by John Stonebridge » Wed Aug 12, 2020 11:15 pm
Date walked: 10/08/2020
Time taken: 7 hours
Distance: 8.5 km
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Four of us set off thinking this would be a pleasant walk on a moderately warm day.
The route was unfathomable though the bracken and the steep gradient (20% for 3km we later learned) soon had my mother in law bailing out on us, and she promised to amble back to the car via a direct detrace.
The path got no better - even sticking directly to the gpx based route it didnt much matter, there was no discernable track.
A degree of respite was achieved once we got close to the top but there was no wind or shade and the temperature had clearly exceeded the forecast of 22 deg.
A weary trudge to the top in baking windless conditions made for a very short stop at the top at the 4 hr mark and our descent.
This took us out of any chance of a breeze facing directly into the sun so the midgies had a field day as we couldnt descent particularly fast. It was Like having your head in a midge filled oven with a sun lamp a few inches away for added heat.
A mix up with the aforementioned mother in law meant a retrace back up the hill again to go find her, by this our stage knees and feet were suffering.
We eventually got back to the car 7 hours after setting off hot and hangry. 10km in total.
My son who is more used to a QMD than I am pronounced it his least enjoyable day walking ever. I agreed.
