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Contents : PENNINE WAY       Introduction Day 4 Day 9 Day 14   Prep and Planning Day 5 Day 10 Day 15   Day 1 Day 6 Day 11 Day 16   Day 2 Day 7 Day 12 Day 17   Day 3 Day 8 Day 13 Prep Runs                     THE PENNINE WAY PASSES MORE RESERVOIRS AND MOORS     NATIONAL TRAILS GUIDES UK - DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS & GALLERIES           Day 15 :: Calm before the Storm :: Hebden Bridge to Old Gate Nick :: 15 miles           Today I awoke early (too early), aroused by the traffic but I was glad to see large tracts of blue sky.  The weather remained fair most of the day, raining slightly, just once, and in the late afternoon the sun came out properly. I started the day in my usual way.  There was no need to pack as we were staying at this accommodation another night.  I felt fit and strong and was ready to run as soon as Rachel dropped me off. Today’s route would take me from Hebden Bridge through Callis Wood and up to Stoodley Pike which is a large monument on Higher Moor.  From Stoodley Pike I would run along the ridge top to Coldwell Hill, down to the Warland Drain and then around Warland Reservoir, Light Hazzles Reservoir and over to Blackstone Reservoir, where I was originally to complete today’s run.  Yesterday, however, I had decided to extend today’s run  by crossing Blackstone Edge Moor along its Edge, running to and over the M62 Pennine Way bridge, up and over Green Hole Hill, White Hill and Rape Hill and then down to the A640 where Rachel would meet me in the car park adjoining Haigh Gutter (known locally as Old Gate Nick). Rachel dropped me off at the bridge over the River Calder and the Rochdale Canal and I started running uphill on a road passing through Callis Wood.  I have developed a knack of mis-reading Pennine Way directions.  I was alright until I emerged from Callis Wood.  In fact, I was alright all of the time, but I thought I had taken the wrong route because I did not identify my position correctly on the map.  There are many footpaths in this region which crisscross the Pennine Way, and this did not help. I asked a farmer if I was still on the Pennine Way and he assured me I was, but I did not ask him which farm I was at (I can’t think why I did not ask this obvious question!).  I believe, however, that it was Rough Head Farm.  From beyond the farm enclosures there was a moor and from the moor there was a superb view of Stoodley Pike, standing tall like a silent megalithic sentinel guarding the ridge top of Higher Moor.  Looking back to Rough Head Farm the pleasant green fields contrasted with the harshness of the surrounding moorland.               Stoodley Pike from Rough Head Farm   Pennine Way at Rough Head Farm           Stoodley Pike was still some considerable distance from me, but looked nearer because it was so large.  As I made my way up to the top of the moor I was amazed at the way in which the Pike grew in size.  The path here was easy to follow, i.e. it was dry, distinct and not too stony.  From the top of the moor (Higher Moor, as it is called) there were imposing views in all directions, but particularly into the Calder Valley. After walking around the Pike and admiring it (ignoring the graffiti), I carried on running along the now dry, sandy and stony. path towards Coldwell Hill.  I had thought this was considerably nearer than it was and it took me far longer to reach than I had anticipated.  I was not in any particular hurry today but as is always the case when I am not in a hurry, the path was most accommodating and I was able to make extraordinarily good time, finishing far sooner than I expected.  From Stoodley Pike to my rendezvous with Rachel I was able almost ceaselessly to run at a fast pace, the only exceptions being at the top of Blackstone Edge where there were a large number of loose stones, and the ascent of Blackstone Edge which was quite laborious. My route to Coldwell Hill gave me an admirable view down the very steep sides of Jeremy Hill and Longfield Edge, down to the series of small dams below (Lee Dam, Heeley Dam and Mill Dam).  Opposite to the valley, on the other side of my path there was a fine view across Turley Holes and Higher House Moor, and of the Withens Clough Reservoir.             Sunderland Pasture from Stoodley Pike   Pennine Way leading to Stoodley Pike           Coldwell Hill descended to Warland Drain, where the track became even easier to run.  There were less stones and the path was far softer than the hard sandstone I had left behind, and I was able to run faster still.  Warland Drain is a concrete gutter collecting rain water from Withens Moor and draining it into Warland Reservoir. As I arrived at Warland Reservoir an old familiarity settled upon me.  I had been here twice before, and had previously covered all of the remainder of my route for today.  I knew this part of my route quite well.  I was now on a Water Board stone road, which was level and easy to run on (although a little too hard for my liking).  The track runs alongside the Warland Reservoir for its entire length and then alongside Light Hazzles Reservoir.  The waters of the reservoirs were a steely grey colour, reflecting the colour of the sky and discharging an atmosphere of cool October days.  The dark brown stone wall bordering the reservoirs emphasised the feeling, and I was glad to pass them by. After Light Hazzles Reservoir came Light Hazzles Edge and Utley Edge, small rocky outcrops running parallel to the track.  I was amused to see 3 climbers practicing their skills on these low level but steep rocks.  I soon found myself running along the dam of Blackstone Edge Reservoir and then west along the Halifax Road past the White House Inn, where I had originally intended to complete my run.               Warland Reservoir   Clay Roads Clough and Lanfield Common           I was still feeling strong and Blackstone Edge, ahead of me, was clear of mist.  I was grateful for my decision to extend the run today for I would not have been satisfied ending it here.  It was now drizzling slightly, but I found this to be refreshing rather than discomforting, and the rain seemed to bring out the fragrances of the ferns and heathers.  I left the road at a small quarry where I ran up its steep slopes until reaching a track following a concrete drain around Blackstone Edge Moor.  I followed the drain until arriving at an old Roman road where I turned left, steeply uphill following this road and in doing so ran past four day trippers who were struggling to ascend its steep stony. slopes.  When they saw me coming they individually expressed their astonishment at seeing someone running up a hill they could barely walk up.  This made me feel good, but before reaching the top, gravity tugged a little harder at my legs and forced me to walk.  I suppose this was good for my humility, for I felt embarrassed at my weakness. Not for long was I forced to walk, however, as the Pennine Way now turned to my right and took me up a more gradual ascent along Blackstone Edge.  Running again, I found the climb easy, the terrain being soft and peaty and easy to follow.  I could not run in a direct line, however, as there were numerous stones and boulders which had to be run around.  There were many small peat hags here, growing in size and number as the path ascended.  There were many marker posts, tipped with yellow paint, at sensibly spaced distances to make route finding, even in mist, relatively straight forward.               Broadhead Drain, a concrete gutter   Roman Road up to Blackstone Edge           I ran past the large concrete cairn at the top of Blackstone Edge and followed the path down.  This part of the Pennine Way was very stony. and additional caution was needed.  I could now see Green Withens Reservoir over to my left.  As I descended further and crossed the Longden End Brook on a paved area I began to hear the resounding of the M62 motorway traffic, which shortly after became visible to me.               Blackstone Edge summit cairn   Green Withers Reservoir from Blackstone Edge           Soon after I was running across the pedestrian bridge spanning the motorway.  It is a considerable distance above the motorway and quite daunting.  The heavy whooshing and thundering of the traffic is a stark contrast to the peace of the moors at each side of it. I was now climbing Rock Stones Hill and nearing the large mast erected there.  I ran across the adjoining road, which I knew Rachel would have (or at least should have) driven along earlier.  The final stretch of moorland lay before me.  I climbed up to Axletree Edge and then Green Hole Hill and White Hill, and descended over a small fertile valley and ford.  I then ran up Rape Hill and descended directly to the A640, and yes, Rachel was there waiting for me.               Green Hole Hill   Pennine Way along White Hill           There is a small lay-by on the road here, just next to Haigh Gutter at Old Gate Nick.  There was no one else around and so I climbed down to the Gutter and stretched beside it.  I then changed and drove Rachel to Crowden to show her where to meet me tomorrow.  I now had only two days of running left. After Crowden Rachel and I drove to Castleton, looking for a gift for Carol, but we did not find anything suitable, so we then made the long journey back to Hebden Bridge where we were staying for the night. Back at Hebden I spent longer than usual in studying my route for tomorrow.  Black Hill was on the agenda.  Walkers I had spoken to assured me that it was very boggy on the summit and that either they or someone they had spoken to had plunged very deeply into the mires that awaited me there.  This is an area I had already learned to dread, having been lost there whilst trying to follow the former Pennine Way route (an older section now abandoned and not maintained).  I did not know what the weather would be like and I wanted to be well prepared.         Day 14 Day 16       Author - Roy McKee Copyright © Roy McKee 2006