Day 46 - Keld to Brown Rigg Moss

30 May
Distance: 13 miles
Number of inconsiderate campers encountered: 1 group of 5

Perhaps I'm just on my way to becoming a grumpy old woman, but as well as not liking people pitching their tent within touching distance of ours, I also don't much appreciate noise at night.

In fact, I'm not sure that it's ever acceptable for one group of people to subject strangers to their choice of music, at any time of day, but particularly when it's clear that everyone else has gone to bed.

Our saviour was the rain. The music was coming from a car with the door open. The rain caused the music to be curtailed and the group to retreat to their tent.

Still, out of twenty eight nights on campsites only two annoying incidents isn't a bad record.

Today brought a break from our usual routine. We didn't want to start early as we didn't want to finish early. So, rather than a 6am alarm, we woke at 7.30 - a blissful lie-in.

The lie-in was followed by a very lazy morning. It was 11am by the time we came to leave Keld (another lovely place to which we will return in September when we walk the Coast to Coast).

The earlier rain had abated by the time we set out up the valley, soon leaving behind all signs of civilisation. Then, two hours later into sight came the Tan Hill Inn, which claims to be the highest Inn in Britain at 1762 feet, and its car park was heaving.

Beer so early in our walk seemed ill-advised even if it was 1pm, so we just popped by for a glass of pop before setting out across Sleightholme Moor.

The moor was wet underfoot and there was moisture in the air too, but that didn't detract from the beauty of the place (if you like bleak-ish open spaces). We even spotted some excellent potential camp spots towards the far end, but it was still early in the day.

Lunch (a very late one) was had at God's Bridge, an interesting geological feature (being a natural bridge), which is unfortunately within sight and sound of the A66.

At the first water point the other side of the A66 we picked up some incredibly peaty water ("just the colour of wee", Mick helpfully observed) to see us through the night, as this is our first wild-camp of the trip.

We're now sitting in the tent very close indeed to the Pennine Way, but it seems unlikely that anyone will be passing by at this time of day (famous last words?). Since pitching the tent the skies have cleared and we can see for miles. It's fantastic.

Day 45 - Gayle to Keld

29 May
Distance: 13 miles

Last night's campsite was Bainbridge Ings, which lies just outside of both Gayle and Hawes. I'm not sure which place it is strictly in, but just so that I could claim to have spent a night in Gayle, I'm claiming it to be there. Now if Blackburn House in Gayle (and there was one) had been a B&B, well I think that we would have had to have stayed there!

We'd been at the campsite (good campsite - first one we've stayed at so far that's had a drying room) for four hours when our favourite PW walking group arrived. But hark - there was no sound of coughing. The other tents were there (across the other side of the field) but flapping-tent-coughing-bird was missing. We spent a peaceful night.

We woke this morning to a gloomy looking day once again, but by the time we got moving the sun was threatening to break through and we had a glimpse of the hills around us that had been missing in the mist yesterday.

By the time we got to the top of Great Shunner Fell (after no small amount of faffs on the way, and having witnessed a vast array of bird life), although quite hazy, we could still appreciate the 360 degrees views. And gosh, how green the surroundings suddenly became during our day without visibility yesterday.

It was as we stopped for 5 minutes at the shelter on the top of Great Shunner Fell that I felt something of an irritation on my left butt cheek. Mick was bemused as I suddenly mooned at him, asking if there was anything obviously causing it but he only reported a couple of red pin-pricks. Re-dressed, I sat back down - but wait - the irritation was still there and there was most definitely something causing it. I then pulled out a very large ant. Mick hooted at the fact that I really did have an ant in my pants, whereas I was less amused, particularly as it had bitten me quite comprehensively. I spent the next couple of hours suffering a prickly irritation not dissimilar to the nettle rash incident a few weeks ago.

Dropping down off the hill we stopped for an early lunch just before Thwaite, where we chatted briefly to a couple also walking the PW, who we saw a few times a couple of days ago (they were no doubt close by yesterday too, but obscured from our view by the cloud).

When we did get to Thwaite, had I a bottle of something fizzy in my bag then I would have broken it out. Had there been a pub then we would have popped in for a pint. However, as it was all we did to celebrate having reached the half-way point in our journey was to pat each other on the backs (it would have been a hug, but that's a bit tricky with a backpack on).

Then Mick and I went our separate ways.

Fear not. It was only a temporary parting. There are two obvious ways to get from Thwaite to Keld. One is direct and kind to poorly feet, such as Micks. The other way is to follow the Pennine Way up and around a hill.

Had I been the dutiful and sympathetic wife then I would have accompanied Mick along the direct route. What I actually did was to hand over the stove so that he could have a cup of tea waiting for me when I arrived.

I then set off down the road and had got a hundred yards or so when I realised that something was missing, and that it wasn't just Mick. Back I went to collect my Pacerpoles, then back down to the village I went.

Don't tell Mick, because I wouldn't want him to think that he'd missed out on anything, but the views from the hillside between Thwaite and Keld were absolutely awesome - helped of course by the blue sky which had materialised.

I spotted Mick and the tent as I approached Keld - it being the only tent in the field (bet we'll be joined by others later). He met me on the road and treated me to an ice-cream. It seems that contrary to the information in the Cicerone End to End guide, there is a little shop in Keld, so I needn't have carried all that heavy food all day!

Week 6 - Random Thoughts

Miles to date: 615

As lovely and as varied as the more southerly sections of this walk were, we are particularly liking being in the bigger open spaces, with the more rugged feel to them, on the Pennine Way. Of course, bigger spaces and less population does mean that we're having to put a bit more thought than previously into getting hold of supplies and making sure that they'll last to the next shop. I'm trying to err on the side of caution and we're eating a lot, as a result of which my bag for tomorrow is heavy! Still, it'll ease once we've eaten breakfast, second breakfast, elevenses and lunch.

Talking of heavy packs, whilst we were at Ma-in-Law's at the weekend we picked up a stash of stuff that we'd left there for the northern half of the journey, so I'm now also carrying maps for the rest of the journey (A4 print outs, let me stress, not full OS maps), pages from the two PW guide books, midge head net, insect repellent and the like. Add to that the restocking of other consumables (and my mock-crocs which I picked up the week before) and my bag felt awfully heavy when I picked it up on Sunday morning (happily, it didn't feel so bad once it was on my back). At least I know the weight will drop slightly as we go north, as I post home used maps (I'll not here go into the reason why I'm troubling to keep maps that I could just reprint).

The two things with which we didn't leave Halifax, as previously mentioned, were the Icebreaker and the foot cream that had gone astray in the post. The good news is that they weren't irretrievably lost. They arrived on the eighth day after they were posted. We walked there quicker! They're now back in the post wending their way back to Sister and hopefully they'll catch up with us somewhere before John O'Groats.

The only gear issue worthy of mention this week on the wear-and-tear front is my Paramo Azuma Vent trousers (and remember I only have the one pair of trews with me). There are holes on the inside of each ankle and I'm unsure that they're going to last the distance. There's also an issue with the elastic, but as I fitted that elastic I can only blame myself for that! In the unlikely event that we pass a shop selling Montane Terra Pants in my size there will be a purchase made.

Day 44 - Horton to Gayle*

28 May
Distance: 14 miles

Just as the wind was beginning to ease last evening an organised group of Pennine Way walkers, whose bags and tents had been dropped off earlier by the Sherpa Van Project, arrived.

Things did not get off to a flying start with them, nor did they improve. You see, I have a bit of an issue with people camping so close that they may as well come in, so when one of the group had her tent touching ours (literally, and this was on a huge empty field) I stuck my head out, reminded her of fire risk and asked her if she was going to pitch a reasonable distance away.

She did not appreciate my request. Nor did she appreciate my offer of help when I realised that she was battling against the wind.

When Mick pointed out that I did sound like something of an officious cow, I felt bad. So bad that I had every intention of going to apologise to the woman and have the usual sort of a 'bit breezy, how's your walk been' sort of a chat.

However, when I did come to leave the tent I found that she had pitched within three feet of us (nylon to nylon that is, not guy to guy). Am I being unreasonable, or is that just too close? I could be in a double bed with someone and be further away.

Still, as long as we were all careful not to burn our tents down and as long as she wasn't going to make unreasonable noise then all would be fine.

As it turned out despite this woman's best efforts to find shelter by pitching on top of our tent (for we had of course taken the sheltered spot) she achieved no shelter at all. As a result her 2-second pop-up tent flapped like a flag all night. Plus this was a woman with a bad cough. Being charitable about it, I'm sure that the coughing was neither malicious nor for her own amusement, but it kept me awake when I wanted to sleep.

We crossed our fingers as we snuck quietly away at just before 7.30 this morning that the group was travelling south, not north.

As for our walk, there's not a lot to say, because we didn't see a thing all day.

For the first hour the wind (strong, but much calmer than yesterday) was head on and was again lashing rain into our faces. So, in our own little worlds of Underhood we kept our heads down and kept putting one foot in front of the other, having first made the navigational note that if we found ourselves in a forest then we had missed our turning.

The rain did stop and it stayed stopped until just as we were finishing second breakfast, but then we ascended into the cloud and that's where we stayed. In fact even when we pitched our tent we were still in the cloud.

At times visibility dropped to about 15 yards, at times we could see significantly further, but at no time was there any view. At no time could we see the lay of the land ahead.

Looking at the map, we felt sure that there would be 'oohs' to be had on other days.

Being another short day (we're specialising in them at the moment) we were at our campsite by 1.30 (and shortly thereafter, in sampling the facilities, discovered that our soap and shampoo are still in Malham). I confess that we did both groan on checking in when we were told that the bags and tents had arrived for a group of walkers who were coming in from Horton. We explained the cosiness of last night's pitching and the owner kindly said that he would put that group across the other side of the field. Somehow I don't think that they'll be popping by our corner for a chat...

As for Mick's feet, it's not good news. The pain is in the middle of the balls of both feet and is quite severe by the end of the day, even though these days are not long. We're contemplating taking a day off here to allow them to rest. I popped into the village/town earlier and it doesn't look like a bad place to spend a day.

Day 43 - Malham to Horton in Ribblesdale

27 May
Distance: 12.5 miles
Number of times I got blown off the path: quite a lot

What's worse than walking into a strong headwind? One answer is quite obvious: walking into rain being driven by a strong headwind.

Our easterly/north easterly wind, which has been troubling us for a few days, is persisting and it was at about quarter to seven this morning, as I was sitting outside of the tent eating porridge, that the rain started.

Breakfast was abandonned for a while and with remarkable speed we had the tent and our belongings packed away.

The rain did let up as we made our way up the just-under-400 steps to the side of Malham cove, but the wind was still fierce and the cloud low. The cove being such an awesome spectacle, I would have felt cheated had it not been for having visited just last October in good weather. That trip also meant that I didn't need to get the camera out today - I'll stick with the blue skied shots that I already have.

The break in the rain was short-lived and for the next couple of hours it was usually hitting us either head on or from the side, the former smarting somewhat on the face!

Second breakfast was a very short affair, being cold as I was. I was even eager for the next hill so that I could get warm again.

Although I'd seen Malham Cove before, the other notable feature on today's route, a jaunt over Pen-y-Ghent, was something to which I was looking forward.

Alas, from the moment that the cloud covering it came into view, it was clear that this was not a day for such an ascent. Rain and low cloud alone would perhaps not have deterred us so much, but battling against the wind such as we were, combined with the wetness and the lack of any views meant that a trip to the top would have been purely an exercise in being able to say we'd been there. It was disappointing to miss it, but then out objective is to get to John O'Groats, not to battle to trig-points for the sake of it.

So, in common with some other people walking the PW, who were just behind us, we omitted Pen-y-Ghent and headed straight down into Horton.

Incredibly, there were other people going up there. Lots of them. Including plenty of families dragging their children up. Quite why anyone would choose to do a day-trip up a hill in such conditions...

With the wind now mainly behind us as we made our way down things should have been easier - except that the force of it (over 40mph I would say, with some big and prolonged gusts) repeatedly blew me off the path. It certainly made a couple of the rocky steps rather 'interesting'.

Even down in Horton the wind is howling around. We made a bee-line for the campsite, only to find that despite the 'camping with prior permission only' signs, there was no-one home from whom to seek that permission.

Until such time that we are able to get permission, we are sheltering in the tent which we pitched anyway. It was only after pitching that I saw the 'no vacancies, pre-booked persons only' sign (but there are only four other tents here on the generously sized field), so I'm now sitting here in fear of the signs being enforced and us being ejected from the place.

As for the battle between Mick's feet and his shoes, although he's blister free it is not a happy experience for him. Hopefully at some point in the next couple of days the boots and his feet will come to a mutual understanding.

Update: three hours later and we're all legal; the farmer has returned and hasn't thrown us off his field. He also commented (as us Brits are prone to do) on the weather - he says he's not seen the likes of this at this time of year. Mick says I've seriously understated the ferocity of the wind conditions in my report above - he'd like it to be known that that was some wind we walked in today!

Day 42 - Lothersdale to Malham

26 May
Distance: 15 miles
Number of wannabe killer cows: 1 herd

It was a day of varying surroundings today. After a few days of mainly moorland, today we passed out of moorland and into rolling farmland - which of course meant that we had to play spot the stile and clamber over said stiles.

With Mick's feet still fighting for supremacy over his new boots, we made it through the first nine or so miles in the expected timeframe. Those nine or so miles took us to Gargrave and it was a good way before there that I started fantasising about a tea rooms.

The Dalesman was the first to which we came and whilst supping tea and eating cake we got chatting to a chap who at 4am today completed the Long Distance Walker's Association 100 mile walk.

We were still marvelling at the reality of someone who had undertaken such a feat (and was sitting there talking coherently and looking fresh like he'd just been for a five mile stroll) when arrived Alan and Nicky, who had been walking towards us from Malham to meet us.

With more tea drunk we set off in the direction of Malham.

Then Nicky mentioned that she had brought home-made chocolate covered flapjack with her. I resisted at some length mugging her on the spot for it.

In fact, I managed to wait a reasonable length of time before I called for a snack break to try it out and it turned out to be an absolute treat. We even managed surreptitiously to pocket the rest of the bag, so we'll be enjoying it again tomorrow.

Arriving in Malham we found it absolutely heaving with people, with some sort of a Bank Holiday Monday event going on. The campsite is far busier with tents than any we've been on to date. Woe betide anyone who decides to hold loud conversations or parties all night...

Day 42 photos - thanks to Al Dewfall

Killer cows


Elevenses


Nicky, Mick and Gayle


Al, Mick and Gayle

Day 42 - Holding post

Today's post has been delayed by poor mobile phone reception. With luck, the problem will be resolved shortly.

Day 41 - Hebden Bridge to Lothersdale

25 May
Distance: 18 miles
Number of other end-to-enders met: 1

Ma-in-Law set us up well during our rest day for the next leg of our trip. She'd bought in every food that she knows that we like and she cooked us one of her legendary roast dinners.

This morning younger step-son, who had journeyed up to Halifax (with girlfriend (hello Nick & Holli!)) to see us, dragged himself out of bed at an unearthly hour to drive us back to Hebden Bridge. It was just gone 7am as we set out from the point we had got to on Friday.

Considering that we detoured to Edale to ensure that we got the start of the Pennine Way, and that we will take the more significant detour to Kirk Yetholm at the end of the Pennine Way, we're not being particularly faithful to the Way. We detoured to go via Marsden, we detoured to Hebden Bridge, then this morning rather than going staight back to the Way from Hebden Bridge we decided to go via Hardcastle Crags. It's a scenic route and in that we've been to both Heptonstall and Hardcastle Crags before we didn't feel too bad at choosing the latter route.

The main point of note on today's route was Top Withins above Haworth, and it was in the mile after that landmark that we met four different sets of people out walking. After that we met no-one until our walk in to Lothersdale.

This is a sunny bank holiday weekend. Okay, so the wind was conspiring against us today and making the going hard, but did that really put off all of the walkers? Where was everyone?

It was on the walk into Lothersdale that we met two chaps. They wondered if we'd seen their friend who they were meeting. You see, he was walking from Land's End to John O'Groats.

Thanks to the chat we had with them we came to meet this end-to-ender, Doug, in the Hare and Hounds in Lothersdale after we'd found our patch of grass for the night and put the tent up.

He set out from Land's End on 29 March but had a 2 week lay up with infected blisters. He's now ditched the tent and is going well. His schedule is the same as ours for the next few days so there's a chance that we may bump into him again.

So, that's four people we've now met doing the same walk as us. News has it that Conrad is still going well and is now about 5 days ahead of us.

News of Mick's new boots is that everything went well for the first 13 or so miles of the day. Then we stopped for lunch and he took them off for a while. Thereafter he had a problem with the ankle cuff and a tendon, which caused quite a few adjustments (some accompanied by a positive flinging down of the walking poles with a big harrumph).

I'm sure that sometime in the next four or five days the boots will lose their battle with the shape of his feet and decide that their easiest option is to conform.

Even if they do trouble him again tomorrow, there will be a distraction. Friends of Mick, who he's not seen for quite some years, are heading for Malham to walk back to meet us. It's always nice to have someone to walk with for a while, so we're looking forward to that. And it's a short day too.

Day 40 - Rest Day Halifax

24 May
Distance: 0 miles

Royal Mail has let me down. A parcel was posted by my sister last Tuesday. It contained my brand new Icebreaker top to replace my Smelly Helly and it contained a tube of Gehwol Extra foot cream. That parcel has not arrived. £40 worth of brand new goods lost somewhere in the Royal Mail system. I am not amused.

I think that I'm more distressed about the absence of the foot cream than the smell-free top. How will we get through a week before the next parcel without the nice footcream? It's our treat at the end of each day.

Better news is that CityLink did their job with Mick's boots and they arrived without a hitch. Mick's been wearing them all day, but there's no escaping the fact that tomorrow he'll be in the unpleasant position of wearing brand new boots to walk 18 miles. His Salomons won't be coming with him this time; they've done well to cover 600 miles, but they are now completely dead. So tomorrow, he will be putting full faith in his boots.

It being a rest day a few errands have been run. The first and most important task of the day was to get my hair cut. It had grown remarkably over the last six weeks and hat-hair was becoming an issue. So today I visited a barber and asked for a grade 4 all over. It seems that the gradings are shorter up here. I am scalped! Still, it'll soon grow back.

As for Mick, the hair on his chin is now longer than the hair on his head.

Day 39 - Standedge to Hebden Bridge

(As much as I like this mobile blogging device, every now and then my post doesn't get through for reasons unknown. Fortunately Vic lets me know when this happens. So here's the post I sent at 6pm last night, that got lost somewhere in a black hole):
23 May
Distance: 17 miles

Another fine morning was upon us, but this was a misty one and up on the moors, well my goodness, it was a bit nippy! It was certainly a hat and gloves morning.

It was the wind that was doing it. Every now and then we would find shelter for a few moments (staggering when suddenly finding that we didn't have to lean anymore) and start to overheat. Then the shelter would end and the hats and gloves came back out again.

The prevailing feature today, amongst moors and agricultural land, was the reservoirs. There are certainly plenty of them around these parts.

And, of course, it was the day that we passed Stoodley Pike Monument. It seemed like a good spot for lunch; it turned out to be less so, smelling like a urinal as it did (sardine sandwiches and urine, now there's a smell to behold!).

Before we knew it we were in Hebden Bridge. It was the knowledge of the treats that were in store that caused our fast pace today.

I now sit on Ma-in-Law's sofa. I've soaked in her bath with a glass of red wine to hand. In a few moments we're off out to Halifax's finest Thai. All is well with our world.

Day 38 - Crowden to Standedge

22 May
Distance: 13.25 miles
No. of other people seen out walking: just 2

It was a day involving a lot of nothingness. Soon after leaving the campsite we were out on the moors and that set the scene for the day. There were no houses, just 2 roads and barely even any sheep.

I like nothingness, so with yet more fair weather upon us, I was happy.

Although we could have taken a lower level route around the first lump of the day, Laddow Rocks, we opted for the route across the top edge (a route made more interesting by the exposure and wind combination). It was a good choice: the views were well worth the pull up there.

Dropping back down to the stream we rued the fact that it was the beginning not the end of the day as we spied a couple of excellent wild camping spots, but regretfully we passed them by, danced through the only bog obstacle we found all day and made our way up the paved trail to Black Hill.

The man-eating bogs on Black Hill appeared to have been tamed out of existence by the recent dry spell. I'm only going by appearances there - I wasn't foolish enough to test the issue by venturing off the path.

We'd passed Black Hill and swung around the hillside when I spotted the snack van, quite a distance away from us, up on the road. Pointing it out to Mick he took on a gleeful glint in his eye. When I confirmed that they would sell bacon baps and that it was on our route he almost put a sprint on.

Finally reaching it an excellent third breakfast was had. It was an unexpected bonus in an already good day.

Continuing the other side of the snack-van road we were then alongside reservoirs for quite a while; it made for some very good views that I will no doubt have failed miserably to capture with my 'point and click' photography.

Needing to get to a shop today, so that we have some lunch for tomorrow, caused our diversion from the Pennine Way to drop down to Marsden. As my lunchtime post said, it was rather nice sitting there in the sun, but eventually, even with the short day, we had to move on.

We moved on slowly, but not just because of our reluctance to leave the town. A little navigational confusion came in trying to avoid the main road route to our night stop (for which confusion I'll take the blame). We did, of course, find our way in the end (although not before I came perilously close to losing my hat; I'm very grateful to Mick for noticing so promptly that it was missing (so why is it he doesn't notice a new hair style with such speed?))

Having found our campsite for the night it was evident that we weren't going to be using the Bushbuddy tonight. We may be adjacent to the A62, but we're still on the moors. There are no trees or obvious burning materials around.

It also soon became evident that the ground is a little stony - when I managed to bend quite impressively one of our titanium v stake tent pegs. Good job Mick's been carrying spares all this time.

Tomorrow we're off to Ma-in-Law's via Stoodley Pike, where we'll come to the first bit of the route so far that we've both walked before.

Day 38 - Lunchtime

We're sitting on a bench in Marsden, next to the five-stepped weir. The sun is beating down, the ducks are basking, we've had a fine morning.

We should pick up our bags and carry on our way, but the sunshine is causing laziness.

We've less than 2 miles to go today. Perhaps its the knowledge of how short a distance there is that's making us happy to just sit a while.

Day 34 photos - thanks to Steve Watson

Finding Mick and Gayle and some overly inquisitive calves


Wading through the grass



Gayle, Sam and Mick taking a short break by the Trent and Mersey Canal


Parting company...

Day 37 photos - thanks to Trentham Walker

Kinder Reservoir


Vale of Edale


Paragliders over Mam Tor Ridge


Camp pitch at Edale


Gayle and Mick outside Nags Head PH-Start of Pennine Way


Gayle meets up with Trentham Walker

Day 37 - Edale to Crowden

21 May
Distance: 16.25 miles
Number of cheeky robins encountered: 1
Number of knee-testing descents: 2

Having spent a very pleasant evening in the Nag's Head with Jeff, he didn't baulk when we told him that our morning start time is 7.30am.

It was a few minutes before that time when we all strode out of the campsite this morning for photos in front of the pub (the official start of the Pennine Way) before setting off along the 'new route' which goes along the valley and up Jacob's Ladder.

Before we knew it we were on top of Kinder Plateau and marvelling at its dryness. When we got to Kinder Downfall there was no downfall to be seen. In fact there was barely any dampness on the river bed, never mind a trickle.

Navigationally it was an easy morning for me and Mick. Jeff is familiar with this route so we followed his lead until Mill Hill, where Jeff turned left for Glossop and a train home and we turned right to follow the paved trail to the Snake Road.

It was a nice change indeed to have company for the morning (moreover company familiar with the area, able to point things out to us), so thanks to go Jeff for coming to find us.

Progress had been quite rapid until we reached the stoney stretches up Bleaklow, which slowed us a little. Then for a bit of navigational practice I led us slightly off course off Bleaklow Head, which took a little bit of head-scratching and a bit of yomping to put right.

The descent down Clough Edge was testing firstly for its stoneyness and then for its steepness and by the bottom we were adjudging this to have been a hard day.

However, we also adjudged it to have been a spectacularly good day. With the variety of terrain and surroundings and views there was certainly a lot to recommend it (if bleak open spaces are your thing, that is).

We're now sitting at the campsite at Crowden where once again we find ourselves the only customers. Alas, I don't think that this camping solitude will last for much longer. I spy a Bank Holiday weekend and school holidays rushing towards us...

Day 36 - The Forgotten Details

Last night's posting was typed quickly and whilst holding a conversation, which explains its brevity and disjointedness. It was only after I'd sent it that I remembered a detail that was definitely worthy of mention - another excellent B&B.

It was Monday afternoon when we arrived at Kinrara in Horwich End, were greeted by our host Jean and shown to our room. It was a room that caused an ooh - not for the room itself (although that was lovely) but because of the stunning views over Todbrook Reservoir and beyond.

It was a view that we could enjoy equally from the bed or from our balcony.

Things got even better when we found that the room was not en-suite. I view not en-suite as a good thing; it tends to mean that there's a bath, and this was no exception.

But before soaking away, tea and cake was on offer (very good cake too) and a comfy chair and Jean showed herself to be a very genial and attentive host.

Considering that all of our B&Bs have been chosen from the internet based purely on their location, I'd say that we've not done too badly so far at finding ourselves in some jolly nice places - and this was definitely one of them.
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The other thing that I didn't mention yesterday was that for reasons unknown I ended the day with jolly sore feet. The good news is that they made a miraculous recovery overnight.

Mick's feet also suffered, although in his case the blame is most firmly being placed on his worn out shoes, which are somewhat lacking in midsole padding as well and having more than a few stitches missing.

Day 36 - Whaley Bridge to Edale

20 May
Distance: 9.75 miles
Number of vaguely mean looking animals: 0

One of the many good things about viewing the country at a speed of less than 3mph is that you get to see the details. In particular you get to have a good look at houses and gardens.

With the first half of today being along roads and lanes, with houses dotted around, it was a good day for admiring the architecture.

A very slight detour was taken during the morning to take in the top of Eccles Pike. I'd promised Mick before we set out that it was only a 50 pace detour. It turned out to be a little more than that, but for the views it was well worth while, for although it was a touch chilly today the weather was fine and the views clear.

Chapel-ELF took us a while to pass through. It was the pie shop that first distracted us (best Homity Pie I've ever had) and the supermarket that last distracted us, with various other things in between (including the worst toilet facilities encountered so far).

Beyond Chapel-ELF we got back out into open country, and with it we were rejoined by the twitterings of skylarks, which have been absent for the last week.

Approaching Edale we were tempted to just cut across to Upper Booth, thus cutting some distance off today and even more off tomorrow. Looking at the map for a moment the big zig-zag over to Edale didn't look sensible. Then I recalled that if we didn't come to Edale then we wouldn't walk the whole of the Pennine Way, which would rather make pointless going out of our way to Kirk Yetholm at the end of the Way.

It's a good job that we did come to Edale too, because there we were sitting in the tent when another backpacker appeared.

"You must be Gayle and Mick" he said.

"This is no coincidental meeting" I thought (not a lot gets past me!).

It turned out to be Trentham Walker, also known as Jeff, with whom we have spent our evening and with whom we will hopefully walk at least part of tomorrow.

Jeff is a self-confessed gear head. We are in our element.

Week 5 - Random Thoughts

Miles so far: 501

How have five weeks passed already? Surely I'm stuck in a time warp and we only set off three days ago?

After 500 miles there are pieces of kit which are starting to show distinct signs of wear. Here's this week's thoughts:

Falling apart at the seams: that's Mick's shoes. As you may recall, he switched to his boots down in Chepstow but within half a day decided that they didn't fit his newly expanded feet and so sent them home. George Fisher doesn't do mail order footwear, however on explanation of his predicament they agreed to send out a pair of boots, half a size up from the two pairs he already bought from them. He will get his hands on them on Friday, which means that the Salomon XA Pros need to last another four days. They're completely worn down and are literally falling apart at the seams (not to mention squeaking) so it's touch and go as to whether they'll make it. Still, 550 miles (so far) of hard use out of a shoe like that isn't bad.

Underpants: My £4 Decathlon own brand are doing just fine - as I expected them to as I've been using Decathlon's finest for a few years now. Mick's Decathlon £5 pants are doing fine too. However after just 17 days of use his Berghaus ones are stretched out of recognition and have been pilled badly since about day five. Don't think we'll be buying any more of those!

OMM Villain MSC: you may recall that one of the things that I particularly liked about this backpack was the padding on the shoulders, which meant that for the first time ever I could avoid bruises on my boney collar bones. That's another thing that was good whilst it lasted. Alas, the padding is now compressed.

Montane Featherlite Jacket: it's still in one piece and still working exactly as it should, but it's become surprisingly faded. Given the colour combinations that we often sport in any case, a bit of a patchily faded jackeet isn't really bothering us.

Mick's trousers: performance is just fine, but they have suddenly become a bit baggy on him. I don't think it's a fault with the trousers, just a need for more pies!

Day 35 - North Rode, Congleton to Whaley Bridge

19 May
Distance: 15 miles
No. of mean-looking bulls around which we diverted: 1
Song of the day: Proclaimers, I would walk 500 miles

The day started along the canal and so it continued for some miles, but not all was to go smoothly. We were just approaching Macclesfield when into view came a large barrier across the tow path with 'Path Closed - Entry Prohibited' signs prominently displayed.

Further information told us that the closure was due to the collapse of a wall and that a diversion was necessary. I'm not a big fan of unexpected diversions, particularly on a walk of this nature, so around the barrier I swung myself, perilously overhanging the canal to complete the manoeuvre, and along the closed section I proceeded (trespassed, I supposed).

I had hoped that just around the bend the obstruction would come into view so that I could gauge how passable it was. Mick followed me and ten minutes further on we had still found nothing.

It turned out that the fall was immediately before the end of the closed section, and it was one impressive collapse. The wall in question was about 15 feet high, made of large stone blocks, and it had given way from the bottom, causing an entire section of intact wall to slide out, coming to rest at an angle of about 45 degrees.

We assessed it for safety, decided that it looked completely stable, and climbed around its bottom edge. For once I agree that this was a necessary closure, rather than the usual precautionary overzealous health and safety sort (not that I make a habit of ignoring closure signs and inspecting the problems causing them...).

An intentional detour was then made from our route around Bollington to ensure that we passed a shop, and as it turned out our progress through the village was slow. First there was the stop at the shop, then a lengthy pause at the Post Office (outside of which a woman pressed a pound into Mick's hand for Macmillan, which added itslf to the £5 donated by last night's B&B), then, just as we were fancying a cup of tea, we came across the Bridgend Centre (www.bridgendcentre.org.uk).

What a fantastic community facility it turned out to be. The offer of tea/coffee and a biscuit for 50p was enough to draw us through the door and once there one of the ladies manning the centre gave us the full tour of its facilities.

As well as the usual village hall sort of facilities it has a library, a wood workshop, a well equipped computer centre, a large second hand shop, a library area and a studio area set up for transmitting a local radio station, which is used for teaching media to youngsters.

On top of all of that, they have a magnificent sampler on the wall, measuring 5 feet by 10, which took 35 local people 7 years to sew (photo to follow).

And, on top of all that they organise lots of community activities, including walks around the local area, with a particular emphasis on getting children into walking on the basis that if you start them young they'll continue to be walkers for life.

It struck me as the sort of facility that every large village should have, and we stayed quite a while chatting to the ladies there (during which time lots of people dropped by, proving how well used it is), before eventually the hills started calling us.

This morning there had been lumps on the horizon and this afternoon we reached them. It was quite a shock to the legs and lungs after a few days of flatness.

As we walked up the lumps I noted that, ignoring the 200 yards of Welshpool's high street, today was the first day on the entire route so far of which I have walked part before. It was on Good Friday 2007 that I arrived in Bollington to meet a (then) complete stranger by the name of Alan Sloman (www.alansloman.blogspot.com) who was at the time in the process of walking LEJOG. That prior knowledge helped somewhat with route finding.

We also noted that today saw us complete our 500th mile since Land's End. That feels like a milestone worthy of a minor celebration.