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DAY 3 OF THE PENNINE WAY Day 3 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities STARTING POINT Standedge Car Park on the A62 (Grid Reference SE021096 on Ordinance Survey Map 110 (1:50,000)) FINISHING POINT The Calder Valley between Todmorden and Hebden Bridge (Grid Reference SD971265 on Ordinance Survey Map 103 (1:50,000)) LENGTH OF DAY 16 Miles (26 km) 1050 Ft (320 m) Day 3 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities The third day of the Pennine Way is one of the easiest of the lot. Apart from some very gentle gradient at White Hill, and Blackstone Edge, there is very little other than long rolling stretches of moorland rising up to Blackstone Edge, which can be seen as fairly strenous to most walker, but after two days on the Pennine Way you should find it easy. Here you will find the first pub on the route of the Pennine Way, and after 2 days of having to carry a packed lunch it comes as a most welcome sight. This day seems to be designed to be as easy as possible and this White House Pub just makes this day that little bit easier still Following your lunch stop the rest of the day is almost a formality as it is easy walking along dead flat, semi metaled reservoir roads. When you arrive at the path leading to the Mankingholes Youth Hostel you have a choice to make from 3 main options. You still have another 3 miles to the official end of the day in the Calder Valley, but you can make your life a lot easier very quickly at this point. You can of course carry on and do the small climb and long descent of Stoodley Pike with your rucksacks on, and then walk back to the Youth Hostel still carrying your rucksacks; or you can cheat a little, like I did, and go to the Youth Hostel, drop off your bags and do the above. Both of these option mean that you will be 2 miles from the start of the Pennine Way in the morning but you don't start the day with an ascent. Or if you are tired already you can call it a day, and do the Stoodley Pike climb first thing in the morning, meaning that you are only about 300meters from the Pennine Way when you restart Whatever you choose to do the general sum of the day could still be said to be seen as boring, but the relief to have an easy days walking will overcome this. Day 3 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities Again I am writing this entry at the end of my day (28th July 1995), as I sit in the self catering kitchen of the Mankinholes Youth Hostel while enjoying a well earned mug of hot chocolate. It has been a very interesting walking day but with boiling temperatures again - 31 degrees again same as day 1, and not a breath of wind, with little shade. There is a slight disagreement whether today was 15 or 16 miles with some books saying 15 and others saying 16. But I am going to say it is 16 miles as 2 out of the 3 books I have read say's it is 16 miles, but one mile out of 271 is not too relevant. We started out by going over Standedge with is just above Globe Farm B+B. However, due to there being a lot of false paths once on top it is easy to get lost, as we found out. From there we got a little lost (well slightly misplaced) due to taking the wrong path, and approaching the A640 to far West than we should have been, so we had to cut across the moor land to get back on track. After around 4 miles from the start there was a snack bar which is run regularly in the summer, just before you cross the motorway. Always one to take every opportunity to stay fuelled up, I had a 1/4 pound beef burger and a cup of coffee and found the prices to be very reasonable. About a quarter of a mile on from the snack bar we crossed the M62 motorway, from whereon we had a quite a peaceful and easy walk across Blackstone edge. We had lunch at the White House Pub which is just meters up the A58 when you cross it. Going inside for lunch was something new, but well welcomed to get out of the heat. After which we walked along the side of several reservoirs thus allowing very flat walking. These reservoirs take you almost to the track leading to Mankingholes Youth hostel, but here we had a choice of actions. As we were in good time you are in good time we decided to do some of tomorrow's walk today. This meant going to the Youth Hostel, as if we had finished for the day, and went to climb up to Stoodley Pike. This added on an extra 5 miles (3 miles to Stoodley pike and it's descent down to the path where we'd rejoin the Pennine Way tomorrow, and 2 miles back directly) on today, but without rucksacks it was easy, and will save an immediate climb in the morning. Day 3 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities When you set out from Globe Farm you swiftly climb up to the top of Standedge, a tough looking climb which depending on whether your legs have woken up or not can lead to it living up to it's looks. If you are feeling fresh this climb shouldn't bother you at all. After approximately 20 minutes of climbing you arrive on top next to a trig point which is lot nicer and smaller than the one on Black Hill. After departing the top you encounter the first real stretch of moor land with thick bracken and heather, but with poorly defined paths. There are several square miles of this stuff leading up to the A640, meaning that if you lose the right path, or start off on the wrong path across the moor, you could easily become lost. There is not many features up there to use as landmarks. Trusting a compass bearing from the trig point isn't a bad idea at this point. The moor land you will find yourself in is called Closer Moor. The general trend to this moor is to be soft and in some places it is slightly too soft even in the extreme temperatures of 1995. You will find yourself having to jump from grass tuft to grass tuft in a couple of places. Also it tends to be rather flat but with a sight constant down hill until you approach the A640 when the path starts an equally small gradient uphill. After you cross the A640 (in the right place hopefully) you find yourself on a stony path. This leads you to the top of White Hill, which is climbed almost without realizing it, so slight is the gradient up it, before descending slowly to the A672 where a snack bar is usefully placed for Pennine Way walkers. The prices are reasonable and the food is respectable. A few meters away a motorway roars away, the M62. This is your next land mark. Crossing a motorway is not what most walkers have as the idea of fun, but maybe this one then could be a little different. The bridge signifies a huge change in the strata of the land. Not only are you walking on concrete for a few meters which is quite enjoyable after the rough moorland, but it also heralds the fact that the peaty stuff of the Peak district is now almost left behind. After the Motorway the path starts to climb gently up to the top of Blackstone Edge, still on slightly peaty ground. This climb though gentle lasts for a long time and does become deceptively tiring. Blackstone Edge is not very high but it does have two main features. 1)
Blackstone Edge is on top of a cliff with fantastic views, but most
importantly Also for the next few days you will not have to worry about forgetting your pack lunch as there will be shops and pubs all over the place on route. It is amazing how much of a weight this lifts off your shoulders when you know that there will be somewhere you can go to during the day. This is especially true when it is a hot day and your water bottles are getting well used. From Blackstone Edge you follow an old Roman road up to a place called Alggin Stone. The Alggin Stone was used in past times as a guide post. From here only a few minutes walking is between you and being able to settle down to your first non packed lunch at the White House Pub. A beer, and a pub lunch is quite a good way of letting yourself forget about the magnitude of the venture for the first time since Edale, while you are out for the day. After lunch the Pennine Way now continues over one of the easiest parts of the entire walk. A flat path leads you around a system of reservoirs and rivers. For the rest of the day speed can be really picked up as apart from the winding path that leads into the horizon and the 4 reservoirs to your right there is nothing much to see. That is until you get to the point that you think the day is all over and you are thinking about the Youth Hostel and Dinnertime. Well that is if you aren't aware of the route, as the route goes past a sign saying Mankingholes Youth Hostel is a short distance away. The truth of the matter though, is that you have still got more to come if you want to do some of tomorrow's walking today. An unusual idea but one that can serve up huge benefits. When you get to Withens Gate and Te Deum Stone there is a meeting of paths in the form of cross paths. The one pointing the way you have just come says Reservoir Circle Walk and Pennine way. The one pointing to your right says Reservoir Circle Walk, the one to your left says Mankingholes Youth Hostel. However, the one pointing directly ahead says Stoodley Pike and Pennine Way. As the Youth Hostel is close by it is recommended that you go there first by turning left, and dropping off your bags, before returning to this point and then walking the Stoodley Pike path. As the day is generally easy you should find that the day is still young The path you follow to get to the 120 foot tower is no different than the path that has just lead along the reservoirs where you have just come from, other than the fact that the 4 reservoirs are now left well behind. Stoodley Pike has been restored twice since was built in the early 1810's both times due to some of the tower collapsing. If you want to explore the monument a bit more than you can. There is a stair case that can take you about 50 foot up it but remember to take your torch if you intend to, as it is very dark inside and you can't see a thing inside the tower otherwise. To leave the cliff face where the monument is positioned there is a large crack on side of the cliff facing the small village in which Mankingholes Youth Hostel is situated, which is easily scrambled down safely. If you do this by following the path at the bottom takes you back towards the village and the Youth Hostel. In the morning you can scramble back up the same point, and continue the Pennine Way there. Or you can continue past Stoodley Pike into the Calder Valley, which is the easiest place to regain the Pennine Way in the morning as no climbing at all will be required. A bit more effort definitely but well worth it when you think of the morning. A bus service is also in operation, which can transport you from the Calder Valley to Mankingholes and visa versa if required. Day 3 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities Breakfast available to guests at Globe Farm Bunkhouse. Hotel/Public houses on the A58 after Blackstone Edge, near Mankinholes and in the Calder Valley thus meaning you don't have to take a packed lunch - the weight difference is actually quite significant when you are not carrying your own food ACCOMMODATION Mankinholes Youth Hostel off route (about 3 miles) able to be travailed to from the Valley by bus at regular times. Guest houses in the Calder Valley. Day 3 - Summary - Personal Report - Analysis - Facilities
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Copyright 1997 - 2005 Ian Steel
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Last updated on
06 December 2005 22:11