Chasing a Sunrise - Part 1

I researched my closest Peak District walk with good views for a sunrise. I was a little limited for time so I chose Curbar and Baslow Edge as the best option that ticked all the boxes, I had prepared nothing else, but in reality what would I need, I wasn't exactly conquering K2.

With no alarm set, I went off to bed that night and nonchalantly turned to Laura and said "If I'm not here when you wake, I've headed for the Peaks to watch the sunrise" She calmly replied "OK" 

By some miracle I was awake at 4 am, I recall one of us heading for the toilet maybe. I lay there thinking it would be much easier to nod back off, but with that thought, I bounced out of bed, covered myself in S&B and headed downstairs. I packed a rucksack with a raincoat, a beanie with a torch, a banana and a flask of coffee. I gave the dogs a nudge and loaded them into the van by 4.30 am.

15 minutes into the drive we we're heading through Chesterfield past the Palm Angel hero's drunk on Saturday night's dreams, 15 minutes later and we're in the car park amongst the campers still in their slumber. Now I hadn't planned a big stomp clocking up the miles, I just wanted a solo spot on the edge with my coffee taking in the views. The silence, darkness and thick fog made it much more eery than I anticipated but I enjoyed the discomfort.

Without a soul in sight, I clambered over a rocky ledge and tucked myself in out of the wind, I took off my bag, poured a coffee and watched the clouds beneath me part to reveal the farmhouses below slowly coming to life with the flicker of light.

The sun didn't seem to get the memo that I had got my ass out of bed early to capture its beauty, I chalked it up as a no-show but a successful practice run. With the refreshments taken on board, we clambered back over the ledge and towards the path that brought us this way, the light was better and the fog had cleared. I crossed the road and went to check the views from Baslow edge, the breadcrumb trail of cow pat lead me to a herd of Highlands roaming happily undisturbed by my presence. I could see a trail runner in the distance also enjoying the tranquillity although he most likely had 20 miles of running the peaks ahead of him. Fair play.

Me however, I had got what I had come for even without the Instagram sunrise shot. I was back home enjoying a bacon butty before 9 am having that feeling of fulfilment by achieving something before most people had crawled out their pit.

Insert ironic sunrise photo here from the drive home