THE PENNINE WAY Start - Edale, England 2   7   1     M   I   L   E   S Finish - Kirk Yetholm, Scotland

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DAY 1 OF THE PENNINE WAY

Day 1 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities

STARTING POINT

The 'Old Nags Head Inn' - Edale (Grid reference SK123860 on Ordinance Survey Map 110
(1:50,000))

FINISHING POINT

Crowden Youth Hostel - Crowden in Longdendale (Grid reference SK068991 on Ordinance
Survey Map 110 (1:50,000))

LENGTH OF DAY

15 Miles (24 Km) {The Alternative route is 1.5 miles (2.5Km) Longer}

ASCENT

2150 Feet (650 Metres) {The Alternative route has 300Feet (90Metres) more climbing}

Day 1 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities

DAY 1 SUMMARY

A tough start to the Pennine Way. The official route immediately takes you up one of the hardest
climbs of the whole walk, Grindsbrook Clough, before landing you up right in the middle of the
infamous Kinder Scout. The alternative route, recommended for bad weather, or for those who's
navigation might not be up to the challenge of Kinder, takes you on a longer but much more
progressive climb over Upper Booth and Jacobs Ladder, skirting around the edge of Kinder.
Although more climbing and distance are involved in this route, it is generally considered to be
much less tiring.

After descending off from Kinder, a paved route takes you to up Mill Hill, which is not a hard
climb, but it just keeps on going and walkers tired from Kinder will be cursing it quickly. Worse is
that the summit has no real features, and gives you no real reward for climbing it. The only good
thing is that the 2.5 miles from the summit to the Snakes Pass are all downhill.

Doctors Gate soon follows, a short section of flagged stoned path, as does the Devil Dyke. The
latter is a beast to walk even in good weather, as it is the main drainage channel for Bleaklow
Head, and therefore is often very wet to walk over. Unfortunately, following the Main Dyke is the
best option as it takes you like a tunnel to Hern Stones and the start of Bleaklow Head.

You guessed it another beast of a climb, and yes it will be wet also, as the footpath links to the
Dykes. Dragging yourself to the top however is well worth it. The views are amazing, and the best
thing is that it is flat, or downhill for the rest of the day.

The ridge off Bleaklow Head is a pleasure to walk even if you are shattered, but the very sharp
climb down is not. Typical of the first day, it is about the steepest (if not the steepest) decent of
the whole walk, plunging you straight into Crowden.

A long path takes you to the Youth Hostel which is the only form of accommodation anywhere
nearby.

Day 1 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities

HOW I FOUND DAY 1

I write up my experiences of today (26th July 1995), while in the common area of Crowden Youth
Hostel. The time might only be 21:00 but the exertions of today has left me totally shattered. My
dad is virtually out already, such was the extent of today. If it wasn't for the extreme temperatures
it would have been Ok, but 30+ degrees was just mad.

But what a day it has been, even without the temperature we would have been rather tired. After
getting off the train at Edale and walking the 3/4 of a mile to the start, I knew that this was it -
time for all the talking to finish, and for us to do it. It might only be 9 in the morning, but the
temperature was already in the mid 20 degrees. After a quick swig of water it was off towards
Kinder, via Grindsbrook Clough. What a brute of a climb, and only 2 miles into the walk my water
bottle was being well used. The summit came as a huge relief, as did the next landmark; Kinder
Downfall.

By now and only 5 miles in the time was about 11, our two litre bottle of coke had gone, and the
temperature was now in the very high 20's. Mill Hill was unspectacular and rather boring, but the
descent to Snakes Pass was quite enjoyable. Downhill at last!, and lunch time. 8 miles down 7 to
go. Temperature now 31 degrees.

At Devils Dyke we refilled the nearly empty water bottles and enjoyed the shade that the dyke
provided, although at points it seemed to amplify the heat. Peat absorbs a lot of heat, before
reflecting it back out.

12 Miles in and while on Bleaklow Head, a 10min break was called for to adjust rusksacks, get
some liquid onboard and to rest a bit. My second bottle of Lucozade didn't last long at this point.

Seemingly hotter than ever, we followed the Tourside Clough before descending very quickly into
Crowden.

A very hard day, make worse by the temperatures involved, with few rewards other than to see the
rugged expanses of Kinder, and the amazing views from the Tourside Clough.

Day 1 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities

A MORE DETAILED LOOK AT DAY 1

The Pennine Way starts off by taking you over Kinder Scout, via Grindsbrook Clough. This climb
is hard enough with a day pack on (approx 5kg), let alone with a 30-40lb (14-19kg) rucksack
which most walkers of the Pennine Way will be carrying. To make matters worse the path is
ill-defined and easy to lose, especially if your main concentration is getting to the top as quickly
as possible. Actually losing the path isn't a bad idea, as long as your navigation is Ok, as Kinder
uses Grindsbrook Clough as a drainage route, and therefore 95% of the time the path is more of a
river.

After the climb you summit out onto the plateau of Kinder Scout, and find the trig point (a large, 6
foot trapezium shaped piece of concrete, painted white) marking the summit. Once you are at this
trig point you will be at 2088 feet. In good weather this is easy as you will be able to spot it
without much problems, however in bad weather, it may be almost impossible to spot, and very
good navigation skills will now be needed. Bearing off on a compass bearing to the Kinder
Downfall 2.5miles away is properly the best answer, although extreme care needs to be taken. You
do not want to get completely lost up here.

Even in good weather, a certain level of accurate navigation is also required, as you need to do
basically the same thing as above; get to Kinder Downfall. Compared to the climb up to the
Plateau, walking is a lot easier. True the stories about the soft ground are true, but unless you are
in extreme weather, and it has been extreme weather for a while, it is very unlikely that any one
person will get into difficulties, unless they walk on an area which visually looks unsafe.

The Downfall in good weather is easily spot-able, and regulars up on Kinder may be able to spot it
a few minutes from leaving the trig point. It quite simply looks like a large collection of huge
rocks, with a large groove cut out into them. However as very few landmarks exist up here, and as
the weather can turn within minutes up on Kinder, it is highly recommended that you always use
the small details such as large rocks, and the odd turfs of grass, to help aid your navigation.

Once at the Downfall you should be greeted with an amazing sight, what ever the weather. When
virtually dry the rocks themselves look impressive enough, plunging 100's of meters below.
When it is flowing at full capacity it is simply an awe-inspiring sight. 100's of Gallons of water
a second can flow down those rocks, in the appearance of a grade 5 rapid.

After a steady decent of Kinder, which is extremely easy to navigate thanks to well placed flag
stones to keep you going in the right direction, you arrive at the next real challenge of the day.
Here the old adage that what goes down, must go back up comes true. One problem however, the
going up bit is steeper than the going down bit.

Yes you have arrived at Mill Hill, and on a now fully paved path you start to regain the height you
have just lost. A relatively long climb on a deceptive gradient, not helped by having to walk over
the uneven pathway, greets you. The thing to do here is just keep on going, there is nothing to
look forward to at the top, other than the 2.5 miles of gentle descent to Snakes Pass.

This descent is nothing special, and something that most people will want to have behind them
quite quickly. However it is a bit more pleasing than before as there is a bit more in the way of
greenery to see.

After following the flag stones you arrive at Snake Pass, a good place to have lunch as at this point
you are just over half way in to the days walk (8 down, 7 to go). If do run out of water at your
lunch stop, which we did, do not worry as about 3/4 of a mile away there is a mossy stream right
on route from which it is safe to refill your water containers. If you get the weather I had this
will become a daily occurrence. From streams like this the water is generally quite clean, but
it is recommended that some iodine drops and neutralizing tablets are added just in case.

This 'water hole' is also a possible place for lunch but unlike Snakes Pass it has little shelter
around it, and hence is not as highly recommended.

From Snakes Pass you will find yourself on a short flag stoned foot path known as Doctors Gate.
This foot path was built and used as a road by the Romans in the first century A.D. as it linked a
fort near Brough to a fort near Glossop. The Romans called it Doctors Gate as their Dr John
Talbot used the road frequently.

After the old road fizzles out and disappears under the soft mud, you are diverted on to a new part
of the Pennine Way. Devils Dyke. The route here is diverted from the original route because of
erosion problems 1/4 of a mile further along the original route, caused from years of soft ground
being walked upon.

Devils Dyke is very soft under foot but it is very easy to navigate. All you do is follow the main
dyke which is around 5 times larger than any of the channels running off of it.Being a dyke the
views are very limited, as it is like walking through a tunnel. I rated this section as the most boring
of the whole walk.

When you emerge from the dyke you are still slightly off the original path, which you are allowed
to rejoin, just before the next landmark of Hern Stones, which mark the start of the climb up
Bleaklow Head. If you now look across to the right you will see a signpost indicating the direction
of the Pennine Way. Funnily enough the signpost points to a direction that goes uphill.

After you rejoin the path, there is a large landmark called Hern stones, simply a collection of large
stones. These stones do not have much of an attraction to them but, they do provide a very useful
landmark, and navigation point.

After these stones you are now walking across to Bleaklow Head. As you crawl up the steep peaty
waste of the track you will properly get rather wet, as like the path up Kinder this path also acts as
a drain-away, and even in the hot weather like we had, we arrived at the summit soaked from the
water running down the path. In that heat it sure felt good however.

Even if the weather was a lot colder we wouldn't have minded it too much, because the rewards
for making the top are well worth it. You can not really prepare yourself for the sight you are going
to see. Looking down to your right you will find your self looking down at a 300 meter's vertical
drop, with nothing to stop you going over the edge. A wide berth and carefully placed footsteps
are called for here. Not only this but behind you get an amazing view you were you have just come
from. The few cars on Snakes Pass will look tiny, Devils Dyke will open out to you like a maze of
tunnels with the central one zigzagging back to the Doctors Gate. Mill Hill, and Kinder Scout will
also be visible in good weather. Most importantly however Crowden will soon be in view. It's the
huge bridge over the Torside Reservoir that first comes in to view; the walkers motorway into
Crowden.

Now you are now 12 miles into the days 15 mile walk. The next 2 miles of the remaining 3 is on
top of this cliff. You will find these next 2 miles go very quickly, as the walking is very easy, and
with all the views around you very pleasant.

For the next 2 miles, apart from just writing about the view there is nothing to talk about other
than how green and how 'living' the place is. However the view is so good that you just have
to see it to understand it.

When you start going down hill you will be near the point that you will be descending rapidly.
Suddenly, after a right hand turn around a corner you go, and dropping down before you is the
steepest descent of the walk of around a ratio of 3 in 5. After you have tackled the horrible decent,
made worse by fatigue, and heavy rucksacks, you will cross some farm land onto a sand stony foot
path leading over a reservoir.

Climb up a narrow flight of steps and cross the road into a small forest. Here the Pennine Way
continues though a gate after exiting the forest, but that is for another day.

For now the other path, a dusty farm road leads, into Crowden, and the welcome sight of the
Youth Hostel.

THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

Admittedly I have never walked the alternative route, in full, but have climbed Jacobs ladder on a
few occasions. Therefore the below is based on my limited experience of the route, and what I
have heard from those who have walked the route.

20 yards or so down the road from the Old Nags Head Inn there is an unmarked foot path leading
over a stile. This alternative route skirts you around the huge Kinder Scout Plateau thus making
the route easier. It keeps you on a foot path which is well defined but it does take you over an
extra 300 feet of climbing over Upper Booth and Jacob's Ladders.

This route instead of heading for the plateau sends you on a semi circle route in to the Vale of
Edale, by following an old pack horse way. In complete contrast to the walk along the plateau, the
under foot condition is firm with amazing views into Edale and into the green country ahead of you
on the foot path that never seems to want to go in a straight line as it slowly ascends up to Upper
Booth just before you join a river called River Noe which you follow to the bottom of Jacob's
Ladder.

As you follow the river this is the first time in the Pennine Way that you descend as you approach
Jacobs Ladder. As the hill approaches it is easy to see that the descent is going to turn into a long
climb up a stepped path up to the top of Jacob's Ladder. When you get to the top of Jacob's Ladder
look across to the right and you will see the next stage of the route along Kinder Edge. After
following this you soon find yourself at Kinder Downfall, where the two route meet back up again.

Day 1 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities

AN AMAZING FACT ABOUT DAY 1

A survey suggests that 75% of all Pennine Way walkers give up after this first day, or add an
unplanned rest day soon after. Most are discouraged by the difficulty of the day, and feel that if
this is going to be like this they won't be able to do it. Fortunately this day you have just read
about is the 2nd hardest day of the whole walk. Only doing the Cheviots (the last day) in one go
is harder. As most split the Cheviots into two days, this day becomes the hardest.

REFRESHMENTS

Cafe's, Shop's, A Hotel, Pub's and Guest Houses can be found in Edale, all of which offer
refreshments, at certain times of the day. No refreshments can be found on route, or even at
Crowden. The Youth Hostel provides an evening dinner and Pack Lunches for the next day.
Setting out with a Packed Lunch, and plenty of water is vital.

ACCOMMODATION

Youth Hostel, Pubs, and Guest Houses In Edale. Accommodation can be found elsewhere if
required, there is a regular train service to Edale starting early in the morning, from a number of
locations. Youth Hostel in Crowden.

Day 1 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities

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Day 2; Day 1 Maps; Day 1 Photos; P.W. Index Page; Index Page