🎒 Edale Skyline: One Last Loop Before the Madness

bootsandbanter
Jun 30
3 min read

I went to a Linkin Park concert the night before.🤘❤️

Grand!

Let’s start there.

Because that’s how all solid ultra-endurance plans begin, right?

On my feet all day, shouting lyrics, vibrating from the speakers, mosh pits, running on four hours of sleep. And then—because I clearly have a PhD in “Let’s See What Happens”—I woke up and decided: let’s do a 34 km hike in Peak District heat. For fun. For training. For no apparent reason other than being a little bit feral at this point.

I've done this hike 3 years ago for the first time.

🥐 Late Breakfast, Full Send

Parked at Hope train station - £2.60 for all day!?!

Started at 10 AM.

From the moment I started the climb up Win Hill, I was sweating buckets. The air was thick, brutal, and I was in a drenched vest. I had forgotten my poles and my jacket—two key items I intended to take. But honestly? Thank the gods I forgot the jacket. No wind, no breeze, no need.

I had breakfast at 11 AM?!. A maple and pecan pastry, walking down from Win Hill. Not exactly the fuel of champions, but it was sweet and flaky and I was already committed to the chaos.

Vibes towards Hope Cross were immaculate.

⛰️ The Ridge, The Sweat, and The Surprise

The heat was relentless. Overcast mostly but no mercy. And somehow, I still felt good.

At 2.5 hours in, it hit me: this is basically a Welsh 15 simulation. Sleep-deprived, long day, unrelenting pace. And I wasn’t just surviving—I was holding steady. That was the first moment I felt genuinely ready.

I made it through:

Win Hill (463 m)
Kinder Low (633 m)
Brown Knoll (569 m)
Lord's Seat (550 m)
Mam Tor (517 m)
Hollins Cross (388 m)
Barker Bank (426 m)
Back Tor (438 m)
Lose Hill (476 m)

No drama. Just steady, sweaty motion.

🧀 A Sandwich, A Stranger, and a Small Spark

Lunch was a cheese and pickle sandwich at 13:30. Lovely. One of those small wins that carry you through the next stretch.

But the real highlight? I met another solo female hiker on the trail, on Rushup Edge.

We instantly clicked—swapping stories, pacing side by side, laughing about why we love doing this alone. It only lasted an hour before our paths diverged, but it felt like one of those quiet affirmations from the universe: you’re not the only one who finds home in this strange solitude.

🍏 Nutrition… or Something Like It

Was it ideal? No.

Was it planned? Barely.

Did I eat enough? Also no.

Here’s what went down:

🥐 Maple pecan pastry (11:00)
🧀 Cheese & pickle sandwich (13:30)
🟢 T-Snax pea snack – Soy & Balsamic Vinegar (15:30)
🍏 Go Ahead Apple Fruit Bake (17:00) + a handful of peanuts

That’s… it. 8 hours and 47 minutes of hiking, and somehow I still felt good. Could I have eaten more? 100%. Should I next time? Absolutely.

Hydration? 2L of water and 500ml of Boost. I spread it throughout the day like a rationing queen but knew deep down it wasn’t enough. Still—no cramping, no crashing. Just enough to keep moving.

🚶‍♀️ No Sitting. No Stopping. No Problem.

I didn’t sit down once. Not to eat, not to rest. 50 000 steps, 34 km, 1,133 meters of elevation, and a full loop later—I strolled into Hope station to find my car waiting, the only one in the lot. And I felt… buzzing.

Not broken. Not ruined.

Just ready.

My legs felt great. My feet were a bit mashed, sure—but considering the distance and heat, they held up better than expected. And mentally? I was calm, clear, and oddly content.

🔚 The Final Loop

This was the last one before the big one. The final hike before I take on the Welsh 15 in 24 hours. And it wasn’t perfect—because it wasn’t meant to be.

It was humid, gritty, impulsive, sweaty, and slightly under-fuelled.

But it was mine.

And it proved what I needed to know: