Dad has always talked about wanting to walk the Pennine way, with him retiring this year it has given him the time to do it.  So I thought it would be a great thing to do together as I would not mind doing this as well.  In total it is 450 odd kms.  Far to much to do one a oner.  We decided to break it down smaller chunks to do at different weekends over the next year or so.

So here we are at the start of the trail in Edale in the Peak District out side the Nag’s Head.  Dad and I about to set off.  The forecast was pretty grim, wind and rain all day.  But we are walking so shouldn’t be too bad!  so off we went.

I have not really been to the Peak District since my uni days when Mr Raven and I used to come up here alot to bike, and I used to come up to climb with Raymond, so was great to see some of the old places and it certainly brought back some great memories of days we had up there.

We set off down the Vale of Edale and up Jacobs Ladder to Kinder Scout and to Kinder Low(633m)  this is the highest hill in the peak district so nothing like breaking the old boy in gently!  Dad actually did fine, after he stopped his interval walking (sprint then stop for a puff and set off sprinting again)  he got into a rhythm and had no issues.

The weather forecast had it correct, but did not quite get the extent right.  When it said rain – it was understating it.  A more accurate description would have been biblical “quick all animals in pairs to the big boat” rain.  With the rain was also 50mph winds.  It was not pleasant but it was bearable.  Above is just before Kinder Downfall, a strange waterfall which was going uphill due to the wind blowing the water up!

Soon dads boots started to pack in the notion that they are water proof and dad started a comical noise of  ‘sloshing’  every foot step he took as his boots had puddles in them!  we got just over half way and were faced with a choice. up and over Bleaklow which is another high exposed couple of hours or retreat down the William Clough gully to Hayfield.

We decided that we actually were not having a great deal of fun and this was suppose to be done for pleasure and it was not really ticking those boxes.  We didn’t have any views all day and were drenched.  On the OS map Hayfield had a pub on it…. easy choice really.  We did just under 20km of the trail and was a good day and taught us a few things

We will be back next spring to carry on the trial.  We know dad needs new boots and there is a mean curry house in Glossop!

The rest of the Photos can be seen if you CLICK HERE