Pennine Way Diary

 

The Peak District 64 miles August 1998

Day 1: Edale to Crowden, 16 miles via Kinder Scout (2088ft) and Bleaklow Hill (2077ft). 6am start but missed turning in low cloud on KS and had to backtrack. No marked path off BH - took wrong route and had to backtrack. Arrived 10pm at campsite in Crowden.

Day 2: Crippled in Crowden, lots of wild rabbits but no pub.

Day 3: Crowden to Standedge, 11 miles over Black Hill (1908ft) and boggy Wessendon Moor. Stayed at inn on A635.

Day 4: Standedge to Hebden Bridge, 15 miles of wet moorland. Camped by canal outside HB.

Day 5: Hebden Bridge to Ponden, 11 miles of moorland and reservoirs. Camped by one.

Day 6: Ponden to Thornton-in-Craven, 11.5 miles. Camped in field above Skipton, then went home for a week.

 

The Pennines & Yorkshire Dales 138 miles August 1998

Day 1: Thornton-in-Craven to Malham, 10.5 miles of fields and pasture, rained all day.

Day 2: Malham to Horton in Ribblesdale, 14.25 miles. Constant rain on moors and no marked paths slowed progress. Missed out Pen-y-ghent (2277ft)

Day 3: Horton in Ribblesdale to Hawes, 14 miles over Cam Fell and Dodd Fell (2192ft). Very wet all day. Campsite in Hawes.

Day 4: Hawes to Keld, 12.25 miles over Great Shunner Fell (2350ft). Dry but very windy.

Day 5: Keld to Bowes, 12.5 miles via Tan Hill (1725ft) and wind swept Sleightholme Moor. Camped at farm before Bowes.

Day 6/7: Bowes to Forest-in-Teesdale, 19 miles over Cotherstone Moor - very wet and boggy, unmarked route. Camped overnight before Middleton-in-Teesdale then B&B in Forest overlooking the valley.

Day 8: Forest-in-Teesdale to Dufton, 13.25 miles via High Cup Nick (1902ft). Extreme wind in face most of way crossing Pennines to west.

Day 9: Rest day in Dufton

Day 10/11: Dufton to Alston, 20 miles via Great Dun Fell and Cross Fell (2930ft). Low cloud, horizontal hail, visibility 5m and no clearly marked path. Camped overnight at Garrigill.

Day 12: Alston to Greenhead, 16.5 miles of hillside walk in rain.

Day 13: Greenhead to Steel Rigg, 6.5 miles up and down along Hadrian's Wall.

 

The Cheviot Hills 55 miles (still to do)

Day 1: Steel Rigg to Bellingham, 15 miles

Day 2: Bellingham to Byrness, 15 miles via Brownrigg Head (1200ft)

Day 3/4: Byrness to Kirk Yetholm, 25 miles over the Cheviot (2674ft)