Despite the fact that the hike only began in the seventies, it is Famous Preacher John Wesley, way back in we have to thank for this little stroll. He noted that the town of "Bullock Smithy" (now called Hazel Grove) was a notorious place for evil, villains, and people who enjoyed torturous things. He wasn't far wrong. On this premise, someone had the exceedingly bright idea to start, and end, a ridiculous 56 mile hike in the Peak District, in the town, including some 7000 feet of climbing, and then saying it should be completed within 24 hours. Dan Hopwood must be attributed with the original idea for entering last year (2001) and also being clever enough to duck out this year. I stayed true to my word and amid the summer trips and holidays managed to rally a team of Ventures to accompany me. Family Favours were traded as both Thomas and Adrian came along, while Cobden wannabee Tom Ridgway joined us for the painful ride. The Saturday began at about 10am, - once Ridgway had found his guaranteed none Blister socks - as we drove to Bullock Smithy HQ at 3rd Hazel Grove's Scout hut near Carpet World. Kit check and registration were passed in a doddle and we dreamed of finishing already. Top fell runners finish the 56 miles in about 9 hours, Tommy Togs demanded sub 12 hours while I would be content with a finish time under 15 hours. We were some of the youngest there and admired the colourful fashion shocks of the fell running world (of course, we were all wearing our Gucci boots and Versace drill tops). At 11.30 we move to the start point in a nearby park. The BBC appear to tell us when we'll be on TV, a local MEP does a speech, hits the anvil and we're off. On the way to Checkpoint 1: Bowstones, Lyme Park we follow the lead group who jog lightly along the set route and for a few moments we are near the front of the whole race. Eventually we begin to walk, up the hill past the Boars Head pub and on into Lyme Park. A shortcut here and there following the pro's and we are at checkpoint one within an hour. Piece of cake. After a brief stop we begin our route to Chinley Churn and Checkpoint 2. Down the road to the Hilton Moorside it begins to throw it down but we continue in shorts and T-shirts. We follow the runners ahead downhill into Furness Vale and begin our unorthodox ascent of the hill by following a Geordie runner into some metre high reeds and having to cross some fences he later told us it was his own personal shortcut and that it was rubbish and not worth it. We are soon back on track walking up Tommy Togs' Worst Climb and find the checkpoint 10 metres down a slippery grass slope. Most people slipped down. A quick clip of our cards and we are on our way again to Edale Cross (checkpoint 3) Our 5 seconds of fame were shot here on our descent to the main road, and the food and water stop. Over the road a special path had been marked for the hike down another steep slope. At the bottom we inevitably had to go up. Adi Togs admits not feeling too good here, the pace too quick and thoughts even of quitting were entering his head. We climbed steadily and at the checkpoint sat down for a rest. Here began the Tognarelli twins celebrity status with everyone saying "are you two twins?". Down Jacobs ladder and a grind into Edale for checkpoint four. One Clip monitor had a double take seeing the twin Togs clipping in after each other but it was here that Adi Togs' crunch decision took place. He could do one more checkpoint after the refreshing fruit salad and the words of many telling him that the worst was over with. The whole team set off to checkpoint 5 in Castleton. We ascended quickly and overtook a few people on the climb to Hollins Cross including a solitary Hazel Grove scout who looked absolutely knackered. The descent was easy enough down a single track road and the shortest stage of the day was over with. So far we had covered 20 miles in about 5 and a half hours it wasn't even half way. On another 4 miles to the village of Peak Forest and the sixth checkpoint out of 14. We got lost coming out of Castleton trying to go a different way than the recommended Cave Dale. This was the last major climb of the day and it went on for hours. Morale had returned back to nearly nothing and the sunshine was fading fast. Navigation was going well but several times the team had joked about giving up. It is at Peak Forest that we begin to meet the same woman at every single checkpoint she had heard of the Marple's entry and was believed to be following the Hazel Grove scouts who must have been well far behind us. On to Millers Dale, half way and number 7. By the time we reached it my feet had started feeling pain, Adi must have been running on empty for a long time without saying anything and morale was still low. However, it was raised slightly by the fact that we were gunning for home now but disheartened once again when a man and woman jogged past us looking very fresh. It was now dark, just to compound all your misery and we joined with others into a group of eight to go on to checkpoint 8 in Chelmorton. We climbed well on the roads but all anyone could think of was getting to number 8 the finish was still out of reach. Donuts were a welcome sight at the Chelmorton tent and we soon departed into the darkness. This section to Earl Sterndale ( 9 ) is now famed for having Tommy Togs "Worst path to walk in the dark" title. Several times you slipped off the tractor tyre ruts and your feet screamed in agony I believed the whole sole of my feet had blistered - it was so evil. We walked on with two walkers attatching to our team of four. They would follow us all the way home and had to make do with our navigational errors. Ridgway's performance of "singin in the rain" raised morale like a bullet in your foot but Earl Sterndale and the football results eventually appeared. We reached the checkpoint at 22.04. The same woman welcomed us again but we quickly left to head for Bank Top, Dove head (10). The recommended path didn't have a signpost so we were clueless in the dark and eventually just decided to go "down". We would hit the road at some point. We did after leaping two fences one electric and one barbed wire, unfortunately the people following us had to as well I wonder what they were thinking. We continued on roads till we had to take the final footpath which we couldn't find. We had, however, gained about 5 more people to our group who were lost ish and agreed to tag on our bandwagon. It was then me that led all 11 people down another big steep slope with feet in agony, and then took them over another fence or two, till we met another group who knew where they were going so we obviously followed them. Checkpoint 10 completed sir. Next it was to our Scouting home of Cumberland Cottage (11). The woman had wondered if we'd dropped out and warned us that Hazel Grove were on our tail. As we left they came in. The route to 3 shires head was easy as we followed a guy who knew where he was going. We were soon at Cumberland after walking down the track which could have been made with hot coals for the pain it gave me. Now we just had to go home and the next route could all be done on road which is exactly what we did. Tiredness had set in ages ago and legs seized up almost immediately when you stopped. The first part after every checkpoint was hobbling back into pace and getting warm. This could have been my final stage to the Setter Dog Pub (12)as the road dragged on and on. We continued to struggle on. After this stage there would be only one more checkpoint then home. You couldn't give up now. Again, we left Walker Barn freezing and hobbling setting off to Whitely Green ( 13, finally ) just off Middlewood way. We descended through Rainow to Bollington in silence. I could feel my concentration going while map reading every decision took twice as long to make. Tom Ridgway guessed wrong at the junction and coupled with two dead end paths made our journey a little longer and enduring. We finally set off down the disused railway track, reaching checkpoint 13 at about 4.40 in the morning. It had been a long night. The final stop completed and all we had to do was walk Middlewood way to the finish at Hazel Grove Scout Hut. It was unbelievably Torturous. Legs and feet really didn't want to go on, the mind crushed and the spirit not even excited at finishing or getting within a certain time. Nothing could distract you from the piercing Pain and More pain as we ambled on in our team each with a personalised Silly Walk. Boars head again and ideas of making it for last orders now looked ridiculous. Towers road again sapped your energy. The body cried out to stop. It was now getting light and we continued our slow progress along the A6. We stopped outside and grouped with the couple who had accompanied us all night before clipping in and falling on the floor. 18 hours and 32 minutes had passed since the anvil clanged. Gradually we became more coherent. Tea and breakfast were served and we were asked to wait to collect our prizes. The nearest rival came in 1 and a half hours later. A sleep without a sleeping bag or Karrimat took us to 10 am and the awards. The team collected their 3 trophies: Bullock Smithy shield for the fastest scout team in our county, Axe Edge Trophy for the best scout team Nationally, And the Shining Tor trophy for fastest individual Scout time shared by all 3. Press demanded pictures and interviews before we hobbled and crammed ourselves into the Ridgway mobile to take us home. We finished 55th out of 123 competitiors some taking up to 26 hours to complete the course Normal walking actions were resumed by Thursday apart from Adi Togs - once all blisters, bruises, chafing and muscle injuries had healed. |
BULLOCK SMITHY |
S E P T E M B E R 7 / 8 2 0 0 2 |
Andrew Tognarelli - again. Do you lot not get bored reading this stuff?? |