Napper and I had unfinished business with the Limestone Way since our first attempt in Summer 2025, when we well and truly bonked 30km in and decided a shady beer garden in Monyash was the only means of revival. That day the 32 degree heat, lack of water between us and unreliable kit exposed not only our lack of preparation, but also the flaws in the kit we thought we could depend on.
That’s why there was only one answer when I proposed we give the 78km route that slices its way through the heart of the Peak District, from Castleton to Rocester, another go. But this time, with kit designed by us, made for moments like this.
The plan was simple, a two-day fast-pack expedition to see out 2025 in style whilst being able to put some of our kit to the test. We would start in Castleton, cover around 45km the first day where we would find refuge in a yurt in some blokes back garden before continuing onto Rocester on day two, all whilst carrying, utilizing and critiquing our new UL Z-Fold Carbon Trekking Poles, UL Down Quilt and UL Sleep Pad.
We couldn’t have hit it any better with the weather. This was one of those sunny, crisp winter days you dream of when it’s grey and gloomy outside. Frost clung to the grass as we set off from Castleton, the kind that crunches reassuringly underfoot and makes you feel like the day is already on your side. Mam Tor loomed behind us as the first light caught the hills, and almost immediately it felt different to last time. The pace was controlled, the packs light, the air cool enough that effort felt sustainable rather than reckless. 
The Limestone Way wastes no time in reminding you what you signed up for. Rolling farmland gives way to exposed ridgelines, then drops you back down into sleepy villages that feel like they exist outside of time. The trail constantly undulates, never allowing you to settle into a lazy rhythm, and that’s where the kit started to earn its keep. The Z-Fold Carbon Poles came out early and stayed out, steady on climbs, confidence-inspiring on slick limestone descents, and light enough that they never felt like a burden when stowed.
By midday the sun had burned off the last of the frost, but unlike our summer implosion, water management was a non-issue. Streams were flowing, heads were screwed on, and we actually had the capacity to enjoy where we were. Somewhere past Youlgreave, it properly hit me how different this attempt felt. Same trail, same legs, but an entirely different mindset. Experience is a ruthless but effective teacher.
As the light began to soften, fatigue crept in, but the good kind. The honest kind you welcome at the end of a big day out. Rolling into the yurt felt borderline luxurious after some pub grub and a few debrief beers. Packs hit the floor, boots came off, and the UL Down Quilt and Sleep Pad got their moment. No fuss, no cold spots, no regrets. Just a warm, down cuddle and dreams of another day on the trail.
Morning two was colder, slower, and quieter - in the best way possible. We packed up stiff but smiling, steam rising from our breath as we pointed ourselves south once more, leaving the sunset behind us. The feeling of being out on the trail as the world still sleeps, frost underfoot, is one that is difficult to put into words, but has us well and truly addicted.
The trail mellowed slightly on this second day, weaving through woods and pastureland, and before long the miles began to tick away almost unnoticed.
Reaching Rocester 34km later didn’t come with fireworks or fanfare, and that felt right. Just two tired runners, the promise of a sausage roll from Rob and Carol (Nappers rents - The best crew about) and the quiet closing of a loop that had been left open months before. The Limestone Way had beaten us once, fair and square. Coming back better prepared, better equipped, and better informed felt like the only acceptable response.
Somewhere along those frozen fields and limestone tracks, it became obvious that this wasn’t “testing kit” or “clocking miles” or ticking off another route. It was just doing the thing we love most, in the place we love most, with purpose baked into every step. When you’re building, moving, and learning in alignment with what genuinely drives you, effort turns into energy. The Limestone Way wasn’t a task this time; it was a reminder of why we do this at all.
Unfinished business, finished properly.
Over and Out.