The Pennine Way
is a long distance walk (LDW) starting in Edale in the Peak District
and finshing at Kirk Yetholm in Scotland. I had often wandered along
short sections of the route around Edale and Crowden and thought about
doing longer sections of it. In May 2004 I set off to walk from Edale
to Hebden Bridge both of which have railway stations. It was intended
as ‘training’ for the Coast to Coast walk that completed later that
year. The following year (2005) I decided to walk another section
continuing where I left off at Hebden Bridge and continuing to Keld.
Here I followed the Coast to Coast to Richmond where I was able to get
a bus and train home. In 2006 I completed the walk, catching a train to
Kirkby Stephen and then following the Coast to Coast to Keld. Having
camped overnight in Keld I started the final section from Keld to Kirk
Yetholm. The downside of completing the walk in three stages was I
didn't qualify for the free half pint in the Border Hotel in Kirk
Yetholm – the upside was, it made for some very enjoyable walking in
shorter sections.
This is my account of the whole walk written as I went along. It is not
intended as a guide but more a record of my thoughts and experiences
during the 16 days of the walk. I carried a tent and mainly camped
either on sites, where these were convenient, or in the wild if
necessary. In this way I was not tied to booking B&B’s and could go
at whatever pace suited me from day to day. I did stay in one B&B (
Byrness) when the weather was wet.