Pennine Way - Day 3: Standedge to Littleborough

Post drought England

We set of with good intentions but were weighed down with, well, weight.

An alternative plan had to be hatched or our efforts would be doomed. We couldn’t carry all our stuff, it was that simple. Get rid of some kilos or abandon the walk.

The second option wasn’t so appealing and we weren’t going to lose that much weight by having a small dinner. Especially, with the variety of new English beers. BlackSheep – we love you.

But, of course, it is Saturday afternoon and the options are limited – to zero.

A family discussion was held.

Pretty clouds

A potential solution found.

For dramatic purposes the potential solution will not be revealed yet. However, in true Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy style, I will reassure those of a nervous disposition that we do continue the walk and no one has any significant bits removed.

We decided to take two days to get to Hebden Bridge and there we would be saved. Today we would stop as soon as possible. Or today we would go as far as the first possible place to stop.

M 62

We crossed a Motorway (M62). A bit of light relief waving at the passing lorries.

We took a well needed break in a stone shelter – probably Neolithic or vandalism – for a snack.

There was a Roman Road to cross today and some sort of Neolithic stone marker to see. They were next to each other. The Roman Road was, was well let’s say farm trackish with a few stones squashed into it. And these stones weren’t even put there by the Romans, allegedly.

So, a road that was once used by the Romans. And I assume by lots of other long dead people. I guess their PR agent just wasn’t as good.

Swim anyone?  (Not Allowed)

The Marker was just as impressive.

With a shortened day ahead everybody’s spirits were lifted. Until Blackhill. Well, I say until. Once again I had built this place up to be akin to hell. With a trig point that isn’t actually on the top but is on the only solid ground.

Bogs, Bogs and more mud.

But of course, thanks to the drought. Are we really in England? Everything was dry, navigation easy.

They decided that I had, in fact, been lying about the bogs and the mud and the fog and the rain. So, their spirits were lifted even further.

A rest

The route, was pretty. But we didn’t care. The end was all we wanted. The end of our suffering, The end of our torment. And a beer.

These sentiments, in the middle of day three, were not what we were expecting. But, in between the pain and suffering we were actually happily soaking in the scenery. It is very very Britishly beautiful.

We met the family again and confessed our plan. They laughed and wished us well.

Lost in space

Down the hill to the Moorcock Inn. The pub at the top of the hill had no accommodation – or didn’t like the look of us. But, for whatever reason we went down to the Moorcock. If the inn had been full, even the manger would have been fine.


We were not going to walk back up that hill.

		Cumulative
Distance Walked	18 9km	62 53km
Start Point	Standedge
End Point	Calder Valley Littleborough
Via	Blackstone Edge
General Comments We abandoned the planned walk. Stopped at the Moorcock Inn, Littleborough. Knackered

Walking Across Slovakia