Month: June 2017

I was really happy today to be joined by my sister Karen and my mum (74 years young) for this farmland and towpath stage essentially along the Staffordshire Way. Karen and I left Uttoxeter and started to fight our way through overgrown hedgerows, long grass and over some almost impossible stiles before the coup de grace, a hidden path across the middle of a field of rape seed well over head high. Karen lost her water bottle and walk guide somewhere in the midst of all of this – we did not go back to look. On top we had a couple of heavy rain showers before reaching Abbots Bromley for lunch. Amazingly we had only done 7 miles !!

After lunch with my parents and Cath, my mum stepped up to join Team Johnson for the afternoon. We kept to lanes where we could but still had a few fields to cross and my mum showed fantastic agility getting over a few stiles. We passed by Blithfield reservoir through a couple of small villages and the odd useless stile and joined the towpath of the Trent and Mersey Canal for the last few miles to Little Haywood, passing a rather large gathering of Canada geese families with their young going for an afternoon swim. Our progress was much better and we arrived ahead of schedule so treated ourselves to a well earned drink at the Lamb & Flag before strolling the last half mile to the Seven Springs car park on the edge of Cannock Chase. Staying at my parents tonight in my home town of Stafford – first night in a proper bed for what seems like a very long time.

First decision today was whether to risk more limestone torture in wet slippery dales or a longer more tedious Tissington Trail. Knowing that Dovedale is a popular spot I opted for the dales route – turned out to be a good decision as I made swift progress through Biggin Dale then followed the rolling river Dove through green valleys and limestone outcrops all the way to Dovedale 7 miles later, on the way moving into my home county of Staffordshire. Rain was intermittent and heavy at times so I was once again sweating off pounds I don’t have under the waterproofs.

After Dovedale the terrain changed and the frustration mounted as I yomped through field after field of sheep, boisterous cows, knee high grass, rickety, overgrown stiles and had to continually stop to check my map in the rain – was not sorry to see the back of the Limestone Way when I eventually got to Rocester. 

I joined The Staffordshire Way and the frustration got worse. More map issues, head high nettles and fallen trees along the river (the same river Dove that had been so pleasant earlier). This was followed by more fields eventually passing beneath the busy A50 and a circuitous arrival at Uttoxeter racecourse which added probably an extra half mile to my day.

Some significant moments though as today I passed Middle Mayfield, the village where my son-in-law Joe used to live and walked through the grounds of Abbotsholme School where my daughter Suzie studied for her A Levels. Even Rocester football ground held some memories of my distant youth. Overall an unnecessarily tiring day, mentally and physically.

Good news – no rain today! But still very windy as I set off from Edale with a good friend, Tony Britton. We climbed up past Mam Tor and headed south across fields to pick up the Limestone Way and a comfortable few miles before descending a long track down to Hay Dale, the first of 3 dales we would walk through. It was flat and grassy so I thought our scheduled lunch meeting with Cath, Betty and Debbie Britton would be no problem….until we got to Peter Dale where the ground was sodden and evidently cattle trodden. As we skirted around the mud the cows duly appeared in our way so we skirted them too but progress was slow. We then came to Monks Dale and bad got worse as we picked our way through a slippery limestone jungle, clambering over and ducking under fallen trees progress got even slower. As we eventually reached the end of the dale I slipped on a step and lost my maps but fortunately realised soon after and went back to find them. We were already late for lunch so had a quick route change and trekked up a long farm track around the hill towards Taddington where the girls were waiting.

Debbie and Tony exchanged places after a belated lunch and Debbie walked with me for the afternoon through the villages of Flagg and Monyash across more fields and country lanes. We picked up the old railway line Tissington Trail and strode out the last few miles to Heathcote in good time for dinner. Sadly PJ has left with Debbie and Tony to stay with them for some time to see if his paw will heal.

I have more dales to walk along tomorrow, maybe I’ll rethink the route…

Relying on photos from other sources now but will find a way round it. In short this morning was probably the worst weather I have ever walked in. It started ok in Crowden – heavy rain and some gusting wind as Shirley and I met Chris by Torside reservoir and we plodded up the steep climb to Clough Edge. We could see the wind and cloud swirling around as we negotiated the slippy path and descended to cross the raging Wildboar Grain. A couple of brave leaps later we were heading up towards Bleaklow Head with the strong wind and rain at our backs, not realising how sheltered we still were. As we emerged onto the summit we became exposed to the 60mph gusts and followed the path/stream down towards the main road 3 miles or so away. We had to cross the stream, Hern Clough, several times as it was impassable on the path, climbing up on to peat bogs the only option. The last mile was on a better path but totally exposed to the wind and rain coming in from the side. It was freezing cold and all three of us were feeling it. Knowing what was to come after the A57 (Mill Hill and Kinder Edge) I decided we should instead head east down the main road and take refuge in the Snake Pass Inn 3 miles along. Less than 1 hour later 3 drowned rats squelched into the warmth of the bar, ordered coffee and reassessed the situation. Shirley was struggling with her ankle, Chris was shivering like crazy and decided to call a taxi to go back to his car at the B&B in Torside. I was determined to get as close to Edale as possible without going too high and was familiar with a different route around the eastern side of Kinder plateau. I checked on my GPS and decided I was going for it. Cath arrived in Betty and took care of Shirley, made me eat two soggy sandwiches and off I went. It was another 2 miles along the A57, not too bad considering the conditions, and then a track up and around the side of the plateau, eventually turning back into the wind. Even at a lower level the wind gusts were crazy but the rain eased off so I got to Edale just before 5pm. Without elaborating why, we did not stay at the Edale campsite (simply don’t use Coopers!!), got warm, dry and fed in the Old Nags Head and found another camp site about 20 minutes drive away. So goodbye to the Pennine Way and a small celebration on passing the 700 mile mark today. Being joined by more friends, Debbie and Tony Britton tomorrow, at least it should be drier!!

MONOCHROME – Soaked to the skin before I even started.  The views to North Wales from the White House Pub the previous night had been replaced by low black cloud, heavy rain and increasing winds. Dauntless I set off up over Blackstone Edge with no shelter until after about 3 miles I had crossed the M62 and arrived at the white burger van near the motorway junction. I took brief shelter and ploughed on across the moor to White Hill with its newly painted white trig point. Saw a few other walkers doing the PW – idiots like me. Going over Millstone Edge I was getting battered by the gales and decided to do a video only to discover my phone would not work – do no photos. Nowhere to shelter for lunch I just kept going past Standedge and Wessenden reservoirs, over a main road and faced the raging torrents of Dean Clough brook, swelled by the last 2 days rain and impossible to cross at the normal point. I scrambled 50 yards upstream to find a place narrow enough for me dare to leap over. Once I regained the path it was an hour of slogging on slabs, bog and mud up and over Black Hill (another newly painted white trig point) then down towards Crowden Brook. There were several points where again I had to leap across and wade through the fast flowing stream until the path gained height taking me to the cliff edge walk over Laddow Rocks and the long descent to the camp site at Crowden. I managed to get my phone working but in video/selfie mode only – still no photos and an even worse weather forecast for tomorrow where I will be joined again by Shirley and Chris Zanetti, a friend from Hull – hope they are prepared!

Expected rain today and got wet before lunch then perspired for a while before ditching the waterproofs around midday. Energising climb out of Ponden up to Top Withens (google it!) with views back towards Haworth and the path we took yesterday.

Cracking on I descended towards the reservoirs at Widdop and got mistaken for a participant in the Hebden Bridge Boundary race (google that as well!). I sped on past Gorple and over the moor to Colden with the later target of Stoodley Pike now visible on the horizon. The steep descent into Hebble Hole and climb back out drove the waterproof  off decision as I raced to make the 1pm meeting with Cath in Charlestown and welcomed the return of Jan and Dave Smith, Dave would be walking this afternoon. Lunch over and rain possible, Dave and I ambled quite comfortably up the path, past another useless stile and crested the final climb to Stoodley Pike, now rather larger than earlier in the day! 

The wind was getting chilly so we kept going for the haul over the moor, around a diversion at Warland reservoir before eventually conversing our way along the track past 2 more reservoirs to The White House pub and our camp for tonight. The views across the Manchester conurbation to the south west and all the way to Snowdonia were fabulous. Penultimate day on the PW tomorrow.

Team Johnson set off in good time across the fields out of Gargrave 

After a few miles and a cattle encounter Cath, Josy and Suzanne took PJ back to the campsite to manage logistics for later in the day. The boys made solid progress over some undulating terrain to reach the lunch date in Lothersdale with my ex work colleague Paul Hopkins and his wife Caroline who really looked after us all – it was brilliant to catch up. Cath had some fun getting Betty along a few narrow lanes, and we all set off suitably refuelled heading for Ponden. Another couple of cattle episodes and some more undulating (steep) terrain later we marched on over Ickornshaw Moor in a Pennine rain shower before reaching the reservoir and camp for the night.

It was great to have company for the day, especially Drew for the first time. Big thanks to Josy also for the ginger biscuits that were waiting for us at the end.

After being in clear view last night, Pen-y-Ghent was in the clouds this morning but I never intended to do the extra Pennine Way miles anyway so I set off on the Yorkshire 3 Peaks path to where it intersects with the PW and descended straight to Dale Head and along the road to start the climb up to Fountains Fell Coming down and approaching Malham Tarn I had a sense of premonition and decided it was time to lose the waterproofs. Not long after I met a fantastic young couple James and Mina who are doing LEJOG in super fast time – respect! Almost immediately afterwards my path finally crossed that of Louise Anthony (Instagram alter ego – knit.bake.stitch.roam) who is also doing LEJOG and we have been following each other’s progress for at least 3 weeks. Amazing feeling to meet like that and stop for a chat then off on our separate ways. Quickly past Malham Tarn through Watlowes and down into the ever impressive Malham Cove for lunch. I then ploughed on through farmland and along the river to cover the last few miles to Gargrave. Josy and Simon Greenwood treated us to an Indian meal and I was then surprised by the arrival of son Drew, daughter Suzanne and son in law Joe who had come to walk with me on Saturday also.  

An ideal stage to get my legs working again after the second rest day, relatively short, just one big uphill out of Hawes for an hour or so, but now without the big backpack so the boots had a rest and I wore my Salomon walking shoes again. The rest day was very relaxed, a visit from daughter Suzanne and friends Penny and Mike who came armed with a lamb curry for dinner. Claire came to pick up Chris and brought a Victoria Sponge cake so we were pretty spoilt. On top of that, Cath led the fundraising effort round the campsite supported by Penny and collected £104 for PCUK – she really is unbelievable!!

After the uphill start I made good time and walked into the wind along  the side of Dodd Fell on an old Cam Road towards Ribblesdale with the familiar Yorkshire 3 Peaks of Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-Ghent spread out and looming as dark shapes in front. I decided to make this an IPod day and marched along to my personal mix of 70s/80s punk/new wave, Lady Gaga, U2 etc. A great walking track is Rock Star by Pink!

Had lunch at the tranquil Ling Gill Bridge and filmed a long overdue video, before IPodding the last 3 miles to Horton where Cath was already set up in Betty. I’m past halfway now and over 600 miles. It’s all starting to seem like a long dream.