Distance: 30.9km (53.8km), time spent: 9:22.
Weather: Mostly sunny, some clouds, and hot.
I do not think my tent got enough rest during the night, it was a lot of wind and rain, but I slept happily dry inside of it. Looking out of the tent in the morning gives me a moment to reflect upon one of the other challenges that I face on this hike. Outside it is foggy and I can see the clouds being blown past me by the wind. I might have some trouble finding the way today. Once again, I hunker down behind the same stone as yesterday while preparing my morning tea and breakfast, consisting of noodles with spam.
Morning mist outside the tent at Bleaklow Head.
Expecting nothing but a long walk in the fog today, I become somewhat ecstatic when the lid suddenly opens just at the moment I am about to start walking again. The clouds are lifting and in the narrow opening between the sky and the ground, I can see Manchester in the distance. The city is illuminated by light, from here contained between two grey frames. Turning around, I get the same view in the direction I am going, towards Black Hill and its bogs. But my mood is now high, so I feel that I will just fly over the squelchy surface.
A moor with a view, a window to Manchester.
In the morning the summit of Bleaklow Head is just as bleak as it was yesterday. The usual first itineraries of the Pennine Way assumes walkers are going down to either Torside (staying at the Old House B&B there) or go to the campsite at Crowden. With the window to the outside world gradually expanding, the walk down is wonderful. Going down, surrounded by heathers, the footing is awkward. However, I pay little attention to that, as the stream next to me progressively increases to become a valley, like it is burrowing itself further and further downwards. I stay on top of the lefthand side of the valleyside, with increasing light on my side, while the rest of the valley lingers in the dark. Down at the end of the valley, I can see the Torside Reservoir and across it the scenery leading up to the notorious Black Hill. From here, those hills looks like soft rolling hills flowing over the landscape. The last part of the descent is quite steep.
The descent from Bleaklow Head under an expanding sky.
How often have you not seen a picture from a place you are travelling to, which you really want to see with your own eyes. So was it with the curious outflow of Torside Reservoir, in the picture looking like a hole in the water, but now of course there is too little water in the reservoir for that effect. I am a little disappointed and plod on towards the campsite at Crowden, I need to fill my own water reservoir that I carry with me. Necessarily, as the sun is beginning to take hold of the sky. And then Pennine Way trail magic, the people at the campsite shop makes a sandwich with eggs and ham to me for lunch.
Clough Edge, the path down towards Torside.
The Torside Reservoir, low water level at this time of year.
Temperatures is rising and so is the ground. Having descended from the bleak confines of the Dark Peak, it is time to begin the climb up to the similar named Black Hill. The names does not do the colours justice. It is a lovely valley the Pennine Way makes it contours up through. The footing is sure as the path starts its climb up towards the Laddow Rocks, but a signpost warns against leaving the path. 'Danger! Deep bogs! Please keep to the main path!'. Rising up from the green hillside are gritstone crags, which from the top of offers views back towards the Dark Peak, and further back I can still see the bulk of Kinder Scout. I really enjoy this part.
Up from Crowden.
At the start of this valley, I also meet the first other Pennine Wayfarers. A couple, living not far from the Peak District, are doing the way in instalments and are now on their way to Standedge. Shortly afterwards, I pass by an older man, clearly also on the trail, but he is quiet and less talkative, so I let him be as he struggles up the path alongside Laddow Rocks.
Danger sign for deep bogs next to path.
Laddow Rocks.
From Laddow Rocks the path descends to meet the small river running down at the valley bottom, Crowden Great Brook. At first just alongside the river, but then the river and the route crosses paths several times, forcing me to sometimes having to jump from stone to stone. Really not a problem, but more of a problem emerges later as the Pennine Way heads for the infamous bogs of Black Hill. On the way, the once firm flagstone path disappears into water, leaving me with no other option than to make a jump for it (on the side of the water hole though). Sometimes having long legs pays off.
View back towards the Dark Peak from Laddow Rocks, with Kinder Scout behind.
From there on is a sea of grass awaiting me, with a clear and winding path visible, going first to Dun Hill, then to Black Hill. It has the feeling of walking through a huge acre with billowing corn all around you, with the exception that if you step out of the path you splash down into something far wetter than the earth of an acre. These flat expanses of moors never fails to fascinate me. After going from one slab of stone to another, the top of Black Hill appears ahead of me.
Walking next to Crowden Great Brook.
The path to Black Hill.
Black Hill was once famous, or rather highly infamous, for its bogs. Here, walkers often found themselves down to their waist in them. Trodden to death by walkers. So much that no grass remained and it was near impossible to reach Soldier's Lump, the name of the trig point at the top of Black Hill, almost an island in itself. On this safe ground amidst all the bogs, I sit down for lunch. My passage was firm.
Black Hill, with Soldier's Lump ahead. Once one of the most feared bogs on The Pennine Way.
From Black Hill, as the civilization quite suddenly appears in view again, there is a descent leading to a road which you cross at the somewhat strangely named Isle of Skye. This is however not a shortcut to the beautiful island of the same name, but a name that has stuck after a pub that once existed there. No snack van there now, but down at the Wessenden Head reservoir I do get some snack in the form of a cup of coffee. Thankfully given to me by the pair walking the Pennine Way that I met earlier.
Framing the lanscape, above Wessenden Head.
I pass by Wessenden Reservoir, a undeniably pleasant walk and the blue sight of water is always welcome and a nice contrast to some of the blue sky above. Deers are looking at me questioningly from Wessenden Lodge, and then the path makes a short, but steep dip into a deep gully, only to take me up another short and steep climb. From here on the Pennine Way crosses over more moorland, with small lakes or reservoirs spread around (the Black Moss reservoir).
Walking towards the Wessenden Reservoir.
Before starting the walk, I had been looking at places where it might be possible to wildcamp, and I had always looked for places higher up. Hoping not to end up in the middle of a farmers field or something alike. Today, I had set my sight on White Hill (is there a correlation with the Black Hill here?), not entirely knowing if it would be possible to camp there or not. However, going for my tent again necessitates more water, both for the evening and for tomorrow. There is just one problem though. There is really nothing at all at Standedge, the official endpoint of stage two of the Pennine Way.
Deer at Wessenden Lodge.
Before, without having to walk down to either Marsden or Diggle, walkers could find accommodation at The Carriage House, further down the road off the route. That place is now apparently closed, but on my map there is marked a pub nearby. That was my hope for getting water, but when I go down to it, I find that pub also closed. Without any water, I see no other option than to go to either Marsden or Diggle. I decide upon Diggle, as it is the closest option from Standedge, but there is a 2.5km walk down from here.
A climb down to and up from a gully, leaving Wessenden.
Down I go, only to find that there are no rooms available at the Diggle Hotel. Although the person there was on the phone the whole time I was there, and I cannot say he did a thorough job of checking out the availability. That mattered little as I got a nice room at the Sunfield Estate B&B instead. Monday and so there was no food available at the hotel either. Instead, he (the man at the hotel) pointed out the Church Inn as the place to go to, only 5 to 10 minutes to walk to from the hotel. Outside, the locals where just shaking their heads. Going there would mean at least a 30 minutes walk.
A lonesome tree, near Grouse Butts.
Another Pennine Wayfarer, a young German girl named Clarissa is also looking for a place to have dinner. And so it is that you meet the hospitality of the people, as one of the locals decides to drive us to the place. We are grateful, for it is definitely longer than ten minutes to walk there. It is a nice place, we get our dinner and are both satisfied. Then two other hikers are arriving, Sophie and Roxanne from Switzerland, having walked there. Sophie is doing the Pennine Way as a project for college. Clarissa is only doing a part of the trail, due to limited time. We all are staying at the same bed and breakfast.
Down towards Diggle.
We go back however, but that is fine. It is quite the nice temperature, it is still not dark and the walk is quite atmospheric. Back at my room, I can relax, looking back at another nice day on the Pennine Way. Despite being foggy, the morning was great and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk up from Crowden over Laddow Rocks to the infamous Black Hill. I did not 'achieve' my goal of wildcamping on the second night too, but that mattered little as I had a very nice evening. There is only one problem though, I have a bad feeling about my feet.
The Church Inn.
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