PW day 00: Sun 21 Feb 2016; Home to Edale

Walk descriptor	Pennine Way		Day	00
Date	Sun 21 Feb 2016		Start to end time	n/a
Start point	Home		End point	Edale
Miles today	n/a		Cu miles	n/a
Ft today	n/a		Cu ft	n/a
Route miles left	277.79		Route ft left	42,187
Today’s weather	Thick cloud, driving rain, gale force Westerly wind, about 8C

Today’s location (the red cross in a circle shows where I am at the moment)		GPX based track of today’s walk (click button to download file) GPX

Commentary

Today marked the start of the Pennine Way adventure and it really was a day of contrasts. I set off from London (St Pancras) where the weather was benign – mild, at about 14C, and dry. Getting off the train at Edale was like stepping into a different world. The temperature had dropped to about 7C, night had fallen, and the rain was lashing down. I barely made it from the train to the platform shelter before I was soaked. Cagoule, overtrousers and full goretex kit was essential for the 2 mile walk to the youth hostel.

I reached the hostel, hidden away up a side valley, after about 30 mins and it was a fantastic port in a storm. Thank goodness for drying rooms! Soaked clothing and rucksack are now gently saunaing in the drying room as I write this (on probably the slowest internet connection in the world – honestly, morse code would be quicker).

I’m hoping that tomorrow is going to be a bit less hostile as I set off for the walk “proper”. Up Jacob’s Ladder, over Kinder Scout, Black Hill and Bleaklow to Crowden – names to conjure with but places better not visited on a day like today. So here’s hoping for sun and calm – a vain expectation perhaps, but looking out of the window it does at least appear to have stopped raining for the moment.

I am very glad not to be camping tonight! Next installment tomorrow!

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


St Pancras – one of my favourite buildings	Looking remarkably clean and dry (it won’t last) about to board the train to Edale (via Sheffield)

Compare and contrast with St Pancras – I was soaked before I even crossed the platform to the shelter	Good news for door enthusiasts everywhere

Rather blurry shot of the moon scudding behind clouds as the rain lashed down on the 2 mile hike to the Youth Hostel	Sanctuary from the elements in the Youth Hostel at Edale

St Pancras again. Well, I like it.