I awoke to quite heavy rain and delayed my departure as long as possible hoping it would stop. It did stop but I set off in overtrousers, gloves, an extra layer and a hat because it was so cold. The initial climb over Stonesdale Moor up to Tan Hill is fairly steep and long. It was bleak and very wet underfoot, but I knew there was worse to come and the sight of Tan Hill only served to fill me with trepidation as it signalled the beginning the long haul across the infamous Sleightholme Moor.
A 'penance for sins' was Wainwright's description of Sleightholme Moor - have I really been that sinful I wondered as I fought my way over every yard of sticky, smelly oozing black bog. I managed to cross the moor without sinking any further into the morass than my knees and considered myself very fortunate. The way from here across Wytham Moor to Trough Heads is a little less extreme and doesn't quite have the air of menace and danger of Sleightholme, but it was hard going nevertheless and just as difficult underfoot.. The only consolation is that it had been fairly level since Tan Hill and route finding is not difficult if you keep one eye on the compass.
Sleightholme Beck
As I approached the A66 at Pasture End two walkers, a man and woman, came towards me - the first people I had seen since leaving Frith Lodge that morning. I stopped and talked to them for several minutes. They were walking the Pennine Way at weekends through the summer only and expected to finish it at the end of next summer. They asked me what it had been like to cross Sleightholme Moor and I played down my difficulties a little - well, it might have dried out a little by the time they get there, I thought!
I changed over my National Trails book in my map holder from South to North - quite a psychological milestone in the walk, continued across the A66 and headed NNW towards yet another moor - Cotherstone. The going wasn't bad now, although I remember the climb being harder than it appears from the map! This was again bleak County Durham moorland, not a building in sight and only the moorland birds to keep me company. I stopped for lunch at Blackton Reservoir, a pretty spot.
After lunch the weather had improved sufficiently to take off my extra layer and overtrousers. The gloves became uneccesarry after Wytham Moor had been crossed.
Birk Hat Farm
Just after the path left the shore of Blackton Reservoir I passed Birk Hat farm and noticed a sign to the right of the path marking Hannah's Meadow. I realised on reading the sign that 'Hannah' was Hannah Hauxwell who was the subject of a television series I had watched many years earlier. The programme had conveyed a strong feeling of the remote isolation in which this lady had farmed under incredibly harsh conditions for many years. This is,indeed, a remote and isolated area - I shudder to think what it must have been like to farm here in the winter under the basic conditions in which she had lived.
Blackton Reservoir and Hannah's Meadow marked the end of moorland for today and the rest of the day is over through farmland and meadowland, a gentle end to what has been a difficult days walking. I stayed 1.5 miles off the Pennine Way at The Rose & Crown pub in Mickleton-on-Tees. I don't know why I stayed so far off the path when there is ample accomodaion in Middleton-on-tees, which is right on the path . Although the Rose & Crown is a fine pub and the landlord and his wife very accommodating, I would recommend avoiding the 3 mile round trip off the Pennine Way by staying in Middleton rather than Mickleton!
Fish and chips and two pints of Greene King and the day has now evolved into a beautiful sunny evening. I sleep well!
Rating for day out of 10 :-