Saturday 31 December 2011

LEJOG 2004 - My Notes of a trip of a lifetime - Part 4

Getting bored yet?

Onwards....

26 April 2004 To Edale (day 33 - day 30 walking): Left campsite at 0900. It was dry but the sky was a bit threatening. Sure enough, at around 1200 it started raining - then a massive thunder storm rolled thru - right overhead! Not much lightening - thankfully.
Got to Edale at 1330. Nags head was closed and Ramblers should have been open but was closed - no electrics. Had lunch in cafe - sausage, egg, chips and beans. Pitched tent between pulses of heavy rain. Site agreed to waive fee (£3.50) and Ramblers re-opened. Barbara read me a letter to local businesses to raise money for St. Giles. I too had been thinking of the same thing - we do think alike!
Late afternoon was dry - now 1800. Hope it stays dry. Dave Smith and wife gave £5. Brill. Nb: send card. Stayed dry getting back to tent. rained overnight, but it was dry in morning.

27 April 2004 To Crowden (day 34 - 31 walking): Very misty over Kinder. Rain intermittantly in morning becoming continuous. Stayed misty and rained until late afternoon. Took wrong path off Bleaklow which added 2/3 miles to trip. Got to Crowden campsite. Phil paid my camping fee - £2.50 - a reduction. Phil's tent was a big plastic bag!
Walked to Tintwhistle - the Bulls head - but they didn't do food. Landlord gave me a lift to Hollingworth. The Gun pub did good meal and beer. Got taxi back - £11 but worth it. Stayed dry overnight.

28 April 2004 To Globe farm (day 35 - 32 walking): Spitting rain in the morning - very windy, misty and cold. Rain started around 1100. Took wrong path on ladlow and had to retreat. Not too far! Rain continued until around 1430. Full winter gear on - very cold wind with rain and mist!
Got to Globe farm - shock/horror! No more camping! Met guy earlier who told me this. Decided to B and B - £25 - got last room. Ann (my host) explained not worth it with camping. had shower and washed T shirts, pants and socks and cleaned off trousers.
Good fillet steak in the Great Western - a fair walk down the road. Rained on way back, but a good sleep.

29 April 2004 To High Gate (day 36 - 33 walking): V windy day with heavy intermittant showers - cold. Nb Ann does voluntary work for a hospice and her mum gave me £3.
Walked to High gate shop. Alladins cave! Tiny campspot - free. Dry putting tent up and dry walking down to New Delight Inn. Good meal - dry all night, but, colder. Slept well.

30 April 2004 To Ickornshaw (day 37 - 34 walking): Dry morning + dry day but cold wind. Walked to Ickornshaw and am staying at same B and B as two years ago (on Pennine Way - a short walk!). This plus Twice Brewed will be my last B & Bs in England. Black Bull is just up the road.
Left High Gate at 0845 and got to B & B at 1430 - had to wait a while to get in - they had gone out. Tony and Olwyn ran B & B.
Had good pub mal - choirizo sausages and beer - Golden Dragon. Good chat with brian, the landlord. Rosie, the dog barked non-stop and there were two noisy African grey parrots.

01 May 2004 To Malham (day 38 - 35 walking): Great breakfast. Dry and warmer day but with cool wind. Had superb sandwich + pint in Cross Keys at Long Marton. Bill came up and after a brief chat gave me £1 (total cash - £59.35). Afternoon got sunnier and warmer. Got to malham campsite which was very busy. Got a 50p reduction to £3. Generous!
Lister Arms was very busy but i got quite seat next to a Leeds professor and his wife. Had good chat. Food was brill' - Mexican enchilada. Slept well.

02 May 2004 To Horton (day 39 - 36 walking): Wall to wall sunshine with enough of a breeze to keep cool. Got to Horton around 1500. Camp fees waived. Had sausage sandwich in cafe.
There is a guy a day ahead of me on LEJOG too!
Had great 12oz fillet steak in pub and chat with group from Derbyshire. Dry getting back to tent but rained overnight. Dry in morning.

03 May 2004 To Hawes (day 40 - 37 walking): V windy, cold but dry day until short heavy sleet/rain shower in afternoon. Fairly easy going to hawes. Washed all clothes + had shower - feels good. Mick Long - £5 - in pub and Ibrahim in Curry House - £5. He was 26, married with one kid and one on the way V nice guy - superb meal -£10 Heavy rain all night and in the morning. (Note: my notes were a bit squiffy for this entry - good beer!)

04 May 2004 To Tan Hill (day 41 - 38 walking): (Note: The beer was very good - I missed a page a got muddled notes!) Rain stopped an hour after starting out. Cold wind, but remained dry all the way to Tan Hill. Camped behind the pub for £1. Got ducks for company. few drops of sleet/rain as I write - 1750.
Had long chat with Vicky and Richard - he took my e-mail address. Stayed dry and calm all night, with sun out in the morning.

05 May 2004 To Middleton-in-Teeside (day 42 - 39 walking): Still, dry start. Sky got darker and around 1400 heavy rain - until 1530. Met Pauline and Pam near Blackburn YHA. Pauline gave me £5. Pitched tent in dry - fees waived. Had a shower and came out to heavy rain - time now 1645. Rain continued on and off until 2030. Then it was very damp. Meal in Bridge pub as good. Slept well!

06 May 2004 To Dufton (day 43 - 40 walking): Tent was very wet in morning. Day was mainly dry - just one brief shower in morning. great walk over to High Cup Nick. Sun out in Dufton. Charged £2 instead of £3.50 "to cover cost of shower" - I didn't have one! Looking forward to meal at the Stag. had duck breast. Cold night with a bit of frost. Bright sunny morning.

07 May 2004 To Alston (day 44 - 41 walking): Although it was sunny, tent was still wet. Hard slog up Cross Fell. At least visability was good. There is an easy way off Cross fell, but i didn't see it until I was way down. The track to Garrigill is horrid. Got to Alston. Camp fees waived. Stayed dry all day. Cold winds on tops but ok below. Had shower and got to pub at 1850. Goo meal - steak in ale pie. Started raining as I was going back to tent at 2130. heavy rain all night.

08 May 2004 To Twice Brewed (day 45 - 42 walking): V damp stat but stopped raining. Took old railway to just past Slaggyford, then over the moors - managed to put one foot in up to my knee! Took old Roman road to Twice Brewed Inn. Lost map case and compass - no big deal - at least I have the other maps etc., Inn was near fully booked, but got room for £22.
Beside a bit of drizzle to start, it was a dry day. Had prawns to start and sirloin steak to follow - excellent! Beer was good and bed was soft.

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