Chatsworth Challenge Saturday 16th June 2012
2011 walk raises
£10,347.30
Total Sponsorship Funds Raised to Date
£120.045.12
The history of our challenge walks in words and pictures
Up to date financial details and other information about our fundraising activities
Annual financial details of the totals raised from our Walkers and Corporate Sponsors
Information about The Three Peaks Challenge Walk and the surrounding countryside
Information about The Chatsworth Challenge Walk, and the Chatsworth area.
Preparation, Hints & Tips
Handy tips and sound advice for tackling those demanding challenge walks
Some interesting features associated with our walks
All the other bits we couldn’t fit in anywhere else
three peaks
challenge
threepeakschallenge.com
chatsworth challenge
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http://www.threepeakschallenge.com
chatsworthchallenge.com and threepeakschallenge.com are organisers of sponsored challenge walks to raise money for the Dave Owens and Frank Goodall Memorial Fund in support of nominated charities to fund cancer research, prevention, and treatment.
http://www.chatsworthchallenge.com
2010 Walk : Chatsworth Challenge
Page Acknowledgements
Text : Philip Lynskey : Gerard Mitchell : Rachel Martin
Images : Gerard Mitchell : Steve Mason : Louise Lavelle : Julia Maloney : Rachel Martin
Walter appears by courtesy of the Fox and Hounds Public House
threepeakschallenge.com are organisers of fund raising challenge walks in support of the Dave Owens and Frank Goodall Memorial Fund to raise monies for nominated charities in support of cancer research, prevention, and treatment.
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22 Mile Walk
1. The usual 06.00 hrs start for the 22 milers
With only forty walkers taking part in this year’s walks it wasn’t one of our biggest events to date. However it was certainly one of our most enjoyable. The sun shone right from the
1. The usual 06.00 hrs start for the 22 milers
2. The Britannia Kitchen Ventilation lads set the pace
3. Pete, Graham, and John at the Beeley Checkpoint
4. The Mitchell Mafia at Beeley Checkpoint. Janine, Clark Kent, Clare, Gerard, and Martin
3. Beeley Checkpoint
The Three Amigos; Pete Graham & John. In this photo all three groups of the events participants are represented. Pete is 16 miles into the 22 mile walk, Graham is 3 miles into the 9 and John as one of the support team is at the middle checkpoint. Phil and Wendy Lynskey must be around somewhere but they’ve not quite made it into shot.
[Actually Gerard, whilst you and all the others are stood and sat around drinking, laughing, and generally having a good time, Wendy and I had left to set up the final checkpoint to check in all the walkers, calculate the individual completion times, compile the spreadsheets, and write up and distribute the certificates. Not that I’m the type to complain as you know]...
4. More drinking at the Beeley Checkpoint
By 12.45 the strollers of the 22 mile walk have made it to the second checkpoint in the chocolate box village of Beeley. Most of us were flagging a bit at this stage, so we were all extremely relieved when Superman appeared out of nowhere to save the day. However, we were a bit taken aback when our superhero’s first action was to kick off his trainers and join us in a beer.
With sixteen miles behind us and only one more stage to go (although it does include the long drag up onto Rabbit Warren Moor) it’s time for a glass of liquid refreshment. Fortunately it was the stuff that refreshers the parts that other beers don’t reach and we were soon up and off again to take on the hill.
5 . The graceful art of stile-hopping !
Halfway up the hill the walkers have to cross what would in horse racing terms be referred to as a double ditch. No sooner have you climbed over the stone stile being negotiated by Barbara before you are up again to get over the shaky wooden fence.
Stella may look to be stuck fast on the fence but she is actually going through her 5-4-3-2-1 count down before her double jet pack kicks in to send her shooting her past the couple currently striding out in front. Clare may look to be caught between two stools [Come on Gerard, that’s no way to talk about Stella and Barbara. Ed.] and unsure which way to go next, but whether it was by jet power on under their own steam everyone made it to the top.
6. Final Checkpoint at the Devonshire Arms
With the hard work over for another year [except for the 20 hours of website editing to do! Ed] there's plenty of time for a refreshing pint back in Baslow. As is customary, Phil & Wendy have set up the final checkpoint at The Devonshire Arms and due to great weather we are able to make full use of the tables at the front of the pub. After being out all day it was pleasant to take advantage of the shade offered by the parasols. Louise and Pat look remarkably fresh after their efforts. They give the impression they could finish their glasses and go round again. (GM)
5. The All England Ladies National Obstacle Race. A race incident occurs when 2nd place Clare Mitchell (sunglasses) complains of wilful flatulence by the front runner.
6. Louise and Pat back at the final checkpoint for a welcomed glass of beer. Come on girls.. You’ve finished the walk, you’ve had a couple of beers, you feel like dancing, we have a pole...
start, leaving rainwear totally redundant. 22 walkers took up the 22 mile challenge this year (I suppose it was 24 if you count Steve Newton’s dogs) and as always it was excellent to see all the new faces amongst the regulars. Due to the 06-00 hrs start it was cool when we left Baslow but by the time we’d got through Edensor and down into Bakewell it was already turning into a warm one and it was only 07-30.
2. Only 4 miles to the ‘breakfast’ checkpoint
After Bakewell the route climbs again onto the long straight farm track before dropping down into the villages of Alport and Youlgreave. The two villages are typical of the Derbyshire Dales villages in that area and are well worth a visit. With small mills built beside the river they used the current to turn the waterwheels which provided the power to turn the fleeces into wool. With the first checkpoint and breakfast at the Red Lion in Birchover only four miles ahead it’s a good opportunity for the Britannia Kitchen
Ventilation lads to set the pace and stretch the field a little. Without a cloud in the sky and the scent of bacon strong in their nostrils it’s all smiles at this stage; but it’s still only 08-45.
9 Mile Walk
As we began the drive down the M1 to Derbyshire it quickly became very clear that this year’s walk was going to be unlike the previous two walks I had participated in before… the sun was shining for starters! It turned out to be the hottest day of the year!
We arrived in Baslow in good time, only to discover that the parking arrangements were going to be a little more interesting this year; the parking meter was not working. Now, under normal circumstances you would expect that in a situation such as this that parking would be free. No no no no no, this is
1. The 9 Mile Walkers team photo
2. Reservoir Foxes. (Must get this next bit the right way round)... The Foxes and Hound team pose for the camera before setting off. (left to right) Walter the dog, Rachel, Julia, Julie, Lisa, and Ruth from The Fox & Hounds pub in Batley. Walter’s head is just out of shot on this photo, but his nose is more than likely to be stuck into some unfortunate victims crotch.
5. Julia and Lisa ‘pumping up’ before the final leg to Baslow
6. Julia & Lisa looking for the easy route down!
3. Not for the squeamish! This is what happens when you wear new shoes!
4. Walter prepares to take Eddie Messenger for a walk.
1. The 9 Mile walkers ‘Team Photo’
Finally we were all assembled, maps and directions in hand… photo time. “SMILE” (that’s you too Walter)! This is Walter, the boxer dog’s, third year too, and off we go. Did I mention that it
3. The painful art of walking 9 miles
The first half of the walk started well, everyone seemed to pick up a good pace and we were soon all into our stride, climbing over stiles, negotiating kissing gates and avoiding cow pats! It wasn’t until we were heading for the first check point that Julie (who is only used to walking around the shops at The White Rose Shopping Centre) mentioned that her feet were a little sore. As the photo shows, her feet certainly were a little sore. Julie continued on for the next 5 miles in a pair of borrowed flip-flops! [The SAS always carry a spare pair of Flip-Flops for rough terrain manoeuvres! Ed.]
4. Walter and Eddie Messenger
Walter meanwhile wondered what all the fuss was about and even though he was panting, (after all it was the hottest day of the year!) he was still raring to go. The next 5 miles were the toughest, but the scenery was magnificent. Well worth the climb to the top of Warren Moor.
5 Julia and Lisa on the home run
Julia and Lisa show they have what it takes to climb a small mountain! [looks more like they have what it takes for a good pub brawl. Ed.]
6. I can see the pub from here!
As we made it to the Hunting Tower it really did seem like we were only a hop, skip, and a jump from the Devonshire Arms and the end of the walk. Little did we know…what goes up, must
And so finally we made it back to Devonshire Arms for a well earned drink and a sit down, before heading back to The Fox & Hounds for a well deserved warm roast beef sandwich and a pint! [and very nice it was too Rachel. Ed.] Can’t wait to do it all again next year! (RM)
Baslow. All parking fees should be paid for in the tiny little shop run by the lovely lady who only has one speed and cannot possibly perform more than one task at once! [Steady on Rachel, she is 95 yrs old, with a replacement hip! Ed.]. Then to add to the chaos we were left scrambling around to find a scrap of paper and a pen to write a note to leave in the car window to tell whoever cared that we had paid for parking in the shop! All this and we hadn’t even checked in yet!
was the hottest day of the year? [Walter the Boxer is to the left of the picture, showing his obvious contempt for the Baslow Paparazzi by mooning at the camera. Ed.].
2. The Fox and Hounds Crew
Some of us take time to smile for the camera before we set off for the 9 mile walk. Walter, Myself, Julia, Julie, Lisa, and Ruth.
come down. The last two miles were pure grueling joy! Joy that the end was in sight and that we were looking like coming in with a rather respectable finish time, and given the condition of poor Julie’s feet this was quite an achievement! The grueling part was that it was all down hill; not so easy when your feet and legs ache (ok so I know we have only done the 9 mile walk, but it’s the most exercise we have had since we did the 9 mile walk last year; not to mention that the last two stiles were not dog friendly and with Walter being a wuss this meant that he had to be lifted and carried over them). It truly had been an eventful nine miles!
This was our fourth walk in the Derbyshire Peak District, and after the three previous years during which the weather ranged between wet and very wet, this year the great sun god finally shone upon us and we were bathed in glorious sunshine and warm weather throughout the day.
Perhaps a little too hot as it turned out, but having endured several years of the
aforementioned bad weather, none of the regular walkers complained too bitterly. It is after all, the middle of June.
2010 is, or was (depending on the time you read this) a Football World Cup year, and by the morning of the walk England (lat. Sender Victorius Appianglorius) had limped through the qualifying group stage by way of disappointing matches against Algeria, USA, and (by a better performance) Slovenia, only to be drawn against our old ‘friends’ Germany (lat. Sunbedus Reservus Germanicus Bastardus) in the first knockout round of the competition.
Four happy faces, all looking fit and healthy. Chris McGee, John Williams, Steve Mason, and Jim Dixon smile for the camera as they get ready to start the 22 Mile Walk
Saturday, the 26th of June (walk day) therefore, landed right in the middle of the usual national frenzy of St. George flags, bunting, and all manner of related red and white in support of the great cause, and so the relatively quieter country-side of Chatsworth and the surrounding estate proved to be a sobering, albeit temporary, distraction. But back to the walking...
Gerard Mitchell, our ever present organiser and walker, gives us his usual account of the longer course the walk takes as it winds it’s way via Chatsworth, Edensor, Bakewell, Alport, Birchover, Rowsley, Beeley, and finally back through Chatsworth.
For our shorter walk this year we welcome our new Chatsworth Challenge walking correspondent...
Rachel Martin, who is the Landlord (should that
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be Landlady)? of the 3 Peaks Challenge adopted official pub, the Fox and Hounds in Batley, West Yorkshire, and who trekked the shorter course walk with her own four legged hound, Walter the Boxer. (lat. Madus Slobberus Canis Ali-us Muhammadus).
As they set off at 06.00 hours and 11.15 hours respectively on the Saturday morning of the walk, the only thing that stood between them (and the rest of our walkers) and a glorious and enjoyable June weekend was 22 miles and 9 miles on a hot sunny day... and Germany in the last sixteen knockout round of the World Cup! (PL)
