Company ***with track and video***

I don’t know what else was in that beef stew, but I was soon ready for bed. I slept well too, waking only once in the night to the sound of rain on canvas. Fortunately that rain had stopped by the morning and I could pack up camp in the dry.

The day (Thursday) was going to be a very pleasant change in that I was going to have company for part of the day. Martin was going to join me at Roach End and walk with me to the Cat & Fiddle. What a boost company gives, especially when they’re experienced and local to the area.

I headed up over the Roaches and was only a few minutes late for our rendezvous. We then walked on towards Gradbach, passing of course through Lud’s Church to pay our compliments to the Green Knight. (Go on, look it up! Don’t, however, believe everything on the geology of Lud’s Church that you read in Wikipedia.) From there it was along to Three Shire Heads, our lunchtime stop.

Hen Cloud, looking south from the Roaches

Lud’s Church: the first view in

Lud’s Church: the Green Knight

Sir Gawain in Lud’s Church, about to do battle with the Green Knight

Three Shire Heads. From left: Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire

After lunch we climbed up to Danebower Hollow, passing the old mine shafts and quarries on the way, then over to the Cat & Fiddle. (Closed, but don’t get me on to that topic!) Martin left me there. What a great time it had been for this walker. I’d effectively been on a personalised and expertly guided tour.

I decided to take the ridge path from the Cat & Fiddle. That was in one respect a good idea – you get brilliant views into the far distance, with the Wrekin on the horizon. In another respect it was a bad idea, for the path from Shining Tor to Pym Chair has been paved all the way with irregular flagstones. I understand why this was done, but surely there were more natural alternatives. Not to mention more comfortable ones.

Finally I reached Whaley Bridge. It’s a rest day tomorrow.

Upper Hulme to Whaley Bridge

A video taken on a very windswept Shining Tor can be downloaded at:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1o5iewsvidqtire/WP_20180510_14_58_32_Pro%20From%20Shining%20Tor.mp4?dl=0

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