I'm goint to take the track down the east (left) side of the valley. It'll be a touch further but much faster going.
I'm goint to take the track down the east (left) side of the valley. It'll be a touch further but much faster going.
...and I think I'll take the Higger Tor/Carl Wark route. Mainly because I know some of it already. The paths aren't much, and it's a bit wet as you approach Toad's Mouth, but it should be runnable. The line of the right of way is OK, and you can take a left fork near the end to hit the road at Burbage Bridge. I don't know the other routes though, so don't qualify as an expert.Originally Posted by MOUNTAIN MAN
After a decent run at the Dovedale Dipper 26 yesterday despite my longest run for 3 months being a flat 11 miles, I've decided to enter this again, though was sorely tempted by the Phil Liggett cycle challenge on the same day.
Pleased the checkpoints are being marked better this time and have been reduced in number. I was more than a little irked after being told at the start that missed dibpoints = DQ, making sure I got them all which including a blisteringly hot descent back down and up Stanage to pick up one, only to find I needn't have bothered. Even so that one is still worth keeping at eye out for, you go up the main track and not directly through it, it's a metre or so off to the left hand side if it's on the same stile/gate.
I'm thinking of taking the eastern route between Burbage Bridges, had a quick play on Memory Map and maybe 0.15 miles further but it's a much better track - even if all routes were equally runnable it's only going to be a couple of minutes lost at most. I struggled with the valley path last year with it being boggy and causing me to cramp up, though conditions this year could be much drier underfoot. Don't know the Higger Tor path too well.
Last year I think I did a bit over 33 miles - even allowing for my doubling back for a CP pretty sure it was a tad over distance. I've plotted it up at 33.4 miles this time using the eastern Burbage track - think the addition must be in the new route going down the old railway and through Bamford rather than over the dam and straight up the road.
Last edited by SteveS; 02-08-2010 at 10:42 AM.
Good to see you're back running SteveEnjoy the Long Tour
Poacher turned game-keeper
Had a recce of second half of course yesterday, quite a pull out of Bamford to hit the road towards Stannage.
No problems on route finding particular to DazThe Slug's excellent description of route to Checpoint 16. Just one question when leaving the road towards the Stanage Edge checkpoint do you follow the main track up onto the edge or have to deviate through the braken paths? only ask this question as following the track up there was no stile or gate at the top, but looking left we could see a stile/gate approximately 500m.
splatcher:
1) CP16 down to the railway bridge - I thought I'd have trouble with that bit, but was actually dead easy - as you go through the kissing gate (not stile) you just go straight on down the bank (very steep) and drop to an easily visible path, go right (SW) contouring along through quarry until you get to the ruins of what would've been the housing for pulling the trucks up the incline (don't know technical term), then down the incline to where an obvious path comes across at right angles (and the incline below is heavily overgrown anyway), left at the path for a few yards, then down right alongside wall
2) Highlow Brook - well spotted! I just followed the main path to the South, which involved quite a lot of ascent/descent to Stoke Ford - I should've noseyed over the first footbridge to check for a path to the north but didn't
need somebody else on this one...
(and 3) cos didn't do that bit)
You follow the main track all the way up to Stanage, but the checkpoint itself should be on the gate/stile of the public footpath that leads off roughly WNW below the cliff face, so is a bit over your left shoulder and slightly off-route and was easily missable last year! Carry on up the track as it curves towards the SE after picking up the CP.
What is now CP 13 caused some trouble last year as well, it's a good few metres off the footpath to the right, down a steep bank, so needs a detour to dib before climbing back up to the footpath.
Thanks for that SteveS, I take it you mean the path to the left of the spot height 346m on OS Dark Peak Map?
No not that one, the one 600m or so further east, that runs below the crags, as the main track starts to turn right after it's been trending east for a while. You still have a fair bit of climb to go before you actually get on the top from that point.
http://streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=423...f&mapp=map.srf
well just to complete the "full set" of BurbageBridge-ToadsMouth options, I'll be going down the valley bottom - I'm sure the track to the east would be quicker, but I'm not going to be at the sharp end, and I really enjoyed that section when I recce'd it
SteveS - will you be sporting Fell Ponies livery? black/white for me
any news on the Highlow Brook northside option?
Must have been a lot drier than when I went down it then, I found it horrible last year, sure I was up to my knees in bog a couple of times.
Think I'll go for the pink option
The route description says "After footbridge, climb up to open land" which is the southern route. I'd consider the northern option as an illegal offroute shortcut since it isn't mentioned. Is the path even a right of way? It's not shown as a public right of way on my OS map, nor are the woods shown as access land, though my map is aging a bit now.
Can't see any mention of water at Upper Burbage this year, it's a long way from before Bamford to Leadmill so I hope it's not too hot. Might have to stash some up there on the drive over.
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