An Introduction

I’m Steve Watson, a semi-retired, somewhat rotund, fifty-something, and he’s Bob McManus, a bald, once scrawny, fully retired fifty-something plus. We are East Yorkshire based and are both long time and experienced, if occasionally inept, walkers with a particular fondness for multi-day trail walking. We’ve shared our hiking for the last five years or more, following the indisposition or disinterest of our respective spouses, Rita and Kath.

Between us we have tackled all the northern National Trails, the West Highland Way, many regional routes, three coast-to-coast rambles (two based on Wainwright’s book and one inspired by John Gillham’s “Lakeland to Lindisfarne” tome) and umpteen ad-hoc hikes in the Lakes, Dales and North York Moors.

Over the years, we have learnt to minimise bloodshed by accommodating each others foibles and considerable eccentricities. We insist, regardless of inconvenience and cost, on separate and soundproof accommodation. Happily enduring whatever privations the terrain or climate imposes during the walk, whilst anticipating a decent bath, meal, pint and bed for the day’s end.

Walking the Pennine Way has been a life long ambition; early retirement provided the opportunity to grasp the objective; the Foot and Mouth epidemic delayed, frustrated and complicated its eventual realisation.

We had originally scheduled the trip for the summer of 2001. Throughout that year, the Foot and Mouth outbreak ensured that the countryside remained effectively closed to walkers. By late August only the first fifty-five miles, from Edale to the North Yorkshire boundary, had reopened. Faced with the alternative of a whole year of enforced indolence, or accepting the meager crumb on offer, we reached for our boots.

We walk that first section in late August 2001 and completed the remainder in the following spring.

Our usual practice is to regard any "official" way merely as a suggested route. On the Pennine Way, though, our course followed the sanctioned line, as outlined in Tony Hopkins’s National Trail Guides, except where otherwise stated. For day-to-day guidance, these guides are indispensable. For an appreciation of the essence of the trip Wainwright’s “Pennine Way Companion” will always remain required reading.

We minimised detailed advanced planning, arranging accommodation on the hoof and organising the itinerary according to mood and whim. To this end, a copy of the Pennine Way Association’s “Accommodation and Camping Guide” proved to be essential. Whilst this approach has much to commend it, emphasising a sense of freedom and independence from any schedule, it can occasionally create problems requiring innovative solutions and a good deal of luck.

Our progress along the Way was steady, if not sedate. We didn’t break any records, but we had a great walk.