The day dawned cloudy, but all things considered quite pleasant at around 5° C, the tops surrounding Castleton well clear of cloud with a north-westerly light to moderate wind. After breakfast I went to the car park and the sight of the hills to the north beckoned. I changed to an old fibrepile jacket, and as I knew that the ground would be wet, my trusty wellies. This would be my first hill walk since before COVID, so was aiming for something short and easy.
At about 10:30 I left the hostel back gate eastwards along track to Spring House Farm, then turned in a northerly direction towards Losehill Farm and climbing the South shoulder of Lose Hill. Eventually, after several short rests, getting to the top around 13:20, the open hill having taken half an hour. 1563 feet and plenty of walkers coming and going.
I turned left on the West southwest heading down the Ridge and fairly soon got to the minor top of Back Tor. Oh Hell!!! The path which had been good, the higher bits, stone slabs, now fell away for about 100-150 feet at an angle of 40° to 45°. Still, it was the stone slabs, but now narrow slabs laid up on end and I had not taken my sticks with me. A very slow descent with help from other walkers, much knee trembling, at least I did not fall down. At the levelling out, I collapsed to take a rest and have a Kit Kat. It now being 14:30, then 100 yards on the level.
I had already made-up my mind that after 14:00 hours I would find the nearest way down to return to the hostel. Now came the opportunity. A southerly path avoiding Only Grange Farm diagonally down the hillside. Unfortunately it was a 30° mud slide all the way down, at times very narrow between banks of gorse bushes with no alternatives. After about 100 yards, I had to sit down for a rest as my legs buckled under me into a sit-down position. After a rest, I got up and went on for about a bus length and sat down again. I was now about 200 yards north of Only Grange Farm and at 15:30 I phoned Dave to appraise him of the situation, saying that I was walking for Only Grange Farm. A middle to young-aged couple came down the path and stopped to help. They were from Ipswich but had met at Writtle Agricultural College. After another unsuccessful attempt at moving on and further sitting down, it became obvious that professional help was needed. At this point in time, it was also obvious that it would soon get dark, and I was not going to get down myself. They called mountain rescue, who said that a small local team will be out shortly. At 16:15, I phoned Dave once more to further appraise him that Edale Mountain Rescue Team would bring me down and not wait for me at Only Grange Farm (as a type 2 diabetic, we are encouraged to keep blood glucose level below 10 and near 5, so I had run out of glucose. This is the first time this has happened to me).
Around 17:00 lights were seen coming up the path and a mountain rescue Superman appeared, unfortunately without a big yellow taxi (helicopter), but I was only dreaming of one. I was assessed while two others caught up, fitted with a head torch and mud crampons – wonderful! Slowly I was frog-marched down the hill stopping every 100 yards or so for a rest. The slope was unforgiving until we hit the lane (Hollowford Rd) and the 4x4 mountain rescue truck.
Minutes after 18:00 I was delivered to a rather concerned looking Dave at Castleton youth hostel, to be de-togged and fed and watered. After supper, I had a hot shower and went to bed, kindly swapped with John Maton for a bottom bunk. Next time, take walking sticks, head torch (for a day walk) and get some mud crampons from Amazon. Sincerest thanks go out to the couple from Ipswich as well as Edale Mountain Rescue Team. George
George's experience reminded us that there are teams of skilled volunteers on call, 24 hours a day, to come to the aid of any of us who get into trouble in the hills.
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