I was in the group who were walking up Striding Edge and coming down Swirral Edge this morning, but as soon as we began to go up I knew that I didn't have it in me, not today. I got almost as far as The Hole in the Wall before deciding to come back down and have an easy, restful day. Both on the way up and when I'd got back to the hut we/I watched the RAF fighters screaming along the valley, mesmerised by the speed and their low flying skills. Amazing!

Last night the fire alarm went off at midnight and everyone got up of course, just in case, but there was no fire. The alarm was reset, or so we thought, but it went off again two hours later so obviously not and we all began today feeling rather jaded.

I'm not as fit as I'd like to be, and I've done no mountains since before covid - I'm not counting Pen y Fan - so I've lost my mountain legs. The Peak District is no training for Wales or The Lakes and also I don't walk a lot anyway as I'm busy climbing.

I also have a theory, that if you've been hill walking for a lot of years you retain a reasonable level of fitness, even if you haven't done a great deal recently. I've only been doing it, now and then, for six years. But I could be wrong! What is not in dispute is that men have larger muscles, hearts and lungs than women. But no matter, those edges will still be there another time. 

4.61 miles
1,478 feet elevation gain 

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