End of a long day 3

After the first of many many full English breakfasts I set off on my first real day of walking on my own. Well the weather threw everything at me today. Lashing horizontal rain, cold wind, mist and sunshine as well. I put all my waterproofs on about 15 minutes after starting out and they stayed on most of the day. The mist came down and visibilty was pretty poor but I'm sure that the views over Blackstone Edge would have been nice if I could see them!

There were some interesting wee things along the way like this ancient marker stone

The walking was easy - mostly level with rolling pennine views. First view of pennine wind turbines and although they blend better with the more industrialised landscape down here I still loathe them. I discovered today that weird Pennine phenomenon called Stoodley Pike. You can see if for miles and miles on the horizon but no matter how far you walk, it never gets any closer or any bigger.

A rather phallic Stoodley Pike when at last I got close to it

When you do actually get there it's a bit of a let down - covered in graffiti and a bit sad but it marks the home stretch towards Hebden Bridge.

I arrive in Hebden Bridge in sunshine having walked through a torrential downpour and trudged the 1.5 miles into town along the canal towpath. It was a lovely walk but I just wanted to get to the B&B so probably wasn't in a place where I could appreciate it. I'd forgotten how nice Hebden Bridge was since I'd been there a lot in my teens and early twenties. The B&B I stayed at was Kersal House in the centre of town and I was made very welcome. The room had a little balcony on which I enjoyed a cold beer courtesy of Maggie - the owner and then after fish and chips in town I crashed out fast asleep. It was such a comfy bed and I was so tired......

There were a a few new aches and niggles today but a longish day to Cowling tomorrow so off to sleep as I'm knackered. Can't say I'm looking forward to tomorrow as the forecast is crap weather:-(  but heigh ho
Janet Donnelly
Sent on the move

Day 2 - a great days walking

Today started out warm and breezy - in fact near perfect weather for walking. My nephew Pete walked with me today and we chatted as we walked (dawdled) but as it was only 12 miles I wasn't in any hurry.

Looking back towards Crowden - Day 2

The trail was quiet and the walking was glorious - much more like I was expecting. The sunshine didn't last though and we put on jackets at soldiers lump. We had lunch just before we crossed the main road and them headed down past the reservoirs.

Pete at our rather soggy lunch stop

The sun alternated with showers for the rest of the day and the going was easy and level except for one sharp descent and ascent to cross a stream. Before we knew it we had reached the main road and a rendezvous with Pete's wife Nic and their 2 kids Thomas and Sam. Then to a lovely b&b called Wellcroft House and a hot shower and a cuppa. All in all a brilliant day. From tomorrow I'll be on my own but it looks like a nice 16 miles to Hebden Bridge.
Janet Donnelly
Sent on the move

First day

Just having coffee at edale yha. Overcast this morning after yesterdays scorcher which suits me fine. Off 2 meet my brother in law in
Edale then onward and upward.

On my way at last

18.5 miles later...Jacobs ladder should be renamed Jacobs torture, kinder downfall should be renamed kinder dribble and Bleaklow should just keep on being called Bleaklow cos I can't imagine a name that describes it better - bleak. Incredibly hot and humid today. I sweated buckets and despite drinking 3 ltrs water - never peed once:-( easier day 2morrow, walking with my nephew. Time 4 bed xx
Janet Donnelly
Sent on the move

30th July 2011 Looking back now on that first day, everyone was right - the first day was indeed the worst. I'm not sure if it was a purely physical thing or whether it was more of a mental one. I was dying to get on my way and it was brilliant to have my brother in law Dave along for company but the heat and humidity just about did for me. I've never been good in the heat and usually do my best to stay out of the sun at all costs. No avoiding it the first day though and it was just a case of stopping often to drink and just going at my own pace. The views from the top of Kinder were fantastic and there was a steady stream of other walkers going in both directions. I was very glad to reach Crowden at the end of the day and get an ice lolly from the shop at the campsite. It felt good to get that first day out of the way, I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more if it had just been a one off walk but I couldn't get away from the feeling that it was just day one of many more. I hadn't yet got into a rhythm or a routine and I still felt the nervousness of embarking on a big adventure but on the whole it WAS a good day.

Deciding what to take!

I'm in the process of sorting out exactly what to take with me on Sunday and as I thought, it's a case of putting it all in a big pile and then taking at least a third of it away. It's exciting to actually be getting to this stage. The kitchen sink syndrome is still there though and I'm sure that I will still ditch stuff along the way. The weather is looking positive so it's all systems go.

Today there was an article in my local paper about my walk. I was expecting a picture and a wee write up and what I got was so much better. It told the whole story of why I'm walking and the tears rolled down my face when I read it. I'm really grateful to Craig Christie at the Northern Scot for his time and effort.

Oh well - time to go and shove all my stuff in my pack and see if I can lift it

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Less than a week to go now and a rant about midges

I feel a bit like I'm in limbo this week. I've spent so long doing the planning and the training for my walk that now it's almost here I feel a bit lost. I just want to get going and get on with it. I'm still slightly terrified but I've always been one to face nerves head on and get whatever it was that was making me nervous over and done with.

The maps are bought - thanks Al!
The gear has all been tested and retested.
The accommodation is all booked and the flight to Manchester arranged.
Transport home is sorted too so ther's nothing else to do.

I've had a manic couple of weeks getting up to date with ceremonies and tying up all of the loose ends so that I'm not behind when I get back so now I'm at a loose end myself.

The weather here has been atrocious - very wet, very warm and very midge infested. In fact if you look up the definition of 'midge infested' in the dictionary it has my address right there. People don't think you get midges away from the west coast of Scotland but I challenge them to come here tonight and sit on my deck.

I hate them with a vengeance - napalm is too good for them!!!! Yes I know they're part of the ecosystem and getting rid of them would have a knock on effect on other species but at this point in time I'd happily trade cute puppies and fluffy kittens for midges...or were these not the species in question? Make me an offer - I can't, off the top of my head think of any species that I'd not happily lose in exchange for exterminating midges.

Millions of the little biting blighters in your ears, your nose and your eyes. Avon skin so soft slows them down a bit but you need industrial quantities to make a difference here. Guess why I'm doing the Pennine Way and not the West Highland Way? Right first time - no Scottish midges!

Midge rant over, night night
X

Pennine Way maps - advice please!

I've been putting a lot of thought lately into route finding and navigation along the way and what to take with me so I don't get lost. I am in several minds about this and would appreciate input from anyone who has done the Pennine Way.

I'm an old fashioned girl and I have a strong emotional attachment to OS maps of all scales. I feel at home with them, they feel like familiar old friends and the thought of setting out on a walk without one makes me go all wobbly at the knees. My navigation skills with a map and compass are pretty good so I've no worries about that. When I was looking at new GPS technology last year I opted for the undoubtedly expensive Satmap Active 10 because it uses OS mapping on varying scales.

Basically it comes with a 1:250,000 map of the UK and you buy SD cards separately loaded with 1:25,000 or 1:50,000 maps of the areas that you specifically want and use often. These mapcards aren't cheap but Satmap often have special offers so if you keep an eye on your email you can pick them up more cheaply.

It's taken me a long while to get to grips with the Satmap but I've persevered and I'm getting there. I've got the Pennine Way mapcard which has the whole route on it at 1:25000 and 1:50000. Of course I appreciate that a GPS needs power and I've got the rechargeable kit for it and because I'm staying at a B&B or YHA each night, I should be able to keep it charged up. I know that I can't rely exclusively on technology though.

I also have both the Cicerone guide to the Pennine Way and the National Trails North and South Pennine way books, all of which have strip maps and route details in them. I hope that all of this, along with the Pennine Way signposts will keep me on track.

The question for me is 'is this going to be enough?' I can't help feeling uneasy at the thought of going out onto the hills without a paper OS map (I'll have a compass with me) in my pocket. It just won't feel right to me. That is balanced with the thought of having to buy all 9 of them (£14 a time) and carry them - although I can post them back and forth along the route.

Do any of you who have experience of routefinding on the Pennine Way have an opinion on this?

• What is the signposting on the route like?
• Are the strip maps in the books good enough if the GPS packs up (as sods law dictates it will!)
• I'll be walking in July so there will be plenty of daylight but I'm well aware that some of the route is at high level and subject to the usual mist and fog which could make routefinding a challenge.

I'm not going to compromise on safety but neither do I want to spend £150 if I don't really need to. Dilemma!

Do I need to carry the OS maps or will the GPS and the strip maps be enough coupled with the signposts?

Any advice would be gratefully received.Thanks in advance!

Alan Sloman's 'Wake for the Wild'

On Tuesday 17th May I will be joining Alan Sloman and what we hope will be lots of like minded people who will walk up to the site of the proposed wind 'power station' on Dunmaglass estate. We will carry a coffin with us to represent the death of the wild land in Scotland which is being desecrated in the name of sustainable energy.

I have written before on what I regard as the rape of the land by those who stand to gain financially and politically from the proliferation of large scale onshore wind power stations and on Tuesday I will get off my arse and stand up to be counted as one who mourns the loss of a valuable Scottish asset.

Wild places feed us and renew us and we glory in the splendid isolation that they provide to us.

John Muir said:

'In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks'

John Muir died knowing that he had failed to stop the Californian powers that be flooding Hetch Hetchy valley to provide water for the coastal cities. Today there is a growing campaign to reverse that decision. It comes under the category 'what the hell were we thinking'..... What would he say if he could see what we are doing to his precious homeland?

If any of you are free - please join us on Tuesday. The walk will be divided into two parts and those who are less able can leave us early on and we will continue on up the hill.
Contact me or Alan Sloman for information and timings etc.