UKC

Not really sure which is the best forum for this - but has anyone here done the Pennine Way? I was in the Yorkshire Dales this last weekend with my family and kept seeing the signs heading off over picturesque terrain, and now I live pretty near to the start in the Peak District, I'm starting to think perhaps I should do it. After years living abroad it would be a nice way to acquaint myself with bits of England I either don't know well, or at all.

But a few reports suggest it is dull - at least in parts. Does anyone strongly agree or disagree?

In reply to TobyA:

Done bits of it over the years. Don't know the area north of Tan Hill.

Depends on what you mean by dull I suppose, on a grey day many of the moorland sections can feel dreary but on a sunny day then they feel fine especially if you do them when the heather is in bloom.

In reply to TobyA:

I did it in 1981 when it was probably much more popular than nowadays. Other LDP's get more traffic - West Highland Way is the most popular apparently and the C-to-C is trumpeted the world over. I really enjoyed it despite the bad blisters from the bad boots (all we could afford). It's just turned 50 and had a TV series so may get a boost of popularity this year. Like any long walk, some bits are 'dull' but then what's 'dull' in the Pennines might be a major draw in East Anglia? There are some stunning highlights along the way and a great sense of progress through a changing landscape. The accents of locals change too, often from one valley to the next.

In reply to TobyA:

I did it in about 1980. It was the best one of quite a few LDPs I did at the time including Offas Dyke, Coast to Coast and bits of West Highland Way.

What made it enjoyable was the schedule flexibility I got from mixing camping, hostels and BandB. Yes there are some dull bits but overall I thought it was great. And the paths will be better made now than they were then !

In reply to TobyA:

I've backpacked it as far as Hadrian's Wall, starting from Edale. I enjoyed it immensely, and it's anything but dull.

In reply to Clauso:

Why on earth would you get as far as Hadrian's Wall and not finish the whole thing?

In reply to Removed Userfergie:

He's banned from Scotland.

In reply to TobyA:

Did in 1982 - pretty enjoyable and interesting with possible exception of Kielder Forest section.

In reply to TobyA:

Only done the Edale to Malham legs, but thought it was great!

In reply to TobyA:

Did it in '78, North to South.. 10 walking days but had to rest up a day in Alston because of heatstroke!

Highlight was a night at Hannah Hauxwell's farm in Baldersdale.
Next day was the longest, got as far as Hawes before the beer beckoned.

In reply to TobyA:

Did it in winter a few years back. That was a bad choice, the weather and conditions underfoot were bad but not bad enough to be epic.

fun to do, yes dull in parts but for me some of the best bits were the quieter sections away from the obvious popular parts. Northumberland was really lovely, all the better for not being spectacular.

In reply to TobyA:

Did it in 2008 with a mate over a fortnight. Was a fantastic experience which looking back I really enjoyed.
We did it south to north which gave it more gravitas as we were walking to another country rather than walking "home".
We learned a lot about ourselves and each other and we've been trying ever since to find time for another ldw.
Certain sections were superb walking though there were one or two obvious linking days which were pretty nondescript. I have a bucket load of stories, hints and tips that make for really boring stories so I won't clog the thread with them but if you do have any questions feel free to pm me.

In reply to angry pirate:

Thanks to everyone, and I would be very happy to hear stories, hints etc. For example, if you were doing it these days would you wear trainers/fell shoes etc. rather than boots? Reading some blog accounts of doing it, it seems the path has been improved over the most infamous peat bogs such as on Kinder and Bleaklow, so comfy and light seems a better option than stout and waterproof.

In reply to TobyA:

i walked it in 1984 after finishing o levels. I hadn't done anything like it before so it was a fantastic character defining experience for me. i wouldn't say it was boring but everyone's got their own opinion. Just been reading about the Spine race if you want a more exciting way to do it.

In reply to TobyA:

Don't remember the paths being difficult particularly, lots of flagstones over one stretch (Saddleworth?). Imagine the weird gully things on Bleaklow could get quite muddy? Confusing place too.
If I were to do the early stretches again, I'd do them on fell shoes.

In reply to TobyA:

Hi, did it in 2007 S-N, lots of the path around Kinder & Bleaklow has been paved, though not all. The "worst" parts were in the Cheviots, with many falls into knee deep bogs and waterlogged paths turning into streams with depressing regularity. I enjoyed pretty much every day that the sun shone, my favourites were walking up Teesdale and over Cross Fell. Much quieter than the Peak or Dales.

Definitely worth the effort, we did it in 16 days with tents.

In reply to TobyA:

My wife and I did it in 2006, at the age of 51, with me initially rather reluctant. Turned out to be one of the best holidays we have had. We camped the whole way with two nights in bothies and took 16 days over it. The aspect of continuous travel along a line gave it a mediaeval pilgrimage feel that was really beguiling. I thoroughly recommend it.

In reply to pog100:

Did it as a school trip - by Horton, I was the last man standing. I was ordered home, but told we won't notice if you carry on walking and I made it to Yetholm in the usual time scale.
A great trip and not in the least bit boring. Soon graduated to backpacking on my own routes and ended up getting trashed by the Fastnet storm in 1979 while trying to walk the length of Wales.

In reply to TobyA:

I think the experience is pretty weather dependent, I did it as an unsupported walk/run in June. Set off at night 21st June and when I got to Kinder the downfall (which I was used to finding by sound) was just a dribble, it was my first water stop and took forever to get 500ml. The next day it was scorchio and I got heat exhaustion/ very mild heatstroke that made an uncomfortable night after 50+ miles. I planned for ultralite cold and wet and got hot and dry, water much harder to find than usual on sections I knew quite well.

A friend of mine did it the next year, as a supported run and thought he'd do it in April, after my experience. He got snowstorms almost all the way and hated it.

Camping is the way to go or else you waste too much time off trail or get full support and get driven off to a nice bed each night.

If I was going to do it again I'd probably try for 3 weekends, unless the appeal is the week long trip.

In reply to TobyA:

We had decent walking boots (Scarpa SLs in my case) and the continual pounding on the ubiquitous slabs left us with lumps under the ball of the foot which were very painful to walk on. These (generally) disappeared overnight but I think we're my body's way of protecting the bones in my feet. They also leaked after a few days continual wet weather. No blisters though.
Now I'd use lighter goretex lined boots or fell shoes with much more shock absorbing. Possibly paired up with an ankle gaiter for really bonk weather.

In reply to TobyA:

Most of these LDP were conceived before the CROW act. Use the Pennine Way as a basis but put in variations as the mood takes you and access allows. Add more tops, straighten some of the deviations that were necessary so as to stick to Public Rights of Way. Use your imagination.

John

In reply to angry pirate:

Cheers! When I last did a bit of an official UK long distance walk (some of the South West Way in IIRC 1989 - I think it was to celebrate doing our GCSEs!) walking boots were very much the thing (we carried full waterproofs and gaiters and most of our food for a week too! Young shoulders were strong though I guess...). Things have changed rather in the intervening years, although coming back to the UK I've come to the conclusion that we do have a particularly muddy country and at times some good walking boots are still the ticket.

In reply to Removed Userfergie:


I pulled a muscle in my thigh and could barely move for three days... Which was a problem, considering that I only had two days in which to finish the thing, before I had to be back at work.

I was really pissed off. It had taken me 13 days to get that far, and I could almost smell the haggis.

In reply to thread:

Did it in 1978. Wouldn't do it again as it gave me acne.

We backpacked and it rained every day, so fine once everything's damp. Highlight was being allowed to kip in the pub at Tan Hill. Neil Hanson I think was then landlord and has written a book about it. (Probably not my stay specifically.)

Main thing I learned was that royal scot biscuits can sustain life for two weeks and are also excellent for weight loss.

Big sense of achievement but a lot of moorland trudging.

To the OP: what I might do these days would be to B&B the dalesway/dales high way in a pedestrian version of the Trip.