14th: Making it up as we go!
At short notice, eleven of us set off from Romiley with the
intention of following the Goyt Valley Way back to its start at Vernon
Park.
We'd thought that, after this week's relatively milder temperatures
, the snow might have thawed a little and made the going easier. Well
yes, it had thawed a bit, but then had frozen again overnight, and it
soon became clear that sledges or skis might have been more appropriate
than hiking boots. Certainly crampons wouldn't have been overdoing
things, as descending through Kirk Wood towards Chadkirk was just like
trying to negotiate a particularly bumpy ski jump ramp. Lots of yelps
and squeals rang through the air as we made our barely controlled way
down, clinging to every available bush and tree.
Eventually we reached level ground safely, but our slow going was
already making us wonder if we'd have time to complete our planned
route.
The track from Otterspool alongside the Goyt was more level, but
was still an almost unbroken length of solid sheet ice, and progress was
treacherous and slow.
After crossing the footbridge towards Offerton, Sue and Jack
were dubiously eyeing the steep rimy climb which was our next stretch.
My dodgy knee, painful after a twist the day before, was all the excuse
needed to declare this a slope too far, about turn and head back to the
Hare and Hounds on Dooley Lane. There we were consoled by the genuinely
friendly welcome and the excellent food and drink!
Our re-planned route was to follow the river through Marple Dale
and then up the road to the Peak Forest canal. But yet again we were
frustrated by the icy ground which made descending to the river
impossible. So we diverted via the ruin of Marple Hall and through the
village to the canal, and from there back to Romiley along the
marginally less icy towpath.
Geoff
