Day 33 - Mankinholes to Earby (Simon says "centre of the universe")
No wind, No rain (intro to a famous Diana Ross song!?) but heavy mist. Unfortunately still couldn't see the Stoodley Monument. Steep downhill through woodland to join Rochdale canal. Got chased by Canadian goos
e along towpath! Plenty of moored canal boats - some were pemanent moorings as even had "community veg patch" at side of the canal. Needed to get breakfast so took detour to Hebden Bridge (Last of the Summer Wine country) for bacon buttie and latte. Very VERY steep cobbled uphill via Butress Lane and via Heptonstall which was lovely cobbled street village with grey stone terrace houses and then onto Slack and into the mist. Picked up Pennine Way bridlew
ay but at this point couldn't see more than 20 m in any direction so opted to stay on tracks and lanes rather than footpaths across moors. Eerie silence all around, curlews everywhere and appeared out of the mist like fighter bombers wailing, mini pteradactyls. Followed the track around yet more resevoirs but today the water was calm. Picked up lane past Widolop Resevoir and although water was just to my left, couldn't see it! Downhill, steep at times to Thursden where mist started to rise then very steep uphill to pick up Bronte Way across yet more sheep fields. Sun tried to come out briefly and I had a shadow! Couldn't find the footpath I needed from Bronte way and after going up and down the track a couple of times picked one that pointed in the right direction. Through bog fields but luckily they were quite dry and bouncy until that is I reached the stream and couldn't put the brakes on quickly enough, left foot straight in the bog! We
t feet again! Undulating lanes through Trawden and up steep hill otherside. Along quiet lanes before dropping down to laneshaw Bridge when I picked up the Bronte way again - signed by some reason by a witch on her broomstick and quite a few houses had weathervanes with the same design, unsure why. Then followed unsigned footpath through a farm and out onto a country lane where I passed into North Yorkshire (WOW!) before running around base of a hill and sharp downhill into Earby. Right shin starting to hurt - hope its my trainers telling me they've run out. Plan was to "retire" them tonight anyway so when tricia turned up we had an official retirement party. Fab meal down the pub with Simon, Steve, Tricia,Joe and Louise.
Miles 23.45 time 5.36
No wind, No rain (intro to a famous Diana Ross song!?) but heavy mist. Unfortunately still couldn't see the Stoodley Monument. Steep downhill through woodland to join Rochdale canal. Got chased by Canadian goos
e along towpath! Plenty of moored canal boats - some were pemanent moorings as even had "community veg patch" at side of the canal. Needed to get breakfast so took detour to Hebden Bridge (Last of the Summer Wine country) for bacon buttie and latte. Very VERY steep cobbled uphill via Butress Lane and via Heptonstall which was lovely cobbled street village with grey stone terrace houses and then onto Slack and into the mist. Picked up Pennine Way bridlew
ay but at this point couldn't see more than 20 m in any direction so opted to stay on tracks and lanes rather than footpaths across moors. Eerie silence all around, curlews everywhere and appeared out of the mist like fighter bombers wailing, mini pteradactyls. Followed the track around yet more resevoirs but today the water was calm. Picked up lane past Widolop Resevoir and although water was just to my left, couldn't see it! Downhill, steep at times to Thursden where mist started to rise then very steep uphill to pick up Bronte Way across yet more sheep fields. Sun tried to come out briefly and I had a shadow! Couldn't find the footpath I needed from Bronte way and after going up and down the track a couple of times picked one that pointed in the right direction. Through bog fields but luckily they were quite dry and bouncy until that is I reached the stream and couldn't put the brakes on quickly enough, left foot straight in the bog! We
t feet again! Undulating lanes through Trawden and up steep hill otherside. Along quiet lanes before dropping down to laneshaw Bridge when I picked up the Bronte way again - signed by some reason by a witch on her broomstick and quite a few houses had weathervanes with the same design, unsure why. Then followed unsigned footpath through a farm and out onto a country lane where I passed into North Yorkshire (WOW!) before running around base of a hill and sharp downhill into Earby. Right shin starting to hurt - hope its my trainers telling me they've run out. Plan was to "retire" them tonight anyway so when tricia turned up we had an official retirement party. Fab meal down the pub with Simon, Steve, Tricia,Joe and Louise.Miles 23.45 time 5.36
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