The English Pennine Way - Day 1 — Long Walks, Organics & African Stuff

Named the backbone of England, The Pennines (Pennine Hills or Pennine Chain) form a more-or-less continuous range stretching south to north along the centre of England. The Pennine Way (Often referred to as the “Way” or “PW”) is one of Britain's best known and toughest tracks, with approximately 12,000 long-distance and 250,000 day-walkers using it every year. I once read that of those long-distance hikers who set out to walk its entire length, an estimated 85% of them will drop out within the first two days.

It is both a high-level and wilderness trail. Still, there are also sections where river tracks, cultivated valleys and lowlands are followed.

Conceived by Tom Stephenson in the 1930's it was completed and officially opened in 1965. It can take anywhere between 12 to 21 days to walk, depending on your level of fitness. I took my time so that I could enjoy it, completing it in 18 days.

The PW begins in the south, at a pub called "The Nag's Head", in the small village of Edale in the Derbyshire Peak District. It travels northwards through the magnificent Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland National Parks, eventually finishing over the Scottish border, at another pub, the "Border Hotel", in the village of Kirk Yetholm.

The distance, as the crow flies, is only 150 miles (240 km) from beginning to end, but this trail meanders - a lot! It literally travels all points of the compass to cover twice that distance.

I wrote a daily journal of my walk, and I've decided to write about it here, raw and verbatim. I know it's not "Good Travel Writing" as such. Still, I think it gives a better feel for my everyday experiences and feelings at the time during this magnificent walk. I was a LOT younger then too, and not so erudite, I guess. Some would say that I haven't improved with age, but here goes anyway!

Day 1 - Edale to Crowden YHA

My journey began on Sunday, 15th June 1986. I was 40, totally unfit and bonkers!!

"What are these so wither'd, and so wild in their attire, that looks not like inhabitants o' the earth, and yet are on't".

With these appropriate words from Shakespeare's "Macbeth", I took on the gruelling Pennine Way (PW) through the heart of England and into Scotland. They were visionary words too, as I encountered many such bedraggled folks trudging north on this epic 270 miles (432 km) journey. It was my first attempt at any long-distance walk, and one I should have trained for, before I started, but hadn't. Oh well, can’t be that hard eh, it looks quite short on the map!?

Got up about 6.30 am at my home in Castleacre, Norfolk, England, and frantically packed my gear. It all went in OK, but my pack weighed 17.5 kg, far too much. As I was to find out later, this proved to be a problem, not just the weight, but mainly because the hip support did not work correctly. The pressure was too much for it, and it slipped up all the time. This meant most of the weight was taken on my shoulders and not on my hips. Very uncomfortable.

I drove north-west to Edale, via Sheffield, and got to the Youth Hostel (YHA) there about 11 o'clock in the morning. It was here that my car was to stay for the three weeks I was to be away. It's free to Pennine Way "thru walkers", and tucked away on a private road, so was safe.

The car locked, I walked off towards Edale village, the beginning of the PW. After just the 1.5 miles, I was knackered! However, after a very quick and welcome mug of tea, I was ready to get off on my "safari".

A kindly group of people wished me well, and one guy wanted to come with me! I asked him to take a picture of me outside the "Nag's Head" pub, to prove I'd been there.

**Me out side the “Nag’s Head” pub, Edale. Start of the “Way”. © Duncan Smith**

It was a very sunny and hot day, but less so than yesterday, when it was 32°C (90°F). A cool breeze fanned my body and face, keeping an otherwise very fierce day quite bearable.

From Edale, a gentle stroll on a mildly sloping field eased me into my walk, but I was oblivious of the horrors yet to come. Probably just as well!

An hour later, the gentle rise got more serious, it began to climb Grinsbook Clough, running parallel with Grinds Brook. Another kilometre and the climb became very steep and tortuous. Loose rocks underfoot made it tricky, and I had to beware of twisting my ankle.

Nearly 18 kg on my back and problems with the hip belt, the last few metres were very exhausting. In fact, with the heat of the day, I had to stop twice in the first 2.2 miles for liquids. My thoughts were, "Good grief, 250 miles more of this, I must be mad!"

However, at the top of the Clough, Kinder Plateau stretched out in front of me. An incredible area of peat and groughs (channels or fissures in a peat moor), the like of which I have never seen before. This area looked easy walking, being flat, but it had a few tricks up its sleeve.

**Hazel stacks laid across the boggy parts of the peat. Kinder Plateau. © Duncan Smith**

Every so often a sort of rill (small stream) would appear, having cut a deep groove in the soft peat. Although the majority of the peat was reasonably dry and springy, in the rills the peat was a soggy mess. I put my gaiters on to prevent peat from getting into my boots. It was featureless peat, peat and more peat. There were the occasional duckboards to walk on, and help with your direction, but is was mainly just rough, confusing tracks. Luckily I had taken a compass bearing at the head of the Clough because it is very easy to get hopelessly lost in this sort of terrain.

I met a guy, at the head of the Clough, who wished me luck and pointed in the general direction of where I should walk, so I set off.

Eventually, I arrived at Kinder Downfall, a rocky amphitheatre of cliffs and fallen rocks, with incredibly awe-inspiring view across towards Glossop and beyond. I sat and admired the view, briefly, but as I was pressed for time, quickly moved on. I'd set out late from Edale, at 12.00 pm, and had to be at the Crowden Youth Hostel (YHA) by 7 pm. I took a compass bearing of my position from Kinder reservoir.

I met the guy I'd seen at Grindsbrook Clough again. He offered to walk with me for a while, having done the Pennine way no less than 7 times. I thought "Great" forget the map, I'm onto a winner here! He was a good companion (Lawrence) but went at incredible speed!! He was only out for the day and had just a 4.5 kg pack on his back. Apparently, his Ramblers Association group called him the "Manchester Express", I was not all surprised. He was off like a greyhound - I struggled to keep up with him, and only just managed. However, with the extra weight, I soon began to flag and had to stop to take in water.

Lawrence, “The Manchester Express" on Kinder plateau. © Duncan Smith

I managed to keep up with him reasonably well, considering he walked every weekend about 65 to 85 km a day! However, I'd not eaten since breakfast, so by the “Hern Stones”, I was feeling a bit sick. I asked him to stop while I took on more water and a quick snack of raisins and a seed bar. I felt better.

We pushed on past the “Wain Stones” (Kissing Stones) and over “Bleaklow Head”. The PW splits here, but Lawrence took a route almost between the two. It was downhill amongst crowberry and bilberry, and quite dangerous. These plants form dense mats and cover the peat below. There were large holes and ugly, ankle-wrenching mounds beneath. I went over twice while trying to keep up with him.

Eventually, we could see Torside Reservoir in the distance as our path followed Torside Clough. From this vantage point, we also saw the YHA, thank goodness. It was now 6 o'clock, and I had already travelled some 15.5 miles, at an incredible pace.

Once we got around the very windswept Clough, and we descended past a very smelly maggot factory of all things!! Pheewweey! A walk along the southern side of the reservoir, across a dam, we finally joined the A628 road.

Lawrence left me here, a nice guy. He'd set me off very well on my journey across the rather nasty bits of the country to navigate.

I then thought, that if I can walk 17.5 miles at that pace, in an afternoon, then the leisurely 15 mioles I'd set myself each day would seem a doddle in comparison.

A quick slurp of water,m and on to Crowden hostel, about 1 mile away along the A628. The last stretch, on a farm track, was a muscle-screaming one and a steep slope. My knee muscles began to crack up, not painfully, but just warning me! I had to stop twice before going on. Now I know how marathon runners feel when their legs go like jelly on seeing the finishing line!

Crowden hostel, at last, after walking 18.7 miles, in 7.5 hours.

I met a good bunch of about 8 or 10 people there. A quick shower, delicious squeaky clean hair again, a nice steak and kidney meal with all the trimmings. Magic! World Cup soccer was on my radio, so everyone crowded into the common room to hear it. Argentina beat West Germany, 3 - 2. Shame.

Walked 30 km in 7.4 hours

Onwards to Day 2 https://duncangoeswalking.squarespace.com/blog-pages/the-english-pennine-way-day-2