climbing the Roaches

Saturday afternoon I (foolishly?) agreed to go geocaching with Andy. It was a beautiful (but windy and a bit cold) day, and he's been reminding me that I haven't been caching with him for a while. It seemed like a nice day for a brisk walk. I wanted to get ahead of the calories I knew we would consume later in the evening going out to the wonderful mexican restaurant in Macclesfield (El Rio). So I agreed.

And off we went.

First stop was a cache called Bossley Locks-- something that I've passed a million times on my way to Macclesfield and Bakewell and Chesterfield, but never stopped there. It was really nice to walk along the canal. It was a fairly short walk, and then a quick hunt for the cache (Andy played "hot and cold" for me, more or less directing me) and then a quick sign of the sheet-- holding onto it for dear life, less it blow away and land in the canal!! Hid it again and walked back down to the car.

Easy peasy.

Then in the car he says he wants to drive around this next area and see what it's like from the car. Apparently there is a cache up on the top of this hilly area-- the highest point in Staffordshire-- called the Roaches. So he gives me these maps and I navigate us up to where his printout says to go. Then Andy decides he's going to go for it-- and that I'm coming with him!

Okay... I think.

We get out and walk down a bit of a hill to get to the trail. (I'm thinking-- that is going to HURT when we have to walk back UP that to get to the car). Andy reads my mind and assures me he will walk up and get the car and turn it around and come pick me up by the trail. I relax a bit.

We start up the trail. It is the nicest trail I have ever seen-- very "finished". By this I mean the trail consists of 3 foot square stones (not all of them were square, but most were at least 3 foot wide) and it was almost like walking on a sidewalk! (Pavement for all those lovely brits!)

So we start to make our way, and already we can see such beautiful views of the surrounding countryside. Because I'm so out of shape, its not long before I'm panting and out of breath. Andy isn't out of breath at all, and comments on me panting and I tell him it's because the air is thinner up here!

So we step aside and look at the views. I ask where we have to climb up to, and he tells me to look for the stone pillar thingy. It seems MILES away so I say "Right! Where's the car keys!??" and surprisingly he says "sure, okay, here you go-- I'll be back in a little while". I had been smart enough to put my book in the car in case of this very reason. (I know my husband!)

So off he goes, and soon he is nearly up to the first crest. I stand there admiring the views a bit longer, pulling my hood of my fleece vest over my head-- the wind is whistling in my ears and I worry about getting an earache. Suddenly it occurs to me. Why don't I just see how far I can get? What damage would that do? It's a really nice path, not mucky. Maybe I'll get farther than I think?

So step by step I make my way. I have to stop several times, to catch my breath, but I keep going. I wait for the weakness to come in my legs-- thinking that if that comes I'll be in big trouble-- the further I get from the bottom!

But it doesn't come, so I carry on.

It was probably the best design for a hill climb ever-- you climb a hill, all you can see is to the top of that crest, then you reach the top, there's a bit of a flat area and the next hill and all you can see is that next crest. So you don't ever see the whole hill at once-- because if you did, you'd be totally overwhelmed!

So I did it crest by crest, and when I could see the stone pillar come into view-- I realized something.

What if Andy had found the cache and went down another way??!!

panic for a minute and I look around and finally spot him climbing around near some boulders.

He'd found the cache and was just looking for somewhere to sit while he wrote in the log.

He was rather surprised to see me, but was really encouraging with lots of "Well done love!!"s and "I'm really proud of you!!"s. And he took my picture next to the pillar, and then I took his. We both signed the log and sat there for a bit, hiding from the wind (which at the top was really strong and very cold!). Then we decided to head back down.

Going down, to me, was much scarier than going up. If you fall going up, you fall forward, and because of the angle of the hill, it's not far to fall! But going down, it's much much farther!!!! So I had to go slowly and very cautiously at times.

But we made it down to the bottom. Then Andrew drops the bomb. He decides he wants to follow the road around (rather than turn around and go back the way we came). Which means I now have to climb back up the hill to the car!!

My legs are now quite rubbery and I am slowing down with each step. So Andrew has to help me up this hill (he wouldn't agree to rolling the car backwards!). We get in the car, drink the best tasting Coca Cola ever and eat the most delicious cheese on cheese crackers (from America!).

We follow the hill around and decide to go to Tittesworth Reservoir for a coffee to warm up. Yummy.

I am more warmed and cheered by the knowledge that I made it up the Roaches.

Yay me!

Posted by kristen at February 24, 2004 8:49 AM