bleak and beautiful

Good old Sheffield, yet another festival underway in this wonderful city this week. Sheffield Walking Festival and I took full advantage on Tuesday - any excuse to venture up onto the Kinder plateau again.  Last week it was our hike to Ringing Roger, but this week the walk was in the other direction, following part of the Pennine way

We start off low level and gentle on this, the hottest day of the year and the hottest September day since records began.

 but soon reach the steep bits and an enticing peek at the edge up there

 It was a hard slog in that heat though

 but worth it looking back at the ascent so far

 the glorious blue skies and the Pym Chair outcrop up ahead on Kinder

 Needed frequent water replenishing

and from here I'm just going to let the plateau and its incredible jumble of rock formations and rich dark peat unfold before your eyes . ..

Pym Chair

 The magnificent Woolpacks

 Finally at our highest point on Crowden Tower where we stop for lunch at last

 Then it's onward towards Grindslow Knoll and our descent

Five happy hours and 8 glorious miles.  Met some lovely people and I am now totally besotted with Kinder.  Bleak, wild, unpredictable and right up on top of the world.  Just perfect.

And getting back down to the ground (and while we are on the subject of festivals) Sheffield are about to launch into this year's Festival of the Mind this weekend - 15 - 25 September in the city centre - get along to some of the talks and events - guaranteed to get you thinking!