PEAK DISTRICT END TO END WALKS - GRITSTONE EDGES -22 MILES AND LIMESTONE DALES - 23 MILES
ABOUT THE TWO CHALLENGES
lam often asked; what is your favourite walk in the Peak District?’ With such variety of walking in such a small area, this a hard question to answer. But, in the final analysis I resort to the two walks I first did when I was ‘a wee young lad’! in 1960.
The first was along the gritstone edges — a walk I have done more than forty times! The other is down the limestone dales —
this - have walked more than thirty times! These two walks make ideal ‘bashes’ or ‘flogs’ and can be knocked off in about eight hours each. But i am flippant, for they are the grandslam of Peak District beauty and always a joy to walk.
The gritstone edge route has for me become an annual event; usually
New Year’s Day. I set off carrying a bottle of whisky, a chicken leg and a large hunk of Christmas cake. My rules are simple—walk end to end, do a climb on each edge as ! go, and have adrink on every edge! Generally I do hard climbs first, but as the walk progresses and the effort and alchohol take effect, the climbs become easier and easier. I know of no finer ‘first footing’ and each year I look forward to yet another epic. News of my walks has got around and more recently there have been ‘Merrill watchers’ on the various edges. To add to the spice of the annual struggle I have taken to wearing a disguise and sometimes fancy dress to confuse the ‘spies’, looking for a bearded, tottering shorts-wearing walker!
The limestone dale route is a summer walk for me in June when the
flowers are at their best and many dales full of orchids. Apart from the Dovedale/Wolfscote Dale section, I rarely meet anyone and enjoy the solitude of along day’s hike. I carry no liquid and have just a couple of bars of chocolate to sustain me. My last June walk was full of superlatives, being crystal clear weather and 80 degrees, leaving me burnt and rather red on reaching Ashbourne, but five pounds lighter in weight!
Here then are my two favourite long walks in the Peak District. I never tire of walking them and hope you too come to love them and walk them often. Both, as you head north to south, are basically downhill!
Have a good walk and let me know how you get on. Perhaps I will see you? In the dales, look for a guy in shorts devouring chocolate, and on the edges keep your eye open for a bottle swigging climber wearing a wig, celebrating New Year!
Happy walking! JOHN N. MERRILL
A5. guide placed in a plastic wrap around cover, signed by John Merrill.
Embroidered cloth badges and signed certificates are available for the Gritstone Edge walk and the Limestone Dale walk.
Names added to my Walkers Roll of Honour page.