Great English Walk Day 18 - 5 April 2018

Top of Derwent Reservoir to near Holmfirth

Walking 7.10am to 6.00pm
Distance walked today 16 miles
Distance walked so far 282 miles
Distance left 294 miles

I ventured outside the tent last night to tighten the guys. I thought it was raining lightly but, in fact, it was swirling snow. I didn't stay out long! It was a cold night and I packed away an icy tent. The track over the moor towards the Flouch Inn was easy to follow. Camping where I did was a wise decision. Snow had settled on the moor and the temperature was clearly several degrees colder. There would have been nowhere to camp. It was a crisp, clear morning, quite beautiful. Grouse were all around, disturbed by my presence.

As I descended, numerous walkers were coming the other way having parked at the Flouch car park. On a good day it's obviously a popular area. Last night, had I had time to make the crossing, I would have found a good wild camping spot amongst the first trees I came to (SK198005). 

After Thurlstone Moor, I joined the Trans Pennine Trail for some easy walking, stopping along the way for lunch and to spread my tent out to dry. It's a popular trail as evidenced by the number of walkers and cyclists, even on a weekday. I then took the quiet road up to Harden Clough and skirted a large forest and then a track eventually taking me to Holme. Here I stopped to chat to Susan Morgan walking her lovely chocolate labrador. She's recently acquired a new camper van and is having a great time with it and I told her something of the travels I've had in mine. She sent me on my way with some granola biscuits. Chance meetings like this really perk me up. 

By this time, I was varying my route as I'd decided I didn't need to go into Holmfirth. By Digley Reservoir, I scouted around for a possible wild camp but there was nothing suitable and it was a little early and I was enjoying walking into a fine evening. With Meltham getting closer, I decided to stop somewhere before then. On impulse, I turned down a lane and called at the first house I came to. I struck lucky with Roger and Margaret. Instead of camping in their garden, I'm on a camp bed in a newly converted outbuilding with my own loo and hot and cold water. People are so kind.