I sleep well, nicely cocooned in my sleeping bag, in my tent under the canopy of small trees. As soon as I’m packed down I bail out from the undergrowth and rejoin the trail. I hike along the outskirts of Greenhead, entering a silent golf course and cross a busy road. Upon entering moor land, a fog rolls in and covers everything in tiny droplets. I encounter boggy patches and do my best to avoid them but eventually give in to wet feet. Up ahead, a couple emerges out of the gloom and they are also hiking the Pennine way, travelling light and staying BnBs along the way.
Leaving the heather, I cross paths with another Pennine trail – The Pennine Experience which follows an old train track and leads directly to Alston. I follow it and gleefully hike along the flat and dry path. I see another hiker, who like me sports a large backpack and waves joviantly.
“Are you schiving the Pennine Way too?” he asks gleefully.
“Yep” I laugh, “Hike smarter, not harder”. I am deeply grateful to the smooth trail and the rest it offers my feet.
Arriving Alton, I head to the Spar which is also a petrol station. I’m surprised by how decent the resupply is here. It’s vast and sells not only hot and cold food but offers decent first aid supplies, hiking and camping gear, a bakery, mini butchers as well loads of choice when it comes to snacks. I leave with my arms full and sit out the way as I remove all the unwanted packaging and use zip lock bags to store my items. I down a bottle of fresh orange juice and another fruit smoothie whilst consuming fruit and a hot sausage roll. I watch over as travellers come and go, motorbikers and people refuelling after work.
A lady walks by smiling and then approaches.
“Are you hiking the Pennine Way?” I nod through a mouthful of sausage roll.
“That’s great, my husband did it last year, which was are you headed?”
“North to south”
“That’s what he did, said it was easier”
“I hope” I say grinning.
Hiking on, I follow a stream and then head upwards through fields. Two quad bike pass as they ferry sheep along a road and into a farm yard. My plan for to night is to make my way to Greg’s bothy. I’ve seen a few bothies on my travels but never have I slept in one and was glad that my mileage had worked out. It was still a bit of a trek and the bothy was positioned next to the highest point on the Pennine Way – Cross fell. The weather was on my side though – for today at least – and I had a pleasant stroll. There was quite a bit of ascent but once the steeper section was complete, it was a mild incline the rest of the way.
Despite getting closer, I encountered a lot of false corners and summits. Thinking (hoping) it was around the next corner, around the next bend, only to meet more track and sheep and no sight of the bothy. Pausing to grab more water, in case there wasn’t any at there. A swarm of midges descended on me, resulting in much swearing, arm waving, body slapping and ramming my water bottles back into my pack. It’s well after tea time and will soon be hiker midnight (8pm) and eventually, rounding the final crag.
The stone hut appears, a sight for sore eyes. Grinning, I speed up and reach the decent looking structure. Knocking, I secretly pray that it’s only me staying here and that it stays that way too. Thankfully I am alone and I check out the two rooms. A cloak room sits just inside the entrance way with a few coat hooks and a shovel. A large room is next with a portrait of Greg, a plague from the Mountains Bothie Association and a guest book which I add my name too. The final room has a large wooden platform which fills over half the space and is the sleeping area. A wood burning stove sits opposite with a drying rack above it. A little metal table sits in the corner and harbours a few items left by previous occupants such as coffee and a candle. A window looks out over the valley and I watch as a few low clouds (or perhaps regular clouds as I am pretty high now) amble across the landscape. The sun is getting ready to set and I do my evening chores before the light fades. Whilst my cous-cous rehydrates, I set my phone and camera batteries charging, fill in my journal, swap into my thermals ready for bed, unfurl my sleeping bag and brush my hair.
I have a brief wander outside and marvel at how amazingly light it feels to not have a backpack on. It feels like I could almost fly. There is indeed a water source here, a pipe flows out from a spring nearby and offers an easy access to water. I gaze out over the valley and attempt to absorb of much of the scenery as possible. I feel like I’ve got my hiker legs now, I found the first day a struggle and the second a bit..meh…but as I’ve hiked on, each step has only got better.
Retiring to bed, I curl up, pleased with the day.
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