by Hazel » Tue Nov 03, 2015 4:55 pm
Thanks Julian. The dreaded stomach played up big time (as usual) from just over half way so ended up staggering, grizzling, cursing and sometimes running the rest of the way!!!!!! It was the most amazing night incredibly clear on the tops and along the Mam Tor - Losehill ridge there was virtually no light pollution so could clearly see the two planets still in alignment (sorry can't remember which ones) and numerous stars. When the moon first came up it was staggeringly beautiful, a great orange mass on the horizon until it rose right up in the sky. Added to that where there was such a heavy dew torch light lit it up as if it was a thick white frost, again quite beautiful. No, I wasn't halucinating and going all silly, it really was stunning! When I started to drop into the Castleton valley it was into fog so torches didn't help at all, but thanks to knowing the route and seeing people's "footprints" through the wet grass navigation wasn't a problem. I had a complete panic about torches 2 days beforehand. When I first posted, I had forgotten I had a Petzel Nao with spare battery so decided to take that. 2 nights before the event I went and tested it out and it completely malfunctioned. I scrolled down all the posts on forum and found Clare's post about Trevor at Brightnightlights. I phoned him up and he very kindly said I could go and see him at his house and after long discussion I ended up getting a Bicycle Light, a Sanguan SG-T2200. The battery is a bit on the heavy side, but the upside of it was that when I finished in 13hrs40mins the battery still showed up to 70% full. This was on the lowest setting which was more than bright enough. The downside for me is the weight of the battery, plus having to wear a rucksack each time I use it (I don't like bum bags). Trevor was amazingly helpful and I would recommend him to anyone who wants a torch light, be it for running, orienteering or cycling.