Pennine Way Day 6 - 13 June 2021

Above Malham Cove to Ling Gill Bridge
Walking 6.45am to 6.10pm

Distance walked 18.5 miles
Distance remaining 173 miles

Quite overcast to start with but the forecast was good. At the top of the ascent from the Dry Valley the PW was signposted sharp right, which I took, but I must have missed a sign further in as I emerged onto a bridle way but it was easy to regain the PW so no time was lost.

 

At Malham Tarn House activity centre I came across a young fellow and prevailed upon him to allow me access to a water tap to replenish my supply which was fortuitous, although there was a decent stream, Tennant Gill, about half a mile past the farm of the same name.

Up over Fountains Fell and then the long descent the other side. I stopped to chat with a north to souther. There was a clear view of Penyghent which I don't believe there was the last time I came this way in 2017. That time and the time before the weather has been an excuse not to ascend Penyghent but, it being a fine day, I went up and had a lunch break at the top. Well worth the effort.

 

I went straight through Horton- in-Ribblesdale. The Penyghent cafe seems to be permanently closed. I stopped at the far end of the village at The Crown for a chilled pint of lime and soda before the long ascent and then level walk of about five miles in all to my wild pitch at Ling Gill Bridge. There was one other (cycle) camper there and later a father and son turned up on bikes. It was warm and still and the midges were out in force. I realised that my head net might be proof against mosquitos but not against midges.

Pennine Way Day 5 - 12 June 2021

Ickornshaw to Malham Cove
Walking 6.35am to 6.45pm
Distance walked 20 miles
Distance remaining 191.5 miles

Weather set to be good again. Easy walking but a steep descent into sleepy Lothersdale village. Here I bought a slice of home made cake from an honesty stand in aid of midwives in Uganda.

 

Lovely views from Pinhaw Beacon but, having said that, views were to be had all day really. Mark, who was on the site last night, caught up with me but went on ahead keeping a faster pace. The curlews were very vocal, wheeling around protecting their nests. Lovely birds.

There was nothing to detain me in Thornton in Craven. A mile further I stopped in a lush grassy field to brew coffee and shortly after I joined the canal at East Marton. By some permanent moorings there was a British Waterways Board water tap. I filled a water bottle mainly to check that my key still works and it does.

Gargrave was buzzing. I resupplied with a few things at the Co-op and pressed on. On the edge of Gargrave, I stopped and had a long chat with a fellow walking the Pennine Way north to south and two ladies went by PWay-ing north but using accommodation.

The approach to Malham via Airton and Hanlith was lovely but long. At Hanlith a lady was watering her plants. She kindly turned her sprinkler on my buff which I held out and put back round my neck. So cooling in the heat.

Malham was heaving with day trippers so I passed through quickly. The climb up the steps to the side of Malham Cove was challenging after a long day. I headed for the Dry Valley, the PW route towards Malham Tarn and stopped to make supper. I decided to overnight here but it's been quite busy with runners doing a fifty mile run taking in the Three Peaks. I'm told there may be some stragglers coming by after dark so I've put out a fluorescent thingummy and my head torch with a red strobe light. I don't want to be the cause of an accident.

 

Pennine Way Day 4 - 11 June 2021

Colden to Ickornshaw
Walking 8.30am to 5.10pm
Distance walked 14 miles
Distance remaining 211.5 miles

I bought a steak pie for lunch at May's Shop and was served by May herself, an elderly lady of indeterminate age.

Almost immediately the trail climbed up to open moorland towards Clough Head Hill and the horizontal rain started but it wasn't heavy rain. I was caught up by a young lady out for a regular walk before heading back to home working and firing up her laptop.

The rain having cleared up, I stopped to brew coffee between the two footbridges at Graining Water. I believe it's a popular wild camping spot. Lunch was had later on Stanbury Moor next to the ruined farmhouse at Top Withins, of Wuthering Heights fame. It was windy but the views towards Haworth were stupendous. Around here the route is shared with the Brontë Way about which I know very little.

After circuiting Ponden Reservoir the route climbed over about a mile to Ickornshaw Moor and then followed a generally clear path for a couple of miles before a slow descent. I passed a number of cabins which I assume are used in connection with shooting. One was occupied and I stopped to talk to the man inside. He's owned it for some forty years. It was well kitted out with a stove, living area and bedroom. His wife was away so he was spending a couple days there. Lovely outlook over the heather clad moor. What more could you ask?

Arriving in Ickornshaw, it was a short walk along the road to Squirrel Wood campsite. Here I found the other camper from last night who'd made an early start this morning. We chatted for a while. He'd managed to leave his tent pegs somewhere earlier on so was improvising with rocks.

 

Pennine Way Day 3 - 10 June 2021

Standedge Cutting to Colden 

Walking 9.50am to 6.30pm
Distance walked 18 miles
Distance remaining 225.5 miles

Amanda dropped me back at Standedge after a good overnight with family nearby. The weather was cloudy with rain expected this afternoon and thankfully not as warm as yesterday. 

Much of the first few miles was on the edge of the Pennines so the views to the west were amazing. 

I got talking to a couple of chaps from Ripponden out for a weekly circular walk. I caught up with them again at Nicki’s snack van just south of the M62. A tea and a steak, cheese and mushroom muffin slipped down quite quickly and set me up for the day. 

After the White House pub (which I didn’t go into), the Way followed alongside several reservoirs until, at the far end of Warland Reservoir, Stoodley Pike came into sight some distance off. Having a brief snack stop, another PW walker came by, and elderly chap doing it by using B&Bs with his wife, but she was having a day off today. He was overnighting in Hebden Bridge. 

Reaching Stoodley Pike, I had intended investigating nearby conifer woodland for a wild camp but it was only 4.20pm. The rain didn’t look as if it was coming so I decided to keep going. It was a long descent into the edge of Hebden Bridge, over the canal and road, then a punishing climb up the other side on an ancient narrow walled path, passing a number of old cottages on the way. I thought of the history the path could tell, it was so worn. 

Eventually, I reached Colden and the legendary May’s Shop. Camping is free and I shall investigate the wonders inside in the morning. There’s one other camper here but he’s spent the whole evening zipped up in his tent. There was a passing shower this evening but it’s now just a bit breezy. 

Pennine Way Day 2 - 9 June 2021

Past Crowden to Standedge Cutting 

Walking 5.40am to 2pm
Distance walked 10 miles
Distance remaining 243.5 miles

At 11.20 last night I heard someone clumping by. I looked out but all I saw was a very dim light. I don't know why anyone would be out walking that late. Was I in the spot he had been heading for? The terrain is not ideal for night hiking.

I misread my watch this morning. I got up at what I thought was 5.30 and an hour later I looked at my watch again and it was still 5.30. I'd got up at 4.30! Still, it was a lovely morning. It was a steepish ascent to Laddow Rocks with superb views back to Crowden.

As I didn’t have too many miles to cover, I had some leisurely stops. The first was just before Black Hill where I brewed coffee, a change from my usual coffee bags. It’s so much nicer using loose ground coffee and not as messy as I’d been led to believe. What they call cowboy coffee. 

It being a very warm sunny day, the surrounding views were extensive. A slight breeze helped. I wouldn’t have wanted it any warmer. There were plenty of curlews wheeling around protecting their nests. 

My second leisurely stop was at Dean Clough, a popular spot. I had an enjoyable chat with an older man out for a day walk.

After that, Wessenden Head and a punishing pull up to Black Moss and past reservoirs to Standedge where Amanda and Kezia came to collect me for a home cooked meal, shower and a proper bed before returning to the trail tomorrow. 

Pennine Way Day 1 - 8 June 2021

Edale to past Crowden 

Walking 10.30am to 8.30pm
Distance walked 16.5 miles
Distance remaining 253.5 miles

I walked from the station up to Edale village. I debated whether to buy a coffee and a couple of cakes at the cafe but that would have taken half an hour and I needed to crack on.

The weather was set fair for the day. I passed a few people over the two miles to the foot of Jacob's Ladder. From the top, all the way to Kinder Downfall, it was quite busy, even for a Tuesday. I stopped for lunch just short of the Downfall. Some way past it I stopped to chat with another backpacker. He was ending his walk at Edale. He'd started from Carlisle.

From Mill Hill, I met only two other people. I came across a grouse. Normally it would have taken flight noisily but it didn't move and it was only a few feet away from the path. Then I saw a few chicks. The walk to Snake Road seemed to go on for ever and the cars parked there never seemed to get any bigger and then I reached the road and continued on the other side.

Around 5pm I had a snack stop at Bleaklow Head and then tackled the interminable track and descent to Torside Reservoir. Last time I walked the PW in 2017 I spent the first night at the campsite at Crowden. On this trip I want to wild camp as far as possible so I continued along the PW for a mile or so and found a single pitch next to a bubbling stream marked as a ford on the map at spot height 284.

 

A long day.

28 April - Day 3 - Between Farmington and Clapton on the Hill to home

Walking 6.45am to 3pm

Distance walked 16 miles

It was actually a peaceful night with no deer activity. Very little noise at all, in fact. I was away early on a slightly rainy morning. Clapton on the Hill was quiet and I passed through it quickly and then passed through some grassy fields (Salmonsbury Fields SSSI) to reach the gravel lakes on the eastern edge of Bourton on the Water. There were just dog walkers about. I followed clear paths around the lakes and passed by the Salmonsbury Hill Fort which I hadn't heard of before despite living not far away. There was a replica Iron Age hut but it wasn't open for admission.

My walk then took me through Icomb and then Bledington, Kingham and home. A good day and a good weekend.