Peak District Running

Evening sky over Higger Tor

As the nights are drawing in, evening runs in the Peak District are occasionally accompanied by a lovely sunset.  I put a small torch in my bum bag so that I can keep running as it gets dark rather than have to stop before it gets dark.
An October evening found me on my usual training ground of the Burbage Valley. Parking at the upper bridge I ran down the main path below the crags before cutting right, down across the stream and working hard on the ascent of Carl Wark.  Looking right I see the sun going down behind Higger Tor and notice that the notch of Winyard’s Nick was perfectly aligned as it dropped below the horizon.

Sun sinking over Winyard’s nick

By the time I crested Carl Wark the sun had already dropped below the horizon leaving hues of pink on the higher clouds and a salmon glow in the western sky.  I worked hard on the short climb up Higger Tor and then stopped to appreciate the sunset as the gritstone boulders were silhouetted against the evening sky.  I dropped down towards the road crossing to take the path to Toothill Farm, seeing the lights of Hathersage twinkling in the distance and the sun’s afterglow over Mam Tor and the western hills.

Looking west over Hathersage towards Mam Tor

Dropping down through the fields it became too dark to run in the gloom so I put on my head torch to light the way.

Head torch running

Head torch running

In the gathering darkness I crossed the field and turned right to pick up the track that leads up past the derelict building and steepens as it rises Callow Bank.  From the I aim to reach the top in 5 minutes and need a few moments to recover at the top before trotting along the road and back to the car park.

A lovely evening run with wonderful skies.