“No other shows such a desolate and hopeless quagmire to the sky. This is peat naked and unashamed. Nature fashioned it, but for once has no suggestion for clothing it.”(A. Wainwright, “Pennine Way Companion”)
That is something to look forward to then. A bit like yesterday perhaps.
The walk from Crowden starts pleasantly enough, along the valley of Crowden Great Brook and up to Laddow Rocks. I must confess a weakness. I’m not sure if I suffer from a mild form of vertigo, or just possess a more pronounced sense of self-preservation than most. In any event, I do not enjoy close exposure to sheer or steep drops, especially traversing along a high edge. I didn’t enjoy the walk along the top of the Laddow Rocks, the path is just a little too near the edge for my timid tastes.
The fun was soon over though; back to peaty desolation. It was on this stretch that I had a glimpse of a Mountain Hare, whilst Bob claimed a sighting of a Grey Squirrel.
“It scampered along the track, in front,” Bob insisted.
Who knows where its dray was, there was with hardly a tree in miles.
“What was in that Guinness?”
I am afraid that Black Hill was a bit of a disappointment. The weather was too fair, the peat at the summit was merely the consistency of damp clay and a flagged trod now led the way safely to the trig point. It is probably still grim in a storm, but somehow the top no longer holds the promised sense of ominous foreboding.
The views from the top were good and wide-ranging. Perhaps twenty people had disported themselves around the summit, eating sandwiches, swigging drinks and ringing home.
“Hello, Kath. I’m on Black Hill. The weather’s grand. I can see Holmfirth.”
The walk besides the Wessenden Reservoir was a pleasant interlude, before more moors, less bleak now, brought us to Standedge. It was only a short diversion to our digs at Diglea, where the welcome was warm, but the rooms a bit basic.
The Diggle Hotel was first-class, one of the best pubs on the entire walk. The pub alone more than justified the short walk off route. Timothy Taylor’s beer complimented excellent and well-priced food. It was a good night.
Accommodation: Mrs Francis, Sunfield Accommodation, Diglea, Diggle (1457 874030)
£26.50 including a lift back to the route
The visit to Dingle’s Pub more than compensated for the extra mile of walking.
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