Day 4 - Standedge to Hebden Bridge

A slight improvement in the weather, although the photographs might not make it look that way. Today was a long walking day; 15 miles according to the guide, but we needed to divert at the end of the day into Hebden Bridge itself, which added a couple of miles, making 17.5 in total.

Despite its length, this segment of the Pennine Way actually isn't such hard walking, being mostly a fairly gentle rise and fall along a ridge, threading between various Victorian reservoirs, a final rise to Stoodley Pike memorial, and a final steep drop into Hebden Bridge. There were none of the ferocious ascents or streams to ford that we've had on the past couple of days.

I'm glad to report that Saffie the labrador made a full recovery last night from the dog-tired (?) and shivering wreck that she was yesterday afternoon to a bouncing bundle of energy this morning. Here's the usual rainy view back down over Standedge on this morning's ascent.

Jonathan, Sean, and Saffie - view back to Standedge

After a gentle ascent to White Hill (nothing to see here, please move along) the path drops down to cross the M62, an incongruous jolt back to the reality of people and goods madly dashing around the country that's  easy to forget about when up in the hills.

M62 / Pennine Way crossing

More skirting along the ridge of Blackstone Edge Moor, a pretty straightforward route over the usual mixture of stream bed, occasional laid flagstones, and the ever-present peat bog. Not quite sure of the significance of the Aiggin Stone, but it seems to warrant its own information plaque which says that it was a well-known medieval landmark over 600 years ago.

Saffie at the Aiggin Stone

Now onto another string of reservoirs. First the Blackstone Edge Reservoir right by the path, with a welcome open pub where the path crosses the A58. Unfortunately  they don't allow dogs in (more madness) so they lost our lunchtime custom apart from a quick hot drink in the porch. Then more distant views of Higher Chelburn Reservoir in the valley.

Higher Chelburn Reservoir

Soon after this the path passes along the edge of the Light Hazzles Reservoir, then the Warland Reservoir, both full to overflowing, like every other reservoir we've seen. Maybe we should be picking up the messages about likely rainfall.

Warland Reservoir

By this time the rain was picking up again, so heads down we ploughed on along the Warland Drain, a man-made channel which routes all the streams off the higher moorland into the Warland Reservoir via a rather impressive artificial waterfall.

More heads-down walking into the oncoming rain, along the ridge of Higher Moor, to reach Stoodley Pike Monument. This impressive obelisk was built to celebrate the defeat of Napolean, and his exile to Elba, but the story is that when he escaped from there the building work was halted, only to be resumed when he was subsequently sent to St Helena.

Stoodley Pike from Lower Rough Head farm

After another couple of miles descending from Stoodley Pike and through a number of sheep farms the Pennine Way officially heads off North, avoiding Hebden Bridge itself. However, since Sean's blisters are now at the borderline A&E/amputation stage he needed to restock with copious supplies of Compeed in town.

Horsehold Woods on the descent to Hebden Bridge

Likewise I needed to buy some new gaiters, the rubbishy ones I have currently being prone to either slipping down to my ankles, or having to be tied so tightly around my calves that I'm developing bruises on the back of my legs.

Interestingly the first outdoors shop that we reached in Hebden Bridge had absolutely none of the items that we wanted (gaiters, Compeed, insoles, gloves) and the shopkeeper there claimed that there we no other outdoor shops in town. Liar ! After wandering for a few more minutes we found another two, with the third one being by far the best, and having absolutely everything we needed. Walkers pay heed - there are at least 3 outdoor shops in Hebden Bridgen, and the one near the Co-Op is not the good one !

A couple of pints at the Shoulder of Mutton pub (Count Arthur Strong's local) then up to the B&B, which is more of the traditional farm B&B than previous days. Home cooked dinner at the farmhouse and a shared walker's lounge upstairs. Since all 4 of us here are the same 4 who set out from Edale on Tuesday (me, Jonathan, Eric, and Sean) it's like some sort of school common room.

Sean's blisters were so bad tonight that he couldn't even bear to put his socks back on in order to take Saffie out for her evening empty-out, so that duty fell to me. Home from home to the last detail.

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