My timetable is fixed and accommodation fully booked. Here is the plan:

April 28 Edale - Crowden, Windy Harbour Farm
April 29 to Standedge, Wellcroft House
April 30 to Hebden Bridge, Badger Fields Farm
May 1 to Stanbury, Ponden House
May 2 to East Marton, Sawley House
May 3 to Malham, Beck Hall
May 4 to Horton-i-R, Golden Lion Hotel
May 5 to Hawes, Ebor House
May 6 to Keld, Keld Lodge
May 7 to Baldersdale, Clove Lodge
May 8 to Langdon Beck, Langdon Beck Hotel
May 9 to Dufton, Ghyll View
May 10 to Garrigill, Post Office
May 11 to Alston, Cumberland Hotel
May 12 to Greenhead, Greenhead Hotel
May 13 to Once Brewed, Crows Nest
May 14 to Bellingham, Crofters End
May 15 to Byrness, Byrness Hotel
May 16 to Mountain Refuge Hut II
May 17 to Kirk Yetholm, Valleydene.

On Friday April 27 I will be staying over at Malham and will get a lift to Edale (leave Malham at 07:15) so I guess it will be a 09:00 kick off from the Old Nag's Head.

Happy to finalise any meets en route (Robbie, Fellwanderer, Janice) would however like to walk at my own pace (slow and deliberate !)

Hi Iain,

I just booked my first three weekends last weekend. Unfortunately I am a week ahead of you. I am staying at Wellcroft House on 5th & 6th May though so I will meet you in spirit LOL !!!!

good luck, Ian. We did the PW this year. It was brilliant. Funnily enough, the only accomodation on your list that we stayed at was the Byrness. And that is a quirky place!

Hi Iain,

I just have a couple of B&B's to confirm and I will then post my plans but at the moment it looks like we will meet at the start (9am) and then at Badger Fields. I'm also in the Beck Hall in Malham the night before you. How's the training going? I'm doing the Sandstone Trail Thursday & Friday this week as a short test. Apart from that I've mainly been in the Peak District doing a number of John Merrills long circular walks.
Robbie

I'm busy belting around the hills and forests around the Taunus where I live (central Germany), plenty of wind and rain at this time of year so just right for the PW. It will be good to link up at the start, thereafter I'll be looking for the messages in the mountain refuge log books. Wish I could be in the Peak District for training, I used to enjoy walking there when I was younger. I grew up in Nottingham and did most of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award walks there, the first stage across Kinder Scout and Bleaklow is very well known although I've never been there since its all been slabbed.

Sorry to miss Janice and Rottie, I'll leave a trail of dog biscuits from the path to Wellcroft as its a bit of hike down the hill to get there.

I'm also "excited" about the Byrness Hotel, have decided to buy the Addams Family DVD so I can bone up. I reckon I'll be packing the Trangia out for supper when I'm there. In any event I'll give my account to the Byrness Hotel thread (shared showers and VAT swindles !)

I could get going on this tomorrow.

Ian, when we did the PW this summer - now last summer - we stayed at the Byrness. Perhaps not the slickest B and B operation, but still tuned in to the needs of walkers.

The Cumberland at Alston does great beer, great food and great beer. I know I mentioned beer twice, but I like beer!

We did Byrness to KY in a day so didn't stay at the Refuge Hut. We did however have pit stops in them. They are basic but solid, dry and out of the wind. Directions are given to near by running water.

Iain,

Can you leave a trail of dog biscuits all along the route please. This will ensure Teazle (rottie) and I don't get lost. She will follow the scent and I will follow her. More dependable than a compass since I can't read one !!!!

Yes, the Peak District is a most beautiful place, plenty of mist and rain! To be fair though I've had some great days including a Shutlingsloe - Shining Tor circular and a successful attempt at the Dark Peak Challenge (one of John Merrills day walk challenges, 24 miles. These are becoming addictive!). I must say I can't wait until next April, really looking foward to all the highlights people have posted on this site, the anticipation made even greater by reading and looking at the web sites people have posted, inspirational!

Iain

I reckon we should cross swords in Gargrave!

Should be finalising my backing for this charity walk on Wednesday.

I've been away the last couple of days. Thanks for the replies.

I'm looking forward to the beer in Alston, I knew it was the right decision to plan the short walk from Garrigill to Alston. I also have Valleydene booked on May 16 in case I need to come off the route for whatever reason.

I have ordered 50 kg of dog biscuits and am trying to organise a Sherpa to have a break from Everest for a couple of weeks to carry them.

I've made a note of Gargrave on May 3. It'll be a swig of Jägermeister with Robbie on the 28th and one with FW on the 3rd. I'll take care not to drink it all before then.

Thank you Iain, I can leave the compass at home then.

You will aslo have a rottweiler friend for life.

Enjoy the walk.

Completed the Sandstone Trail last Friday, an excellent 2 day walk with a very enjoyable stay at the Pheasant Inn (Burwardsley) along the way. I just hope every night along the PW offers similar good food and wine/beer. Although I have had a number of holidays walking of 5-6 consecutive days I have never done back to back days having to walk over 15 miles a day. Certainly a few lessons learned, the main one being what not to take! I can now see how easy it is to pack too much and not need most of it and how too much weight affects the feet. I did though enjoy the simple fact that it was a linear walk and that with every step you had a new view to admire, it also made the last couple of miles on day one with the prospect of a log fire and a drink just that little bit easier. All in all a useful short LDW and makes the anticipation of next years biggy all the greater!

This is the plan!

April 28, Edale-Torside
April 29, to Standedge
April 30, to Blackshaw Head
May 1, to Cowling
May 2, to Malham
May 3, to Horton-in-Ribbersdale
May 4, to Hawes
May 5, to Tan Hill
May 6, to Middleton-in-Teesdale
May 7, to Dufton
May 8, to Alston
May 9, to Greenhead
May 10, to Bellingham
May 11, to Byrness
May 12, to Kirk Yetholm

So 15 days walking with no days off! This is mainly due to holiday restrictions. I should be getting to the start line around 9am, look forward to taking those first steps with you Iain!

Robbie

Well, Robbie - we should pass one another somewhere between Horton and Malham.

Look forward to it! Just back from another John Merrill walk, this time in Cheshire. Great day out although the field were very energy sapping after all the recent rain, often up to my ankles in mud and cow muck!

Robbie

Im thinking of doing the PW this year, probably mid summer. I will be lightweight camping with no itinary. I will just finish each day as and where I feel is right. With the emphasis being on total unrestricted freedom of being able to change my mind as I see fit. If I feel good I can have a really long day and a short day if otherwise, even walking through the night with right moonlight and resting up during the next day. No real planning and the options are endless, the sense of freedom and adventure complete - wonderful.
Dave.

[This message has been edited by Slogger (edited 01 January 2007).]

Hi Slogger,
i think that is a good idea,
i have often thought an early start, walk to a goob pub and have a pub meal and a pint ot two and then get your head down, wake up and walk till you are tired again then head down again,
if you get a good pub meal ever day it will save you carrying a lot of supplies
also night walking in the moonlight can be very romantic if you are walking with your girl friend. only thing is if you are on your own and get in to difficulty during the night it might be dangerous
all the best on your walk
regards
ern

Hi

I did the way this summer July / August when it was stupidly hot, a totally excelent experience though! Just thought i'd comment on night walking. We walked from about 7.30am each morning and usually reached our destination by 3 or 4 in the afternoon, had a picnic lunch (2 tracker bars) as it was so hot didn't feel hungry! Anyway getting to my point after a day's walking had a nice pub meal and a couple of beers (always meant to have more), I actually never fell asleep in the dark as was completely knackered and asleep by 9pm every night! how crap were we!! or sensible depending on how you look at it.

actually can't work out after writing this if I actually had a point or not!

cheers anyway and good luck

Andy

Andy, that's okay, few people on here bother about whether they have a point to make or not.

Cheers LL, I think!!?

Andy

hi all
slogger, just interested to see how much your pack weight is, and what sort of equipment your using.
Im starting the end of may, and am also a lightweight backpacker. Got the pack down to 9 kilo's, with no sacrifice to comfort or safety thats including 2 litres of water.
Like yourself have no planning, just walk until i find somewhere great to pitch.
shinsplints.

Like others, I'd really prefer to just have a start date fixed and then take it as it went until I finished - that's what I've done with previous LDPs. This time, I do have a date I must finish by so a bit more planning was necessary.

I've got a feeling that as I get fitter nearer the date, I'll be moving back the start by a day or I can see I could end up with a couple of short days.

[This message has been edited by Fellwanderer (edited 04 January 2007).]

Hi, Also lightweight camping start date 14th June, not sure of my pack weight yet and i'll be walking till i've had enough, sleep when i'm tired. Looking at a 20 mile day minimium, so should finish in 12/14 days.

hi
Yorkybuzz, 20 mile a day minimum,
I tried this last year on half the pennine way (finished at hawes) and found it pretty tough, We walked 12 hours a day sometimes in 30 degree heat. Carrying camping gear.
You have to be very fit, and carry some means of purifiying water.
tom.

We did the PW last summer - combination of really warm days and dreadful wind and rain - in 14 days. We made use of a courier service. I'm not saying that 14 days was easy but we didn't have any real problems. We trained hard for it, had good gear and prepared well. I guess only you know how fit you will be and how experienced you are. Good luck!

My then 13 year old son and I did it last year. We went "5 star" - baggage couriers, 20 days and hostels/B&Bs throughout, full-board wherever available. OK, you don't get the "freedom" with this approach, but that didn't prove to be a problem at all.

The main thing, is that all this allowed us to really totally enjoy the Pennine Way - which we did.

I've walked the Lyke wake walk in 15 hours, and we did the cleveland way in 4 and half days, last year the coast to coast in 10 days, we use the three peaks of Yorks as training usually in around 9 hours. Admittedly we did'nt camp staying in YH and BB's, its not that i like doing it that fast but getting time off work is the hard part. To get a twenty day window from work to do the Pennine way and recover ( with a stag do in Newcastle on the way home) has been very hard and i've had to go cap in hand to workmates for 'swapped' shifts.
First time i've camped on a long distance walk but i'm looking forward to it, i'm doing it alone and water is a concern. Love to hear from anyone who has one something similar.

Regards Yorky

PS re Tomread

Tom i read your journal it was great reading it, it was quite an adventure and you and your son must be very proud. It has helped me plan my trip and given me things to think about, maybe staying in the odd YH or barn mainly to wash clothes and shower in hot water occassionaly.

Love to do something similar with my son except swap the Silkmen shirt for a Rotherham one, if only i could prise him away from his computer.

Yorky,

Very interested in your Lyke Wake Walk adventure. Really keen to do it but have failed to get any back-up crew. Any information on your LWW crossing gratefully received.

Tom,

Never thought I'd write the following words... Isn't Paul Ince doing a fantastic job at Macclesfield Town!!?? Perhaps though he should have a goalie on the bench.

Easier said than done when you've already had two first team squad keepers injured in the last month! I guess a 4th keeper will be brought in on loan any day now! Then again, the red card will probably be overturned, as the video replay clearly shows that Shevchenko dived. It was a good day out for me and the lads anyway.

Thanks for the comments on the journal. I've ground to a halt with it over Christmas, but Once Brewed to Bellingham should be uploaded tonight, and the remainder soon after.

Iain,
How are the training walks going? I'm counting the days, just 3 months to go now. I really can't wait!
Robbie

The waiting and anticipation is almost agonising isn't it! But enjoy the waiting. It is infinitely preferable to that awful realisation that you've done it and it's in the past!

The only cure - planning another trail...

Tom, I guess your're right. If all goes well on the PW I'm already starting to look at doing Glyndwr's Way in 2008. At 135 miles it should satisfy the requirement of a decent walk and being able to get a week's pass from she who wants to go on a holiday were there's sun.
Robbie

Hi Robbie, I've been off line for quite a while recently as things have been hectic at work and at home. I'm having trouble finding the time I wanted to for training walks so I generally only manage to get out on either Saturdays or Sundays rather than two days together. I try to bridge the gaps by getting on my cross trainer at home with my boots and rucksack on, my wife laughs herself to death !

I too, am impatient for everything to get started. I think I have been through the maps and read the books so often now that I could begin reciting them. I even bought an aerial photograph DVD of northern England and mapped out most of the route on it until I decided I was getting a bit too carried away. Interesting stats on the distances and the heights gained and lost however.

I've not considered about how I feel after having finished, I just want to get get going and worry about afterwards, afterwards.

Regards (to all)

Hi Iain,
Yes, it is getting a bit of an obsession at the moment!
I drove over the Snake Pass yesterday (work related), I sincerely hope the weather is a little better in April, visibility down to not very much!
Robbie

Robbie, Best make it clear to "she who wants to go on a holiday where there's sun" that if you did you would both be in grave danger of getting skin cancer.

Iain,
I'm walking the way around the same time, and it would be good to have a pint with a fellow sufferer.....

Itinery (Booked)
29 April - Crowden, White House
30 April - Standedge, Wellcroft House
1 May - Blackshaw Head - Badgerfields
2 May - Earby, YHA
3 May - Malham, YHA
4 May - Horton, Golden Lion
5 May - Hawes, YHA
6 May - Keld, Keld Lodge
7 May - Bowes, The Ancient Unicorn
8 May - Langdon Beck, YHA
9 May - Dufton, YHA
10 May - Alston, YHA
11 May - Greenhead, YHA
12 May - Twice Brewed, YHA
13 May - Bellingham, Lyndale
14 May - Bryness, YHA
15 May - Kirk Yetholm, SYHA

With all the Youth Hostels it looks as though most of my pack will be ear plugs

I'm due at Malham YH on the 3rd - I think!

"Best make it clear to "she who wants to go on a holiday where there's sun" that if you did you would both be in grave danger of getting skin cancer."
That's why I sit in the shade, more often than not somewhere near a bar planning my next venture without her!!
Robbie

Five of the hostels in your list closed for good last year, didn't they...?

Apparently not. Just been on the YHA website. When/how did they all get reprieved?

Earby was bought by Pendle Council, and then leased back to the YHA.
Keld was bought privatly by the people who run ********* baggage service.
Alston was bought by an ex-warden.
Greenhead was bought by the people who own the Greenhead Hotel, and opperates under the YHA Enterprise Scheme.
Bryness opperates under the YHA Enterprise Scheme.

Only Bellignham and Baldersdale have actually stopped providing accomodation.
Whilst it is ggod to see that most of the hostels earmarked for closure last year are still opperating, they will only continue if people use them....

fellwanderer,

i'll be the one looking decidedly worse for wear

Well, I'll have done about 175 miles by then so may not be in the pink!

Robbie, Many men have sat in the shade with a decent pint planning their divorce and future freedom !

Did you have baggage couriers on the whole route? if so which ones

If I told you, I would have to kill you.

But feel free to read every detail of my Pennine Way account on my website:
http://tomread.co.uk

(You may even find what you are looking for).

Tom, Just finished the journal. Great stuff! It brought it all back. Happy days!

PS. I was on the phone to Kevin Glendon last week. Remembers his time at Macclesfield with some affection!

I think we signed him when we first got promoted to the Conference. He wasn't well liked by fans at the beginning, but he did win them over with some cultured performances. Last I heard he was manager at Radcliffe Borough or something like that.

Thanks for the kind comments anyway Kevin. Hope you didn't mind the namechecks of yourself and Janet in the journal! It does become quite a habit to be asking after all the friends you have made on the Pennine Way after a week or so.

...after they've overtaken us that is!

I thought that our 20 days (really 19 days with a 4-mile "rest day") was about average for the Pennine Way, but it seems not. We met two couples doing it in 14 days (that must be hard) and the rest in about 16/17.

But for any of you now trying to decide how many days to allow for the Pennine Way, here's a list of our pros for 20 days:

1) You get more days on the PW!
2) Garrigill is a nice place to stop, and so is Alston.
3) Only having an easy riverside 4 mile day on day 14 was like a tonic to our bodies.
4) It is worth spending a whole day on Hadrians Wall - and a whole afternoon in the Twice Brewed Inn.
5) The Cheviots are quite something else - worth two days of anyone's time. You don't want to be marching over these, you want to be savouring every minute of them.
6) Uswayford Farm is a great place to stay, just the sheer remoteness of it!
7) You can get up and have your breakfast at a civilised hour in Byrness.
8) You get plenty of time for photos, free drinks, shower, change, rest before booking your table for a relaxed and unhurried meal at the Border Inn.
9) No days longer than 18 miles.
10) Time for a pint when walking past a pub

and the cons:

1) Each extra day needs financing!
2) Other PW walkers will overtake you

No contest! They say "Once In A Lifetime", but I'd rather like to do it again. But I should really have a look at the Offa's Dyke Path and the Coast 2 Coast first!

And Gritstone Trail is definitely ON this summer, so must do me planning for that now and stop harping on about the PW!!!!

Fellwander,

175 miles! where in the wide world of sport are you starting from.....

I'm starting from Bowness on Solway, walking Hadrian's Wall to The Sage Gateshead. From there I head down on the Derwent Walk, C2C and Durham Dales Challenge route to pick up the Pennine Way at Middleton in Teesdale. Follow the PW down to Haworth where I arrive on 5th May.

It is a sponsored walk for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and I've got the backing of the eternally lovely Miss Agutter:
www.justgiving.com/fellwanderer

Nick Mac, Robbie, Fellwanderer, Tomread

My absenteeism has made me miss out on some good chats the last six days ! But I do have a good excuse. My wife gave birth to our third child on the 20th of Jan and unfortunately all did not quite go according to plan. Our son is healthy and a perfect specimen, my wife however had some difficulties after the birth and has been in hospital up to today. At long last everyone is at home and my wife is well on the road to recovery.

I was really happy to read Nick Macs posts with itinery for next April and May, we shall most certainly lift a few glasses in the evenings where we are in the same place. I've not checked, but it would be very fine if Robbie was around as well.

The events of the last few weeks pushed the PW a little in the background for me, but the excitement is nevertheless mounting with each week that passes. I have also read TomReads excellent internet journal and admired the many football shirts worn along the trail. My eldest son and I are also big fans and have an extravagant collection of Eintracht Frankfurt shirts. I'll be packing one for the march into KY.

I also decided to the walk over three weeks rather than two because I'm fortunate enough to be able to arrange the time off work without it being problem. A 14 day walk is a challenge, but many people in the Forum have managed the timetable. Whatever ...

Lets keep in touch through the Forum and count down the days together and, Robbie, lets hope the weather picks up for Kinderscout.

Iain

Iain,
Congratulations on the bairn. I'm counting down the days until the 'holiday', as usual all my friends think I'm mad (something to do with the holiday not involing Spain and Sun) but as last May proved you can get just as burnt in the Pennines as the costa's.

Looking at Fellwanderers itinery it looks as though he will be the knackered one in Malham. At least he is missing the the walk from Newcastle to Wallsend (the worst bit of walk it has ever been my misfortune to meet).

Nick Mac

Congratulations, Ian - glad things are looking better.

I didn't think the bit from Wallsend to Newcastle was that bad - at least, not as bad as I'd feared. It was surprisingly quiet - quieter than the military road!

It was a nice and quiet Sunday morning, but once you have seen one industrial unit you've seen them all.

I think the best part of that days walk is the Big Lamp bewrery, with it's fine selection of ales.....

I would like to add my congratulations too Iain. You've done well to get a 3 week pass just some 2/3 months after the birth!
I can report excellent winter conditions in Cheshire this evening, snow, and I'm sure Kinder is looking a picture!
All the best to you and your family,
Robbie

Doing walk May 31st to June 16th anyone else starting around then. Doing start of the walk with my wife but most on my own. Do any of the bag carriers take single bags



[This message has been edited by Paul63 (edited 08 February 2007).]

Hello Paul
looks like I'll be 2 days ahead of you

[This message has been edited by diverjock (edited 09 February 2007).]

Planning the walk May/June. Arrive in Edale on Monday 28/5
28/5 Mam Tor House
29/5 The Old House, Crowden
30/5 Wellcroft House, Castleshaw
31/5 Badgerfields Farm
01/6 Bucks Inn, Malham
02/6 Bucks Inn, Malham
03/6 Golden Lion Hotel, Horton
04/6 Hawes Youth Hostel
05/6 Tanhill Inn
06/6 Foresters Hotel, Middleton
07/6 Dufton Youth Hostel
08/6 Alston Youth Hostel
09/6 Greenhead Youth Hostel
10/6 Friends at Bellingham
11/6 Byrness Youth Hostel
12/6 Uswayford Farm
13/6 Valley Dene, kirk Yetholm
Anyone else on the trail, see you on the way


[This message has been edited by diverjock (edited 09 February 2007).]

[This message has been edited by diverjock (edited 09 February 2007).]

[This message has been edited by diverjock (edited 09 February 2007).]

Thanks Robbie, my wife would be doing the trail as well were it not for the two little ones. She has supported me tremendously throughout; I have been planning the walk for almost 18 months now and she was the first to say that I should go ahead with the walk after we knew that she was pregnant. I even managed to find a Pennine Way book in German so she could read about each stage and the country covered - "you'd better have some waterproof gear" was the first comment !

In any event I'll be sending her and the two little ones to a Center Parcs not far from my parents in law for two of the weeks so she'll be able to get away from the four walls as well.

Well, less than 2 weeks now to the off! Have just checked the BBC monthly weather forecast and it doesn't look too bad but I guess it will be what it will be.
Iain,
Is it all coming together? I still plan to be at the start line at around 9am if your around, failing that I'm sure we'll meet somewhere on Kinder.
Looking forward to spending two weeks off the motorways,
Robbie

Robbie,

I'm ready to go, bought some of the last things I need from the local Globetrotter store this afternoon.

The baggage carrier that operates south of Malham will be transporting me and my Rucksack from Kirby Malham to Edale on Saturday leaving KM at 07:15. Not sure how long it takes to get to E but I'm sure our paths will cross on the first day despite my innate slowness.

We both at Badger Fields at the end of Day 3 at any rate.

I'm looking forward to no work stuff for my three weeks. Christ am I looking forward to that !!

I'm off in the morning. Heading across Hadrian's Wall first and then down to pick up the Pennine Way at Middleton in Teesdale. Pity the forecast is for rain for first two days after glorious weather on HW last week.

I should be leaving Middleton next Monday morning and having, hopefully, an easier second week down to Haworth.

Intending to keep an online diary when access allows at:
www.blencathra.org.uk/cfwalk

Finished the first week much more comfortably than I'd expected. Off to Middleton-in-Teesdale this morning to join the PW. May see one or two of you.
www.blencathra.org.uk/cfwalk

Finished my walk on Saturday - after dull last day and a half, the sun came out as I walked onto the platform at Oakworth.

You can read my diary of the walk here:
www.blencathra.org.uk/cfwalk

Please, at the very least, sign the online petition to abolish prescription charges for adult CF sufferers.

Now to find something different for next year!

Most of the doomed hostels were bought and stayed in the YHA as enterprise hostels Byrness is definatly open and fully renovated.(it is now also known as Forest View) WE look forward to welcoming any of you who care to visit either on your epic journey or just for a few days walking away from the daily grind Joyce & Colin Byrness YHA (Forest View)

Hi Joyce,

I might do the Pennine Way again one day. I could probably end up staying in even more hostels than I did first time around! When originally booking, the YHA told me that Langdon Beck was full and Byrness was closed. It turned out neither was true!

Of the supposedly "closed" hostels, I think that Mankinholes, Earby, Langdon Beck, Alston, Greenhead and Byrness are open as enterprise hostels. I think Keld, Baldersdale and Bellingham are closed?

Just to check in an report I've done it! Completed on Saturday (May 12th) after the last 27 miles in cloud so therefore missed most of the Cheviots. Met Iain the first 3 days, great chap. I will report back in a week or so, I'm now off to prepare for a trade show at the NEC, its all I really needed!
PS.
The PW was fantastic!!
Robbie

By the look of it, Robbie and I must have missed one another somewhere around Malham Cove and Malham Tarn.