Thorncliffe

First point to make - decide on your fitness levels (honestly now) because it is quite a challenge. My first time involved the approach from Leek and on past the pub (Red Lion). There is a cruel, short, sharp down and up here before you get to the bottom of the hill itself. If you approach from the A53 Leek to Buxton road at Blackshaw Moor (Three Horseshoes Inn) you get directly to the bottm of the hill in a slightly easier fashion.

Ninety degree turn to the left and there I was, ready to start and already slightly knackered. If I have any sort of technique when it comes to hill-climbing, it is the "slow and steady" plod routine, which I think I picked up subconsciously from reading about Sir Ranulph Fiennes trek across Antartica with Dr Mike Stroud. Anyway, I plod. Head down. No looking at what is left to get to the top, just plodding. Works for me.

It is a struggle. There is a moment or two of relief as you navigate the 'S' bend about half way up - trouble is it only lasts about 20 metres, but it is better than nothing. First time up I stopped at the view point

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for a breather and a self-congratulatory chocolate biscuit. Now it has been conquered, I tend to continue on past the Mermaid Inn and up the little roller-coaster section of road as far as Mermaid Pool.

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Great view from both here and the view point. It is no exaggeration to say that if the conditions are right, you can see Cadr Idris in North Wales.

It is claimed that there is no higher point, travelling due east, until you get to the Ural Mountains in Russia. Seems plausible enough.....

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