Distance: 22.9km (22.9km), time spent: 9:08.
Weather: Sunny, cloudy, windy and some rain.
The Pennine Way is a 430km long trail going through the backbone of England so to speak. It is also the first long distance trail in England, starting in the small charming valley of Edale in Derbyshire and ending at Kirk Yetholm just across the border in Scotland. On its way it crosses three National Parks (Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, Northumberland) and the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (as the English call it). In the minds of the walking community in England it has always been a kind of a slog, but also a challenge to be undertaken. For several years it was famous for its deep bogs, sometimes forcing the hikers to walk through them to their waists, but in the latter days works has been done to make the surface firmer underfoot. To get to the start of the trail, I flew to Manchester and took a train from there to Edale.
The Vale of Edale.
From my accommodation at the Edale Youth Hostel there is a 2km walk to the official startpoint of the Pennine Way, which is opposite of The Old Nags Head pub. Those two kilometres are a pleasant and gentle stroll with nice views over the Vale of Edale, underneath Mam Tor and Lose Hill on the other side of the valley. In my direction, Kinder Scout is rising prominently from the ground. It is a nice little pre-amble.
The Old Nags Head in Edale, from where The Pennine Way starts from.
At the official startpoint of The Pennine Way.
The forecast for the day had not been very positive, but the weather is a lot better than expected. Greeting me with blue sky as I prepare to set out from the Old Nags Head. A small green signpost marks the startpoint alongside a new gate in a fence that has the route carved into it (with Kinder Scout, Black Hill, Pen-y-Ghent, Great Shunner Fell, Cross Fell and The Cheviot marked on it). As always, my anticipations are high when setting forth on a new adventure. I have long been wanting to hike the Pennine Way, now I am finally doing it. My first official steps takes me straight under a verdant tunnel, before emerging out into a green pasture at the foothills of Kinder Scout, the first 'obstacle'.
Looking back at Edale.
Undulating slowly around the hill, the path goes through fields and farmland, passing through the numerous flagstone paths, stiles and gates that will be the norm for the next three weeks. It is such a relaxing start to an apparent challenging walk, I think it is the pleasant view of this charming and quite lovely valley that does it. The relaxed feeling does not last forever, though, as the route meanders its way through a narrowing gorge to the famous path named Jacob's Ladder. While England cannot boasts really mountains, it is however not exactly flat either.
An old barn passed by on the way to Kinder Scout.
Approaching Jacob's Ladder and the climb up to Kinder Scout.
The foot of the ladder is a beautiful setting, a small creek trickles past the path and underneath a stone packhorse bridge, from the bridge two paths begins their climbs up to Kinder Scout. For a break, it is a perfect and scenic spot, and I spend some minutes talking to a another walker. He had been up to the top in the early hours to escape the crowds that comes surging in on a Sunday in July. Jacob's Ladder is a steep walk aided by stone steps. Several daywalkers are slowly plodding their way upwards, giving time to clouds to float in over the landscape. Views are great, with green rolling hills intertwining together.
Jacob's Ladder (not to be confused with the movie), a steep stone pitched climb up to Kinder Scout at the beginning of the Pennine Way.
Once up on Kinder Scout, one thing becomes quickly apparent to me. In fog, which is not uncommon here, this would make for a difficult walk. There are no waymarks, only signposts points you in the correct direction and up here there are no signposts. However, there are junctions and in bad weather taking the correct path might not be that easy. Let alone finding the route crossing over the peat. Thankfully, today is a clear day. And so Kinder Scout is crammed with walkers. It was a somewhat quiet walk in the beginning, but here there are people everywhere. It does not affect me (yet), taking in the views of this great moorland plateau with pleasure. Here and there are stony outcrops standing up from the barren vegetation. I am only at around 600m, but there are no trees.
A scenic spot at the foot of Jacob's Ladder.
From Kinder Low, I had in my mind wanted to go to the actual summit (if you can call it that) of Kinder Scout, at 636m, but a local warns me that finding the way there is not trivial. No paths really, and having to navigate through a landscape featuring gashes of peat and bogs, only to arrive at a rather undefined summit point (only three meter taller than the point I am at, Kinder Low). I discard the idea and instead trods off the route to investigate the curious stone formations of Noe Stool and Pym Chair. Jacob's Ladder can be seen winding itself up the hillsides from below.
View back on the way up towards Kinder Scout.
The trig point at Kinder Low, with the flat and peaty expanse of Kinder Scout behind.
From Kinder Low the route meanders its way around the western edge of Kinder Scout, the views are nice when the surrounding area is flat. Manchester is visible in the horizon with all its people and football fans, but it almost feels like there are just as many people here. It is almost a little bit crowded, and now the clouds are crowding in on the sky too. Especially around Kinder Downfall, which should be named Kinder Upfall, given the wind blowing all the water falling down up again. Here I eat my lunch, with the constant summing of the people, wind and waterfall around me. It gets chilly.
Pym Chair.
Looking down at the Jacob's Ladder from Pym Chair.
Only when descending from Kinder Scout and walking up to the top of Mill Hill does it become quiet. Then it becomes really quiet. With the crowds behind on Kinder Scout, I am virtually alone. And in front of me is a long line of stony slabs pointing the way through what once one of the worst areas of bog on the Pennine Way. The only thing making the hike across Kinder Scout not so good was the amount of people, other than that I enjoyed the scenery. Here, alone in the open moorland, my mood improves though. I am thankful or the flagstone path, seeing how boggy it can be when I step outside of them. The line of stones point me straight towards the next objective, the bleakly named Dark Peak, which also happens to be my destination for the day. The flat expanse of Kinder Scout can now be seen to the South of me. It is somewhat strange that such a featureless expanse can be so enticing.
View of Kinder Reservoir with Manchester further behind in the horizon.
Kinder Downfall (or rather Upfall).
After crossing the road at Snake Pass, the Pennine Way begins its ascent of the Dark Peak, passing by the Doctor's Gate and Devil's Dike. Small stones with yellow arrows on are here guiding me through the small gullies and creeks, reminders of the Camino. If the name of the hill is dark, my mood is not, I enjoy the walk up through this bare but grassy landscape, with only the sheep as company.
Kinder Scout seen from Mill Hill.
A meandering flagstone path winds its way across the moors towards the Dark Peak.
At the top of Bleaklow head, 633m, I call it the day. The name of the top is apt, with the surroundings just as bleak as the name implies. It is a broad top, peaty and gritty with hugh piles of black sand strewn about. Nor does the clouds above do anything to help improve the setting. All I can hear is the wind and bleating from nearby sheep. Wildcamping is not really allowed in England, but people say that if you put up your tent in a discreet way or place, they somewhat lets you off the hook. I wander off the route and in the wind finds a place for my tent, it is far from a perfect spot, the surface being quite rough and uneven, but it has to do. The walking has taken longer time than expected and my right shoulder hurts a bit, I need to readjust my backpack a little.
Peats and bogs on The Pennine Way.
The Dark Peak approaches.
The wind has picked up, making it difficult to light my stove, but in the shelter of a stone I get it burning. Huddled behind the rock, I eat my dinner meal and have a hot cup of tea. After just a short walk around, taking in the scenery under the gloomy sky, I retreat to my tent. Only moments later, it starts to rain. It makes for a nice evening though, lying dry inside my little 'cave' and listening to the rain and wind outside. I am satisfied with my first day on the Pennine Way. Quite the strange rock this Kinder Scout is. The highlight of the day was still, however, the walk from the start to the top of Jacob's Ladder.
At the summit of Bleaklow Head.
During the rest of the evening, the rain intensifies and I lie wondering what more is in store for me. Then I fell asleep.
My campsite at Bleaklow Head.
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