Groovy Kinder Love

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I went around this yesterday. There's a good mix of everything - fast, slow; runnable, rough; running climbs, walking climbs. It took about 3h to get around(27km, close to 1400m climb) so 2:35 under racing conditions?

It doesn't require fine nav, but it does require the ability to set and hold a bearing. Proper fell race stuff. If the mist comes down finding Mill Hill and the trigs at Kinder Low and Brown Knoll could prove interesting. The 2nd and 3rd climbs climb could sap a lot of energy.

The start is standard from the Downfall. Once at the shooting cabin #1 (CP1 ish) you follow the quad track past it. Just before this crosses a marshy beck you stay parallel to it on a small but good trod to CP2, which is on no feature so hopefully the marshal has got it right. From here you bear left (compass may help) to pick up a good flagged path. The run to CP3 (Harry Hut trig) follows the path for 500-600m until you bear right on a good wide quad track which was lovely and springy yesterday but could be a bit muddier come the end of September.

From CP3 you can see shooting cabin #2 and the small trod you want across the valley - if it's clear. Some heather bashing brings you into the stream at the trod which is indistinct and brackeny to start with before getting better. From the shooting cabin it is wide and well made quad track leading you to CP4. Leaving CP4 uphill is a good track. You cross a stile at the wall corner and follow a small trod into a beck. You then have to make your way out of the beck and up the hill towards Mill Hill CP5. This is the roughest section of the route. The are no trods going the right way so a compass bearing and heads up to spot lines of least resistance through the heather is required. Eventually the terrain changes to grass as you approach the CP on the pennine way. Flagged paths radiating W and NE from Mill Hill can guide you in.

From here the nav gets a bit easier. Down to the top of William Clough, up Ashop head/Kinder steps and to the top of Sandy Heys CP5. Descending Sandy Heys, one of the best climbs in the peak, seems a bit paradoxical but it's still a fun descent down to Benny's Bridge CP6. Here keep the reservoir on your right. There are good paths around the reservoir, a river crossing then a short pull up over upper moor and drop down to CP7 at the river crossing. From here to CP8 at Kinder low trig there are several potential lines. You can ascend to the broad clough enclosure then strike out on OK going, climbing S of the 3 knolls or to the spur above Kinder Low end. You can go more direct through rougher terrain and trough the 3 knolls. Or anything in between. Either way it's "a mini Whernside"

From the trig a drop past Noe Stool to the packhorse bridge at the bottom of Jacob's ladder CP9 has bits of trods and lines and may be familiar from the end of trigger. From the bridge go through the gate and up the bridleway until it turns sharp right. You cross a ruined wall and head over rough grass to the steep-sided clough ahead. Ascend this then from the stream junction ascend the left gulley or the spur, bearing set, to find Brown Knoll trig CP10.

From here the going is easier but there's still a good 4 miles or so left. Follow the flags to the stile (no cutting corners!) then follow the good path to the Roych track. Short pulls up South Head CP11 and Mount Famine CP12 add an air of completeness and 2 final tests. You can then follow the track (to skirt the Dragon's Back) to Christine's gate CP13 before the final run in above the campsite to finish on the Hayfield Rec.

Yes it's a bit convoluted but it's a bit more natural than some other long races in Yorkshire and the Peak. I think it's a good all-round test of fell running - speed, endurance, repetitive climbs, terrain chops and basic nav ability. It even packs in more climb that Skyline in 4 miles less!