Day 1 - Friday 15th June 1984

First day we had an early start from Edale leaving at 0645 in brilliant sunshine. My Coleman Peak stove leaked petrol, not a good nights kip. We had camped at the site close to the Nags Head and as we left so early might even have dodged paying!
We had decided that it was a no half measures, ie we would camp and carry all the gear for maximum flexibility. I think we were carrying about 45lbs each having got the kit down to the bare essentials.

Mist over Bleaklow

The target was to do the walk in 12 days and we knew this was a cracking pace. At the time Des worked for British Midland in Belfast and they were really arsy about holidays, hence no contingency.

Kinder Reservoir

The picture below was taken at lunch nr Crowden youth hostel. We were already feeling the pace, 15 miles covered when we stopped at 1400.

I can still remember it being a real slog over Black Hill in the afternoon and at 2000 we arrived at the Great Western Inn at Standedge Cutting, had a couple of pints and pitched the tent behind the pub. My notes from the trip say 26 miles covered and it felt like twice that.