Tindersticks you captured the essence perfectly. It is a challenging, awe-inspiring beast. Between (sometimes during) bouts of intense effort I found myself gawping at the views, the wide expanses of cotton grass, the first smoky sprinkle wafting up the valley as I descended towards Crowden, the precipitous descents and ascents and deciding how best to negotiate them, the rock climbers hanging above us and hoping that none of them fall off, the plunging sweeping vista back down the valley from Laddow Rocks.
Some of the views can be found in the obligatory photo album. With all the gawping and snapping I was quite pleased to get a PB over last year.

Many thanks to Holmfirth Harriers and all the marshals. It's a very well supported and monitored race with what appeared to be a sizeable prize list (not that I would know much about such things).

Oh, and I agree, it is more like 18 miles.