Black Edge, Shooting Cabins, and Closed Paths. The OS Map Dilemma.

Описание: This vlog on the 88 Trig Point Challenge celebrates my 1st year of hiking in the Peak District National Park. On 17th June 2022, I failed to hike up Mam Tor but just about managed it the following week on 22nd June 2022. The short hike, if you can call it that, from Blue John Cavern wiped me out, aggravated my arthritis and put me in bed for three days. I was post covid but so overweight and unfit. According to the BMI calculator, I am still overweight, but the BMI calculator wants me 8st 13lb - 12st 1lb. I'm 13st, yeah, right, I'd look like a Twiglet at 8st 13lbs. You have more chance of platting fog. No wonder the kids of today have issues. Anyway, I digress. Over this journey of a year, I have dropped 3st and gone from being unable to walk up a simple path to a peak to regularly hiking 8 - 12 miles. Granted, this isn't the distances some hikers are able to lay down, but with my age and ailments, I'm quite happy with my progress. Yes I'm still in agony with arthritic pain after each hike, yes it still takes me days to recover and yes I'm still having to take the maximum permissible pain killers every time I go out hiking but I'm getting out there and whilst I can still put one foot in front of the other I intend to carry on. Initially I put my vlogs on YouTube in order to be able to look back in years to come and reminisce at my previous hikes but then I found a clique of like minded people out in YouTube land who are very supportive. Like all of us reading this, we know we will never attain Mr. Beast level of supporters but are extremely happy in the support we find with each other. So, at the end of this, my first year, uploading on YouTube, I want to thank each and every one of you for your kind words of encouragement and your friendship. Thank you.

Lastly on my Oscar acceptance speech I want to thank my wife Amanda who has stood by me over the last 22 years IRL and encouraged me to hike the Ethel Challenge even when she didn't believe I could do it. Yep, she said that after Peak number 95. Thank you, Amanda.

Now for today's hike. I plotted this out on OS Maps, and it was to be a 9.14 mile hike from Combs Reservoir up to Black Edge, down the Shooting Butts and across to Ladder Hill. After coming off Combs Edge on the OS Map route, I came to a gate that said, 'This is private property, we will turn you back'. This perplexed me, and I rechecked the route. I was where I was supposed to be. The only way out was to hike back up Combs Edge and to follow the Edge back around to the old Roman Fort. This took me across a stream, through bog, Heather, Ferns, and more bog. It took so long that due to time constraints, I was unable to hike Ladder Hill. Plus, it ended up being more miles than completing two Trigs. 9.14 turned into 10.14. Only a mile extra, but when you know you aren't going to achieve your goal, your legs get heavier, and the pain increases in the feet from all the rough ground. But on a positive note, I got to see another Secret Bothy (ssshhh), 😉 aka Shooting Cabin and stone hut on the side of Combs Edge below the Shooting Butts. So despite OS Maps leading me astray, I did get some great views, and I had a very interesting, if wet, hike. One thing is for certain, the hikes are always entertaining to me. I hope you enjoy the hike and my suffering as much as I did. A big thanks to each and every one of you for supporting me on this journey. Thank you.

Chris

Black Edge - Trig 26 of 88.