Derwent Valley red kite trail

Today was another Pacific Crest Trail training day. We loaded the packs up to nearly full weight (mine was 23kg and Sarah’s 13Kg). I added 2 metal plates on mine to get the weight up to simulate a weeks worth of food.

We caught the bus to Rowlands Gill up the Derwent valley. We had intended to head of on a path we hadn’t been on before, but as soon as we got off the bus we realised we had picked up the wrong map. So instead we decided to do the red kite trail which is well marked.

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The weather behaved itself all day and it was a great spring day. At one point a Roedeer buck jumped right across the path a few get infront of us, giving us a great view. We also saw plenty of red kites as the name of the trail promised.

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We did 13 miles in the end, although we felt strong and both agreed we could probably have pushed out a 20 miler. Makes is both more confident for the Pacific crest trail thru hike.