Day 3 – The M62, more reservoirs and the
ever-visible Stoodley Pike monument
Wednesday 14th May
Standage to Hebden Bridge –
16.8 miles
We breakfasted early so Susan could help Eric
before she went off to work. Her homemade muesli was delicious and
Eric wins the prize for the best scrambled eggs on the whole of the
Pennine Way. We chatted to Eric whilst enjoying the toast and
homemade preserves. He and Susan had walked the Pennine way many
years ago and he still has vivid memories of certain sections – not
sure if that’s a good or bad sign?
Once our delicious looking packed lunch was
stowed away in the rucksack Eric gave us a lift back up the road and
pointed out a footpath that would rejoin the Pennine Way on
Millstone Edge. Here the route was way marked as the Oldham Trail
but eventually a Pennine Way marker reassuringly made an appearance.
Jackets and trousers were fished out from the rucksacks, as it was
much cooler up on the edge. I attempted to program the GPS whilst
walking along, not as easy task as it was quite rocky underfoot, but
the views were good and the air felt clean and fresh despite being
so close to the industrial towns of Oldham and Rochdale. There were
a lot of trans-Pennine roads to negotiate today, first the A640
linking Rochdale and Huddersfield then the ‘big one’ – the M62,
reached just after the telecommunications mast on Windy Hill. We
heard the roar of the traffic long before we saw the motorway and
the noise stayed with us for at least a mile after crossing the
footbridge. Keen to get away from reminders of everyday life we
pushed on up the only real climb of the day, apart from the one that
was lurking at the end but we were trying not to think about that
just yet. We had an early lunch, sheltering from the wind amongst
the boulders just below the trig point on Blackstone Edge. The
gritstone reminded me very much of Stanage Edge, back home near
Sheffield. We didn’t sit too long and once past the Aiggin stone we
began to look forward to a coffee stop at the pub on the A58 – our
third trans-Pennine road crossing today. The coffee at the White
House pub was not very hot but it made a nice change from water and
we made use of the comfortable loos.
There now followed 3 miles of reservoir tracks,
flat, but a bit hard under foot. Other than the reservoirs the only
feature of any note was Little Hazzles Edge, a lovely out crop of
grit stone just begging to be climbed, I restrained myself and we
moved on to have a second lunch stop at the head of Warland
reservoir. We rested in the shelter of the sturdily build wall and
let our hot feet air in the ever present breeze. Heading northeast
we got our first view of the famous Stoodley Pike monument. Our
guidebook had warned us that the monuments’ gigantic size made it
look nearer than it actually was. On the way we met a man striding
towards us, he had a very weather beaten face and explained he was
training for the Three Peaks challenge. Once out of earshot Mum
asked me if I thought he was a bit too old for such things only to
quickly retract her comment remembering her own age and her current
choice of activity.
Just as the guidebook suggested, it took a good
hour to reach the monument. We admired its bulk and I ventured up
the dark inner staircase to reach the balcony. Shouting down to Mum
I asked her to take a photo but she was preoccupied with telling me
to ‘be careful’ – some relationships never change despite the age of the
players! Suddenly noticing the time we were eager to move on as
Miriam at Badger Fields Farm was expecting to serve dinner at 6.30.
By the time we entered Callis Wood and spotted the climb out of the
Calderdale valley we realised that we might be late but all attempts
to phone ahead failed. This added an unwelcome tension to the last
mile or so as we didn’t want to be late for dinner. In the valley
bottom the GPS indicated that there was less than a mile to go but
as we zigzagged up the steep hill our destination never seemed to
get any closer. The views back down and across the valley were
fantastic but as we felt the need to press on we didn’t stand and
stare for too long. I think Mum was just beginning to doubt my
navigation skills when we finally spotted a sign for Badger Fields
Farm. By 6.15 we were at Miriam’s door and she was happy to delay
supper, as we were the only guests eating.
The farmhouse had been built in 1990 but it felt much older, it had
very low beams upstairs that had been padded for safety.
Unfortunately Mum still managed to collide with them several times.
Miriam served up her excellent home cooking and afterwards I retired
to the summerhouse in the garden to write up my journal. By the time
I came in Mum was already in bed and I spent the next half an hour
on the phone to my 18 year old son, Tom. He needed help to fill in
some forms for a VISA to work in America – funny how one’s parental
duties are never quite relinquished no matter where you are
Thought for the day:
Deb –
Note to self: try to avoid steep climbs at the end of a long day
Mum
– The level walking around the reservoirs
was pleasant, not so keen on the final climb.
Pictures
Looking south from Standage towards Castleshaw Reservoirs
Mum heads for the mast on Windy Hill
We hurry to get away from the roar of the M62
An early lunch stop on Blackstone Edge, looking West towards
Littleborough
Remains of the old packhorse way
The Aiggin Stone
The White House Pub on the A58
Blackstone Edge Reservoir
The reservoir track to Little Hazzles Edge
A second lunch stop at the head of Warlands reservoir
Mum wondering if we are ever going to reach Stoodley Pike monument
Wow - what a huge monument!
Looking west towards Todmorden from a very windy Stoodley Pike
Crossing the river, canal and road in the Calderdale valley
The steep climb out of river Calderdale - Stoodley pike in the
distance
At last a sign that we are on the right track!
The last few yards before Badger Fields Farm
Deb planning tomorrow's route
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