On The Pennine Way Part One contd By Steve Rudd

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Once in Edale I started walking straight away, and an hour later I was climbing high and onto the top of the notorious Kinder Scout mountain that is the very first obstacle for those people who are walking from south to north. I'd never before seen a landscape quite like the one atop the 'Scout: it's literally awash with pitch-black peat, and one misguided foot in the stuff and you might not see another day. People have been known to sink in the peat like quicksand, so I've been informed, but I guess that could very well be an overblown hitchhiker's myth.

Curious as I was, I tested the waters so to speak and started bounding over the bare peat (yes, it's a case of having to), and - believe me - if you aren't careful, you will sink.

As far as route-finding goes up there, it's very difficult to aim yourself in the direction you're meant to be going without a compass. I discovered this through bitter experience, and having headed in something of a North-Easterly direction (instead of a North-Westerly one) I missed the allegedly spectacular Kinder Downfall (a waterfall) and was ultimately forced to set up my tent on the northern flanks of the mountain as first rain and then fog disturbingly descended upon me. I've read time and again about how you should never ever camp upon Kinder Scout (the same goes for most mountains) unless you really have to .

At the time of camping there was no wind, but come 5 o'clock the next morning, let's just say there was, and of gale-like proportions to add insult to potential injury.

As my tent's outer sheet was about to blow off to never be seen again, I thought, right - I'm outta here, and so forced myself to get up despite the raging rain and cold that also enveloped my humble abode. As independent travellers will be aware, it's not easy taking down and packing away a tent in the wind on your own, so I stuffed what was left of it into my backpack and started walking in what I presumed to be the right direction, as soon as I could, before I hurled myself off the rocky mountain edge out of sheer despair.

It was only 6 am, but by 7 o'clock the fog had lifted a little, and to my amazement a Pennine Way signpost reared up right in front of me before I could seriously entertain any further thoughts of weather-worn suicide. The signpost I hugged, as an irrepressible grin surged across my face from frostbitten ear to ear. Ah yes, I was back on track; just not for long.

Continued ... Part 2

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