On Friday 17 June we (Julian, Jay and Molly the dog) travelled from Kent to Yorkshire.
We found the campsite and went to recce the start. After a bit of confusion from the guides that said the stone start was at the large car park we eventually found it at the small car park ad had our pictures taken for our charities, The Duke of Edinburgh Diamond Challenge and Ellenors Hospice which is close to our family.
Our support team, Tony and Caroline and 3 dogs came from Cumbria and we met them for a lovely pub dinner before going our separate ways to try and get a couple of hours sleep.
I had said ‘go bold or go cold’ but the rain never stopped and I opted for my trusty Parmo jacket for the first shot.
At 0025 we started in light rain, the stuff that gets everywhere. As the night went on the weather got worse, the rain driving into us horizontally and visibility was down to a few metres. Jay is not a hill walker and found it very hard, Molly the dog showed no signs of slowing down but we were concerned about her getting cold.
We met Tony and Caroline at the first check point tired and cold. We decided Jay and Molly better sit out for now and get dry and warm. The bacon roll and hot chocolate did its job.
I then did the next section on my own and ‘tabbed it’ which is a word any old soldier would appreciate and made very good time. As the sun rose the weather began to clear and the Moors started to show its beauty.
Tony joined me at the boggy section with Molly and one of his dogs. It was very boggy but it was nice to have some company again. Unfortunately I dropped my map on this section but a group behind us very kindly gave me some photocopied routes which saved this mountain leader any blushes.
The girls met us with some really nice local sausage rolls and a can of coke helped with sugar levels.
A short stop and we were off again. It was getting quite warm by now and the wind and rain seemed a distant memory. After a few steep up and downs my old man knees were starting to feel it and by mile 30 I knew why this was a challenge.
Jay joined me for the last 8 miles and I really appreciated her support and was great to have the team back again. We met Tony and Caroline in the car park with the ariel view, dumped our bags put on our charity t-shirts and stepped off up the final stretch of the last trig point where Tony and Caroline had driven to the last car park.
It was a great atmosphere in the early evening sun and after lots of photos, tweets and hand shakes we left for a shower and a curry.