Day 01: A Scorching Start

Day 01: Edale to Crowden 

Today's Miles - 16.1 miles
Today's Ascent - 3162 feet
Today's Descent - 3241 feet
Total miles walked: 16.1 miles

Star team member: Mam for struggling on despite injury (read on ...)

The first day is over! It was tough. It was hard. It was very, very hot. But we made it!

While you have been enjoying your BBQs, relaxing in your gardens, or having a trip to the beach, I have walked through peaty moorland, boggy marshes, and rocky ground. All in the scorching hot sun. I have to say that it was comparable to the Shap day (for those of you that read my entry on my C2C blog), and towards the end I though Mam's legs were going to fall off they were wobbling so much! But, here we go, I will recount it just for you.

The Start

Aunty Jane dropped us off at Edale Station at about nine o'clock. We got ourselves psyched up, raring to go and of course got the group photo taken! We got our packs on and set off, taking our first steps of the Pennine Way. Or so we thought...

We walked along the road for five minuted and then saw the Old Nag's Head pub, with a sign stating the official start of the Pennine Way. Photo opportunity again! So, really starting at the train station was pointless (Dad's idea), but anyway, we plodded on. We walked through typical Derbyshire countryside, lush green fields, rolling hills, and a LOT of sheep. Paddy found his first stick and was very pleased with himself. We were walking around the base of a little hill, and we turned the corner to find a stream that Paddy was more than eager to splash in.

Paddy cooling down

We walked a mile to sign marking the start of Jacobs Ladder. The name states its formation; a steep footpath zig-zagging upwards. Remember that it was very hot, so hard going. We stopped at a cairn for some (melted) chocolate and some precious water, we only had three bottles in the heat, then continued up the ladder. All the while aeroplanes gloatingly passed overhead from Manchester airport, taking passengers to exotic locations for blissful, effortless holidays.

Summit 1: Kinder Low

The path turned right and we reached our first summit of the Pennine Way, Kinder Low. We then walked around to Kinder Downfall and had our lunch, while Paddy had a splash in the water. After our lunch (kindly provided by Jane and Chris; you know who you are!) we walked down a steep path to some crossroads. We got our mileage up on the limestone pavements, and our spirits were high as we were moving quickly and Dad had promised us an ice cream van on the main road, so we were happy. Paddy took every opportunity to jump in boggy slop (sorry Uncle John, your hard work cleaning his shiny coat didn't last long!), this was fine as there was a pond he could go in to get clean after the road. Paddy got out of the slop and shook his mucky coat all over Mam. We reached the main road to find no Ice Cream Van, and the supposed pond had dried up, so we had a mucky dog, and three ice cream-less walkers. :-(

We crossed over Snakes Pass and headed over to another summit (if you, like me, thought the Pennines were flat, then think again!) called Bleaklow Head. It was very peaty and we were running low on water. After an hour and a half's climbing we got to the top, and on the way paddy had found a very large stick and a clean, un-boggy river to wash off the muck. With three miles to go we walked down through the heather, but it was quite rocky and you had to watch your footing. Sherpa Dad and I were walking ahead with Pads leading, and we heard a cry from behind. Mam had fell and had scraped her leg on the rocks. now this was not your usual 'playground fall over scrape', the rock looked like it had gauged her leg out. Look at the picture if you don't believe me!

Rocky Horror Picture

Despite the injury, Mam struggled onwards, but we were understandably walking a bit slower. We went up yet another hill (the Pennines really aren't flat!) and had a break while Mam let her leg rest. e walked along a ridge and started to drop downwards. We could see the farm and the road, but we had a steep descent to make. It felt a bit like we were dropping off the end of the world and our legs were shaking lots. Mam had to put the knee braces on, as hers were wobbling everywhere. We got to the farm at the bottom and there was a sign with our B and B saying "600 yards after the left turn on the road". It was tantalizingly close, and after coming off the edge of the world our legs and feet were aching. We started hallucinating, thinking every bit of wood was our B and B. We turned the corner and there it was;a sight for sore feet! We had made it!

Not far to go

Thank you for reading this post, I hope you enjoyed it. Fell free to leave messages or send me a text or e-mail; it really makes all the difference!

Caitlin :-)