Day 02: Everybody Hurts!

Crowden to Standedge 

Today's miles  - 13.4 miles
Today's Ascent - 3024 feet
Today's Descent - 2647 feet
Total miles walked so far: 29.5

Star team member: Dad for carrying our endless toiletries in his coffin like backpack, and only complaining twice!

Today Team Pennine Way were aching everywhere! Dad's shoulders were hurting from carrying the coffin, Mam's knees were aching, and I was hurting everywhere....

We set off from Crowden through some fields, across the damn and through a nice shaded wood. Paddy liked this as he had a break form the hot sun.

A cool start to the day

We started to climb uphill through fields, but soon reached a clear uphill path. There were lots of streams for Paddy to drink, and we kept going upwards fro about an hour and a half. We reached the top of the first climb and were greeted by a wonderful view, looking back on the route we had come.

A good start

There were some rocky crags on the right had side of the path and a steep drop, so we were careful where we put our feet. The path started to descend and levelled out and soon we had a quick pace, moving along. There was a fell race on, so we had to keep stopping to let the fell runners pass.

We stopped after a stile and had our lunch, watching the runners, while we ate. We moved on upwards after lunch to start ascending a hill, but the gradient was not very steep, but it was a long way to the top. The hill was called Black Hill, because of the bog and peat, but we were ok, as we walked along the paving slabs. At the top of the hill we thankfull parted with the fell runners who headed off to their finish line. Mam and I share a flake. Yum!

The top of Black Hill

We proceeded to descend the hill, but it was very steep and Mam's knees were aching, so it took us quite a long time. The path turned and flattened out, and we could see a main road.we ad five miles to go! Once again, Mam and I thought we could see an ice cream van (we are easily fooled), but when we got there, it turned out to be a Police van. Let down again!

We crossed over and had our first Thomas Traverse. Dad took us through some heather, on no apparent path, he still insists there was one now, (?) but we soon reached a proper path, clearly the right way. It was flat so we got going along the Wessenden Valley, and stopped at the four mile mark to look at the near empty reservoirs.

Wessenden

With not much left to go, we got to a steep descent and before we knew it we went back up the steep hill on the other side. we walked along the limestone pavements and climbed some stone steps, among the bog cotton. We passed some more reservoirs in the Marsden Valley. Not long to go!

A long days walk

Sun going down in Marsden Vally

We could see the road and headed towards it. With one mile to go we crossed it and marched along the bridleway, off the Pennine Way, as our B and B was not in Stannadge. The kind man from the B and B came to pick us up in his land rover, but drove off without me! Somehow I found the energy to run after him and yell "No!". He was very apologetic.

After a long day we are all stiff and tired; even Paddy!

Thanks for reading, see you tomorrow on the way to Hebden Bridge.

Caitlin xx