Tommy Ogden — The Pennine Way

The Pennine Way

¹ The distance varies in each account I read (paths are fractal-like and difficult to measure), but 429km (268 statute miles) is what the National Trails guide reckons so I’ll go with that. According to my feet, it’s a bloody long way.

In the spring of 2009, I walked the 429km¹ of the Pennine Way—a national trail along the hills of northern England—in 15 days.

Setting off from Derbyshire, I hiked over the Peak District moors into East Lancashire; through the Yorkshire Dales into County Durham and Westmorland; along Hadrian’s Wall and through the Kielder Forest in Northumberland; finally traversing the Cheviot Hills to cross the border into Scotland two weeks later.

I camped along the way; carrying my tent, sleeping bag and stove on my back. Happily I was joined by my dad for two days, and my friend Jim for another two. The rest of the time, I was on my own.

Itinerary

Starting off from Edale in the Hope Valley, I stopped at each of the destinations below during a wonderful and memorable fortnight.

Each destination links to the journal note for that day.

Day	Destination	Distance	Ascent	Duration
1	Crowden	27.5 km	911 m	6½ h
2	Blackstone Edge	28.8 km	1,005 m	8 h
3	Ponden	30.3 km	924 m	9 h
4	Gargrave	25.1 km	776 m	8 h
5	Malham	10.0 km	241 m	3 h
6	Horton-in-Ribblesdale	22.9 km	852 m	6 h
7	Hardraw Force	24.1 km	560 m	7 h
8	Tan Hill	24.1 km	1,077 m	7 h
9	Middleton-in-Teesdale	29.2 km	551 m	8 h
10	Dufton	36.4 km	561 m	10 h
11	Alston	31.4 km	1,069 m	8½ h
12	Greenhead	26.6 km	577 m	8 h
13	Bellingham	34.3 km	920 m	10 h
14	Byreness	23.7 km	544 m	6.5 h
15	Kirk Yetholm	40.0 km	1,620 m	11 h