About 25 people set off at 11am, after a talk in the Royal Hotel about the significance of the 1932 Mass Trespass, given by HKTG chairman Dave Toft.
Following the torrential rain of the previous day, participants were rewarded with a fine day that improved into a perfect day for walking.
The whole group stayed together as far as William Clough bridge. After a pause there for refreshments, about two thirds of them opted for the 10 mile walk, going up Sandy Heyes to the Kinder edge path, and the rest extended the shorter walk from 5 to about 6.5 miles by choosing to walk around the reservoir before returning to Hayfield.
The group included the son of one of the 1932 trespassers, who travelled all the way from East Sussex. He had only recently discovered that his mother Charlotte Olive Merrington is listed in the book “Battle for Kinder Scout”, as a known participant. (2012 Willow Publishing.) About 100 of the trespassers were identified by Benny Rothman around the time of the 50th anniversary, 1982. There is no complete list, and there were believed to be at least 400. At least 20 of the 100 listed are women, which has prompted some members of HKTG to start some further research into the role of women in the campaign for countryside access.
The walk was organised and led by the National Trust, supported by Hayfield Kinder Trespass Group (HKTG).
We are grateful to the Royal Hotel, Hayfield, for yet again giving us the use of their function room at no charge.
JH 01/08/2019