I walked the Edale Skyline with a view to using it for corporate days out. A recce is a chance to get to know the route on foot and think about how it might work for different groups.
My waterproofs were on for the first two hours of the walk because of heavy rain, but came off after that, despite the odd bit of drizzle. The weather brightened up as the day went on, giving me more chance to enjoy the views along the way.
The climb up Lose Hill
Lose Hill was the only really big climb of my walk. I took this short video after reaching the top, looking out across the surrounding hills and valley.
The paths were pretty clear throughout the hike and quite often paved, as you can see in the video below.
A route with options
What made the Skyline particularly useful was the number of escape routes down into Edale. These give me options to shorten the walk and adjust its length to suit the clients, rather than committing every group to the full circuit.
That flexibility matters on a corporate day. People bring different levels of fitness and experience, and the weather can change what is appropriate on the day. Knowing the options on the ground helps me plan a walk around the group.
A full day on foot
Strava recorded my recce at six hours and thirteen minutes, with very little stopping beyond changing my waterproofs. I worked hard to keep my pace above 5 km/h. That was my own effort for the day; a day with clients would have its own pace, with time to pause, talk and enjoy being out in the mountains together.
I came away thinking the Skyline offered a useful combination: a substantial mountain walk, views that opened up as the weather improved, and plenty of options to adapt the distance. A good route to have in mind for future corporate days.
