Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019

Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019
On the Archduke's Path in Mallorca

Saturday 19 June 2010

Thursday 17 June 2010 – Standedge to Crowden – Blue Skies on the Pennine Way

Gayle kindly provided the impetus for today’s little excursion.  We met her at 9.30 at Standedge and left her around 3 pm at Crowden, to return home whilst she continued towards Bleaklow to enjoy a wild camp by Torside Brook.

We chose a good day to join her on her FAT (Football Avoidance Trip), the weather being typical  for the UK in June – why would anyone wish to be elsewhere at this time of year?

Sue and Gayle stride out from Standedge

At Black Moss Reservoir we chose an easy route across White Moss and Wessenden Head Moor, rather than the more undulating Pennine Way route.

New flagstones across White Moss are giving the previously heavily eroded moorland a chance to recover.  Gayle was puzzled by the vocal opposition she had heard to such flagged paths; but I’m convinced that the majority of us are in favour of properly constructed pathways across such moorland, enabling the eroded vegetation to recover.

Newly laid flagstones on Black Moss

The white bags on White Moss contain bundles of heather and seeds, to help with the regeneration of the natural moorland.

Heather bales and seeds

The short section across Wessenden Head Moor to join the Pennine Way before Black Hill is little used and would be very boggy in wet weather.  But with the current paucity of Pennine Rain, Sue and I found it quite easy to hop across any damp patches in our trail shoes, though Gayle got slight ingression due to wearing Flip8s (which she likes, but which do at all times attempt to act as sponges).

An anxious curlew wheeled around us.

Curlew

We spotted this prone object beside the path, and realised the cause for concern, before hurrying on.

Curlew chick

The summit of Black Hill was a sun trap today.

Norman, doing the Pennine Way on a B&B basis, but with a bigger rucksack than Gayle, kindly took this photo for us.

Black Hill summit

Gayle was astounded by how much the area, which used to be a 365 days a year quagmire, had recovered since her previous visit two years ago.  Her observations are here.

The sceptics would have us walking through deep bog in a 100 metre wide section of eroded moorland.  I like this newish path towards Dun Hill.

The path to Dun Hill

A long lunch stop in the sunshine followed, and then a buzzing helicopter dropped a team to attend to a lady with a twisted ankle.

As we descended past Laddow Rocks towards Crowden, numerous Mountain Rescue personnel rushed past, in various states of breathlessness.  We half expected a medic to be following them up in case they collapsed themselves.

A busy aircraft ‘motorway’ was in operation above us – obviously no volcanic ash problem today!

Eventually, at around 3pm, the path to Polly (our car) led down past the ice-cream haven called Crowden, whilst Gayle’s route to Glossop (she never did get there) headed off in the other direction.

So sadly our ways parted, but it had been an excellent little outing.

Parting ways at Crowden

Gayle’s report is here, and her Black Hill observations are here.

Our 15 km route (see below), with 350 metres of ascent, took a leisurely 5.5 hours, though Mr Slowman Naismith would have cut nearly two hours of that time!

The day's route - 15km, 350 metres ascent, 5.5 hours

The full slideshow (29 images) is here.

7 comments:

Mark Alvarez said...

Flip8s? Hah!

_ said...

Nice pics Martin. Been a bit quiet over on my blog lately as I'm pretty busy with work. Planning to head out to Kinder tomorrow though, as I need a day off, and the forecast's good. May even get round to writing it up!

AlanR said...

Gayle, I see that you are still wearing the chest pouch and have therefore come to the conclusion that it is after all, a useful piece of kit. ---Alan

AlanR said...

Sorry Martin, I should have posted my last comment on Gayles blog, but the photo is here. Hope you don't mind.
Won't happen again honest!

Alan Sloman said...

A fine Daunder indeed. Days like this demand daundering. No need for the headlong rush, the smash and grab sort of walk.

Word = "hemper" Quite appropriate

Phreerunner said...

It was indeed a fine Daunder, Alan. These things have to be done from time to time. Actually last week's trip up Helvellyn was similar, with various flower ID etc stops.

And (the other Alan) your comment re Gayle's kit is absolutely not a problem. She really does have things down to a fine art, and was carrying significantly less weight than Norman, the B&Ber we met. Her sack was about the same weight as my winter day sack, and her 'pouch' didn't seem to hold very much at all. Perhaps her wallet was empty!

Steve Walton said...

Enjoyed the read. Reminded me of passing this way when I did the PW a few years ago, although the weather was rather different on that occasion!