Swamp hike: day 1

We would meet at lunchtime in Edale. The same location we had met last year. We had quite enjoyed the Peaks, and I suggested going again, as it's big enough for two separate adventures. And three of us had had to miss last year's edition, so they hadn't seen any of it. And there was quite some appetite for that. Henco had designed some routes. So I was about to set off when I got a message. It turned out we would meet at lunchtime in Bamford. I was glad I found out before I left! I said goodbye to the cat and went. And I got to Bamford without problems. I scored a table that would fit us all and waited for the others. 

They appeared! And we all had lunch. And then we did some last things (for me: getting my walking boots on and parking the car at a convenient location, and filling up water bottles for all) we set off. In the sunshine!  And the first thing we needed to do was walk up Bamford edge. The geology there is slightly dipping late Carboniferous sandstones, and the gentle deep causes distinct cliffs in the landscape. These are very scenic. Bamford edge is one. And walking up was not trivial! But very rewarding. And when we got there we basically just followed the edge until we decided it was time to look out for a camping spot.

There were more people wanting to walk up to Bamford edge

Not strange this is a popular spot 

We had a view over Ladybower Reservoir, along whose shores we had walked the previous year

 

We didn't see any shelter, but we did see some moorland where we could pitch tents. And there was a stream. We settled for it! I went for a wash. And Roelof pitched his tarp for in case it would rain. Erik cooked the first meal. He didn't cook all of it, as we hadn't had a full walking day, and we wouldn't be sufficiently hungry. But it was really nice food! And it was nice to sit there together, under the moon, and talk. And there were some excellent rums and whiskeys going around.

Two of our tents om the moors (pic taken next morning)

With the moon visible it was quite cold, but not annoyingly so. Still, we didn't stay up late. Quite early on, it was bedtime. And I slept well! This was quite a change from hectic University life…