This was my third attempt at an FKT this year. Blisters ended my attempt of the Peak District Boundary Walk just short of mile 100 and I didn't even set off to try and do Glyndwr's Way in October, due to a severe storm that arrived the weekend I had set aside for this. Luckily the Kinder Loop is on my doorstep and the distance seemed achievable in late November.
I set off shortly after 5am in the dark and fog from Hollins Cross, a local landmark which is only a couple of miles from my house. I decided to go clockwise, somehow that just felt right. I wanted to do this unsupported, thanks in part to the pandemic and also because it just seemed more interesting that way.
The hardest parts were probably the flat road and canal sections near Glossop and Pennistone, I am not used to running on flat terrain and mentally this was tough. Highlights were the high moorland paths between Langsett and Ladybower and also the final push from the A57 to Hollins Cross on the edge of Kinder.
I got through a lot of gels on the day and managed to find enough water to filter along the route. It's a nice loop overall, but it would have been more enjoyable mid-week, as some of the areas around the reservoirs do get very crowded at weekends.
A few tips for anyone wanting to do this:
- be prepared for a real mixture of terrain - from flat roads to deep mud, bogs and also steep rocky stuff
- if you are going self-supported or unsupported, think carefully about water, the section from Hayfield to Pennistone has very few streams from which to filter water
- navigation isn't a major issue, as it's all accessible by mountain bike, but don't rely on signposting, you will need map and/or GPS (but not a compass)
Have a look at the video if you want to get a feel for the day.