The UK climate, the gift that just keeps on giving! After almost a month, the wind is still freezing and feeling more like January than May. Today, I set off from Hadfield (you'll never leave), and headed along the reservoirs of the Longdendale Valley following the Longdendale Trail. The bitterly cold wind whipped up the grey waters of the reservoirs into waves and I wondered what it was going to be like on the hills. Reaching Crowden, I began climbing on the Pennine Way towards Laddow Rocks as the rain got down to business and the wind helped it along, blowing it into me. As I climbed higher, it got worse. And worse. Laddow Rocks is a cliff edge with a very narrow path right on the edge of the cliffs so I paid close attention not to slip. After a good soaking and blasting by the wind, I descended a little and the conditions eased slightly. There is absolutely no shelter along this section of the Pennine Way so you just have to take what is thrown at you. After three tricky river crossings that in normal conditions are a simple step or two on stepping stones, I began the climb to Black Hill. As I entered the mist, the wind and rain returned with a vengeance and I sped past two walkers paused by Soldiers Lump, a trig point on a stone plinth and almost ran down off of the top. I knew I had one more obstacle on my way to Marsden, the river at Dean Clough. This is a steep ravine and normally, the river is crossed by simply stepping over it. Today, it was a more serious undertaking and I searched for a crossing point before wading into the icy water at the narrowest point. All that remained was the final climb to the road which I accomplished with surprising ease. The walk wasn't finished but I knew from Wessenden Head that it was now all downhill through the Wessenden Valley to Marsden, where I checked into the pub I am now staying in and sank gratefully into a hot bath with a cup of hot tea. I walked 15.5 miles in 6 hours.
Reservoirs in the Longdendale Valley
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| On the Pennine Way above Crowden |
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| Wessenden Reservoir |
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| Approaching Marsden on the Kirklees Way |
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