Pennine Way

Near Crowden

Across the border and along the Pennine Way

After crossing the border I have walked along most of the Pennine Way to Edale in the Peak District.

Most rather than the whole thing becuse the route tends to wobble a bit so I decided to cut a few corners out. In some places the path is also particularly wet, and I left it to walk alternative paths and roads to keep my feet dry. However, I trudged along about 200 miles of it, and am now about 608 miles from John O'Groat's.

It has been quite challenging at times. The most interesting event was getting lost in the mist on the top of Bleaklow Head, a large fell outside Crowden.

With visibility reduced to about 50 metres, I spent 45 minutes running around aimlessly, falling over mounds of peat, wondering if I was destined to die here.

If I didn't have a compass, I probably would have; or had to ring mountain rescue to continue my existence - although in an impoverished and less heroic state. But by backing myself I luckily refound the path thinking to myself "wow there's loads to look forward to in the rest of my jeevny - everything's going to be fine."

Other than that incident, I have enjoyed walking through marshy moorlands and climbing up other hills that are misty up top with only sheep for company. And they're not much company at all. They all just baa and run away whenever you get near them. Some of them stare at you looking like stormtroopers but they just bugger off when the going gets tough.

But to be honest, I'm happiest when left to my soliptic moods and there's no better place than the Pennines for this. The only other important thing to mention is that my boots have worn out and I have had to start wearing a new pair so there may be more blisters and I just hope that it really will be okay rather than me just saying it to try to make myself feel better.