Undermanager
Veteran Member
Is it okay to post daily musings here for the Pennine Way, an approximately 18 day 430 km walk from Edale in England to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland, going over lots of small mountains and moorland, with great scenery and notorious wild weather? If it's not, just remove the thread.
Starting Thursday 22nd August from Edale, the plan is to mix camping with hostels and maybe the odd pub. Camp sites are frequent but many 'wild camp', not strictly legal in England but tolerated in the higher areas as long as you arrive late, leave early and leave nothing but thanks. Hostels are available on day 1 and then again on day 4 and on each day afterwards, but they are not as frequent as you might like making for some long walks and certainly most of the time, there is only one hostel to choose from - booking is advisable. Prices range from £10 - £20 for an albergue-style bed in a hostel. Hotels, pubs and b&bs are also along the way but can be limited and are usually much more expensive than the equivalent in Spain - starting at around £40 a night but often much more.
The routes can be found on two Harvey maps, Pennine Way South and North XT40, and you need a compass as well as a GPS route, ideally on a proper GPS unit rather than a phone; the weather is often terrible and visibility is frequently pea-soup so the ability to navigate safely is a must. People sadly do die on the route because they often underestimate the weather.
The forecast is looking promising, but you can never be sure with the Pennines. The rucksack is a bit heavier than the 8kg I'd take on a Camino at 11kg because of the need for a tent, heavier sleeping bag for the potentially cold weather and a sleeping air mat but should be just about okay - we shall see as my bones are not what they were. Some compromises have been made; I'm not carrying any cooking equipment but there are enough places to eat and shop so won't starve. Not taking gaiters or leather boots - just accepting the bog and mud using trail shoes! I'm planning to carry a litre of water and a filter for more when I find it.
That's just about it. Sheffield tomorrow to stay with friends, then Edale on Thursday and off we go. I will try to post enough info to help anyone thinking of doing something similar themselves. Any questions, please ask.
Starting Thursday 22nd August from Edale, the plan is to mix camping with hostels and maybe the odd pub. Camp sites are frequent but many 'wild camp', not strictly legal in England but tolerated in the higher areas as long as you arrive late, leave early and leave nothing but thanks. Hostels are available on day 1 and then again on day 4 and on each day afterwards, but they are not as frequent as you might like making for some long walks and certainly most of the time, there is only one hostel to choose from - booking is advisable. Prices range from £10 - £20 for an albergue-style bed in a hostel. Hotels, pubs and b&bs are also along the way but can be limited and are usually much more expensive than the equivalent in Spain - starting at around £40 a night but often much more.
The routes can be found on two Harvey maps, Pennine Way South and North XT40, and you need a compass as well as a GPS route, ideally on a proper GPS unit rather than a phone; the weather is often terrible and visibility is frequently pea-soup so the ability to navigate safely is a must. People sadly do die on the route because they often underestimate the weather.
The forecast is looking promising, but you can never be sure with the Pennines. The rucksack is a bit heavier than the 8kg I'd take on a Camino at 11kg because of the need for a tent, heavier sleeping bag for the potentially cold weather and a sleeping air mat but should be just about okay - we shall see as my bones are not what they were. Some compromises have been made; I'm not carrying any cooking equipment but there are enough places to eat and shop so won't starve. Not taking gaiters or leather boots - just accepting the bog and mud using trail shoes! I'm planning to carry a litre of water and a filter for more when I find it.
That's just about it. Sheffield tomorrow to stay with friends, then Edale on Thursday and off we go. I will try to post enough info to help anyone thinking of doing something similar themselves. Any questions, please ask.
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