The second half of the loop

8 September 2012

Our second long walk. This one is the second half of the loop from the first checkpoint at Old Cardington Lane over to Stiperstones and then the final leg back over the Long Mynd to Minton and Ragleth. It should be about 27 miles in total.

Set off from home at 6.15am in the mist, reaching the first checkpoint at 6.35. The climb up Caradoc was tough as usual and we concluded that energy levels are not a their highest at the start of the day and maybe the 1pm start for the Hike may be better following a high-carb lunch. Climbing up the hill, the views back over the valley were quite spectacular. The valley bottom seemed to be covered in a sea of mist and Sue was forced to stop and take some striking photographs.

Sea of mist in the valley.

We reached the summit at 7.19am, and then made it to The Lawley summit at 8.13am, which seems a bit slow for 5.6km. After our first coffee break two hours in and back at the foot of the hill, we headed off across the valley towards High Park and made up a bit of time. The mist had now risen as we passed through Gogbatch which must be one of the most idyllic settings on the Hike. As we climbed the final section towards High Park, a group of ponies meant more photos. There were five white ponies and two brown plus three brown foals, all of which seemed very young with ultra spindly legs. Why are all the foals brown? Clearly there’s a strapping brown stallion somewhere on the Mynd.

Pony and foal near High Park.

Newborn foals - one behind the white mare's legs.

Spindly-legged foal.

High Park checkpoint, 10.9km, was reached at 9.50am. We had hoped to do this in three hours so were running 20 minutes behind. A large flock of birds flitted around the path. Having sacrificed the binoculars to keep weight down we only got a glimpse of those closest but fairly sure it was a flock of goldfinches, as well as swallows and a thrush. More ponies on the route up to Pole Bank; one group of four, two on the brow of the hill, and close to the path, a further group of four - three white and one brown and a brown foal. Another great view of the sea of mist from here across into Corvedale.

Mist looking towards Corvedale.

Approaching the Shooting Box we came across other walkers coming up out of Cardingmill and passed the four-hour mark before heading up to the checkpoint at Pole Bank which we reached at 10.51am, 14.5km. 

On the path down to Coates we saw a few wheatears on the fence. It’s all downhill to Bridges and we made it in an hour from Pole Bank, stopping for an early lunch by the stream before we tackled the uphill trudge on the road to Stiperstones.

Pole Bank trig point.

Setting off from Bridges at 11.58am, it was now very hot and the climb was as tough as expected. The road seems endless up to Stiperstones although the upper section is a bit easier with the option of grass to walk on beside the road. This was our turnaround point and we reached the car park at 12.55, two hours from Pole Bank which was reasonable going. The checkpoint on the outward leg is the summit but we had started from here last week so it was reasonable to turn here and we could add the 20 minutes it would take to the summit, and last week’s 10 hours, to give us a final tally for the 50 miles after today’s walk.

Stiperstones on the horizon.

Back at Bridges in half an hour we granted ourselves a pub stop. Well you can’t pass the pub twice without stopping for the pint and a half, although it’s not something we plan to do on the Hike. A curlew and buzzard spotted from our sedentary position.

The remains of a pint and a half.

On our way again at 1.58pm and back up to Coates before forking right towards Medlicott. We found the path easier this time at Medlicott Cottage and it seemed to be better defined at first. Nearer the ponds the path disappears regularly however and you have to try and keep heading for the reeds and then the stand of trees at Pole Cottage. In wet conditions this part could be exceedingly boggy, so we may need an alternative option to avoid wading knee-deep in water.

On the way to Medlicott.

Pole Cottage checkpoint was reached at 3.12pm with pedometer showing 27.4km although this seems to be under-recording now, possibly by at least 10 per cent, according to the estimates on the Hike website. The turn to Minton was another 20 minutes and shortly after we saw another six ponies, two brown, four white and one foal, you can guess the colour. 

The walk over Minton is another of the Hike’s highpoints in terms of pleasant path, great scenery and, of course, the fact that it’s nearly the final leg. We got to the foot of the hill at 4.09pm, pedometer said 31.2km. We were then overtaken while having final dregs of coffee by a group who we had seen at Stiperstones earlier on. Following them down the road to Little Stretton, we assumed they might be fellow Hikers, and the fact that they took a footpath towards Ragleth seemed to confirm it so we followed what turned out to be a handy shortcut. It only cuts off a few hundred yards but that still feels really good after going this distance.

After a quick stop for water at a shop we didn’t realise existed in Little Stretton, we took the path for the final climb up Ragleth. It was clearly a tough one as the group ahead of us were still on their way up despite the fact we had been to the shop. Sue led the climb up; she seems better going up and me going down. It was a grind but once you reach the summit you find strength in your legs again and we hacked over the summit ridge. It was now 5.12pm and I called Francis, who was able to see us on the ridge from his bedroom, and assured him we’d be home for 6pm, which we just about made.

In all the walk had been 11 hours, taking off the pub stop, so that puts us in contention for getting back in less than 22 hours for the complete Hike, depending of course on the weather and conditions underfoot as well as the unknown impact of what walking 50 miles will make us feel like towards the end.

Probably one more long training walk to go, then we’ll ease up to make sure we are in best shape for the day itself.