Day 32 - Diggle to Mankinholes
Pouring with rain and blowing a gale. Bill gave me a lift up to top hill to pick up the Pennine way where I left off. Thought I had lost my gloves which would have been a disaster but found them! Nice run down rubbly track and missed Pennine Way footpath sign as looking at ground. Windy uphill run to Millstone Edge and then vast peat moorland so by now soaked and battling severe side/headwind. Nice downhill out of wind to cross A640 then passed a guy trying to get some respite from the weather behind low wall, his name was Sam. Then passed moor fires that had raged yesterday. Stopped at burger van in layby on the A672 for coffee. 2/3 walkers already gone through that morning then via "posh" footbridge (wind tunnel so a challenge to cross) over M62 (aptly area also known as Windy Hill!). Then nice run across flagstones across Redmires to Blackstone Edge, bit weird as sandy underfoot with huge boulders and "rock pools", could have been on the beach. No distinct footpath so followed the occasional bootprint in sand. The cobblestones to Agin Stone (old boundary marker) and turned onto hagged and paved Roman or packhorse track. Dropped down to A58 and "popped" into The White House Inn, who should be propping up the bar eating sarnies but David! Lovely wood fire so chance to warm up, hot soup for lunch then just about to lea
ve and Sam tuens up, he's walking Pennine Way with his dad but he had had to drop out. Both left pub together straight into driving rain and wind again! Flat run along tracks beside resevoirs with white horse. Mist kept rolling in and out and visable trig points soon disappeared into nothingness! Passed David sat down behind a wall where there was respite for a little while from the wind and rain. Track arched around Warland Drain and then flagged across yet moorland of heather, bilberry bushes before then dropping off Pennine Way along Calderdale Way via long cobbled path into Mankinholes and out of the gales and driving rain. Youth Hostel not open so changed out of wet clothes in conservatory. Sam arrived having decided not to camp at Hebden. Waited 1.5 hours only for the reception guy to then tell me the back door to the kitchen was open and tea/coffee was available, typical! Pub for meal - still undecided re route I would take tomorrow, ie planned one via Burnley and Bronk Walp of 20 odd miles with unknown terrain or via Pennine way to lothersdale on well marked footpath where Tricia would meet me and take back pack for the last 6 miles of the 26. The fact that I don't have maps for Loth to earby settled the decision to stick with original plan! Another stamp in passport - this one of Stoodley Monument which is just uphill from here but hidden in the mist, celebrates the defeat of Napoleon at Warterloo.
Miles 14.09 and time 3.04
Pouring with rain and blowing a gale. Bill gave me a lift up to top hill to pick up the Pennine way where I left off. Thought I had lost my gloves which would have been a disaster but found them! Nice run down rubbly track and missed Pennine Way footpath sign as looking at ground. Windy uphill run to Millstone Edge and then vast peat moorland so by now soaked and battling severe side/headwind. Nice downhill out of wind to cross A640 then passed a guy trying to get some respite from the weather behind low wall, his name was Sam. Then passed moor fires that had raged yesterday. Stopped at burger van in layby on the A672 for coffee. 2/3 walkers already gone through that morning then via "posh" footbridge (wind tunnel so a challenge to cross) over M62 (aptly area also known as Windy Hill!). Then nice run across flagstones across Redmires to Blackstone Edge, bit weird as sandy underfoot with huge boulders and "rock pools", could have been on the beach. No distinct footpath so followed the occasional bootprint in sand. The cobblestones to Agin Stone (old boundary marker) and turned onto hagged and paved Roman or packhorse track. Dropped down to A58 and "popped" into The White House Inn, who should be propping up the bar eating sarnies but David! Lovely wood fire so chance to warm up, hot soup for lunch then just about to lea
ve and Sam tuens up, he's walking Pennine Way with his dad but he had had to drop out. Both left pub together straight into driving rain and wind again! Flat run along tracks beside resevoirs with white horse. Mist kept rolling in and out and visable trig points soon disappeared into nothingness! Passed David sat down behind a wall where there was respite for a little while from the wind and rain. Track arched around Warland Drain and then flagged across yet moorland of heather, bilberry bushes before then dropping off Pennine Way along Calderdale Way via long cobbled path into Mankinholes and out of the gales and driving rain. Youth Hostel not open so changed out of wet clothes in conservatory. Sam arrived having decided not to camp at Hebden. Waited 1.5 hours only for the reception guy to then tell me the back door to the kitchen was open and tea/coffee was available, typical! Pub for meal - still undecided re route I would take tomorrow, ie planned one via Burnley and Bronk Walp of 20 odd miles with unknown terrain or via Pennine way to lothersdale on well marked footpath where Tricia would meet me and take back pack for the last 6 miles of the 26. The fact that I don't have maps for Loth to earby settled the decision to stick with original plan! Another stamp in passport - this one of Stoodley Monument which is just uphill from here but hidden in the mist, celebrates the defeat of Napoleon at Warterloo.Miles 14.09 and time 3.04
1 comment:
Was having a bit of lunch in the White House Inn and in came Carole out of the howling wind and rain. Had a good chat again and a few laughs about the weather conditions. It was a good place to dry out by the fire before continuing along the Pennine way. Our final meeting was a little further along the track where I was having a snack and enjoying a brief bit of sun. Along came Carole - pushing along hard through the wind - and as she took off we said our final goodbye. Back to Essex for me and John 'O Groats for Carole. Great to meet you at various stages along the Pennine way and all the best as your surge north.
David Whyte
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