th in Race one, 77th in race two, 32nd in race three, and then in the top ten for the rest. His time fell from 30:11 to 23:56. Could he possibly have been playing the system? Dark Peak News December 2010 page 37

The Dog’s Diary

he picture to the right is taken from the wonderful TRoute Gadget that you’ll find on the Lake District Mountain Trial website. They posted competitors’ routes, so that other runners could study them afterwards to see what they could learn. What you see here are two lines: purple is the direct line between control one, near Steel Rigg, and control two at Small Water. Red is the esoteric route taken between them by Dark Peak member Paul Elliott. Paul is relatively new to the club, so we should not poke too much fun at him. After all, this is an easy mistake to make. Both Small Water and Kentmere Reservoir appear on the map as big blue blobs. The only difference is that the latter is twice as big, has “Kentmere Reservoir” written on it, and is due west of control one, while Small Water is, er, smaller and in a different place. Obviously, this was an easy mistake to make, Paul. We’ve all been there; you stick to your guns. Somebody else behaving eccentrically in the Lakes is Ashley Kay, who I understand may now be questioned by Inspector Knacker after abandoning his six-year-old daughter at the Langdale Race. It would appear there was some miscommunication between Ashley and his partner Fiona when she cycled to the race venue. Ashley and his daughter Scarlet drove to the Old Dungeon Ghyll, while Fiona cycled to the New Dungeon Ghyll, some distance from the race. Ashley waited, and waited, and waited until start time drew nigh. He then faced an agonising choice. Should he act as a responsible parent, miss yet another race start, and face the inevitable ribbing from clubmates? Or should he abandon Scarlet and bid for glory on the hills? Lucky for him that a registered nursery known as Pete Bland Sports just happened to be on site. My sources tell me that Scarlet was busy selling a pair of Walshes from the van when Fiona finally arrived. (STOP PRESS: a little bird tells me Ashley still managed to set off late!) The cat is finally out of the bag. For a whole year Dark Peak members have wondered who it was who bought the night’s only pint of lager while the rest drank the bar dry of Bradfield Beer at last year’s club dinner. And who would have thought it of a man with such a fine Irish drinking name. Hang your head in shame, Dave McGuinness. I normally leave photography to the Lord and Master. But I couldn’t resist nipping in his camera bag as I sniffed around in the pub after the Dungworth race. Right there at dog eye level was incriminating evidence of the ultimate fashion faux pas. Here’s the evidence. Alan Yates wears socks with his sandals. Wuff Dark Peak News December 2010 page 38

The kit page

THE NEW “long sleeve vests are the dog’s b****cks. Here Chase is modelling the deluxe version, with cycle jersey-style pockets on the back for dog leads, poo bags, plus compass, map and directions home for navigationally incompetent owners. Yours for just £17. For more details of all gear, contact Equipment Officer Richard Hakes: 0114 2339912; [email protected]

Aluminium sleeping bags Price list £16.00 Vests £13 As recommended by Dark Peak safety officer Mark Harvey. Now you can get lost Sizes small, medium, large, extra large. in comfort on the hills. Pop in a teddy bear and hot water bottle, Shorts £14 switch on your Sizes medium and large. Metallic green mobile phone, cycling type. Self assembly Velcro and then just curl attachments available to cover up and wait for knobbly knees. the mountain rescue. Tracksters £18 Navy blue. Available Club badge in medium, large t-shirts £10 and extra large. In mustard yellow with club Doctor Bob badge on chest. Sizes L, M, S. recommends these for Black t-shirts £8 varicose veins. With "DARK PEAK FELL RUNNERS" in white cartoon lettering across the Polo front. Sizes XL, L, M, S. shirts £15 Whistles £1 DPFR long sleeve polo in navy blue with running man logo. Available in the Orange. Plastic. Loud. following sizes: XL L M Fleece pullovers £18 Neoprene socks £13 Navy blue or black. With half-length chest For keeping your tootsies warm on those zip and club badge on chest. cold winter nights. Sizes XL, L, M. 30-year t-shirts £5 Long sleeved vests (without pockets) £15 In a full range of sizes, from XL to VVVVS. Sizes small, medium, large, extra large. Dark Peak News December 2010 page 39

Made in the Dark Peak

...being the page where we showcase notable Dark Peak artefacts, oddities and curios... No 6 The club track suit Forget your Lycra, Pertex, Gortex, Aertex and the rest of the modern textile trade names. This is the real McCoy: a proper tracksuit with fleecy liner, elasticated bands in Dark Peak colours, and an embroidered version of the classic club badge. It brings to mind 1960’s PE lessons, and those little plastic physiotherapists who used to stand round the edge of Subbuteo pitches. The club mag from 1984 records that tops were available for £12.00, bottoms for £8.50 and the full set for £19.50. Few have survived intact, (although rumour has it that Mike Hayes was recently seen wearing his in Morrisons). Gerry Goldsmith generously handed her top on to Kirsty, so that the next generation of Dark Peak superstar could wear it with pride. Is anybody brave enough to put up their hand and admit to being the designer?

THANKS ...to Bob Berzins, Paul Sanderson, Tim Tett, Rob Moore, Lucy Wiegand, Richard Hopkinson, Andy Harmer, Oli Johnson, Willy Kitchen, Tim Martin, Mike Arundale, Dave Lockwood, Gavin Williams, Alan Yates, Andy Moore, Dave Gilchrist, Chris Barber, Kirsty Bryan Jones, Chase the dog, and especially Tim Mackey for doing such a superb job on the layout and design. The next Dark Peak News will be along as soon as you all write it. Front cover: Santa Claus - believed to be Andy Harmer or a drunk from the Peace Gardens

This page: Headstone carol singing. All together now 'Hark the headtorch angels sing...tra la la la la'