From: Diggle to Littleborough
Distance: 12m / 19.2
Cumulated distance: 548m / 882km
Percentage completed: 53.1
I left Diggle at the crack of dawn, determined to get to my destination before evening set in. As it happened, not a soul was around and the bar was in darkness .. I was locked in to the pub! A lock-in without mates .. what a waste. It took a while to find a door I could open, to let myself out and creep away, feeling like a thief in the night.
Good for a lock-in
Today was a stellar day, when the Peak District pulled back the curtains of fog and greyness to reveal its rich beauty. There was sun and there were stormy skies. The wide, open vistas were compelling .. I must have taken a million photos. It was beautiful without being bleak. Dramatic without being threatening.
Pennine Bridleway
Rain threatened all day but never fell. The temperature was a comfortable 14 degrees .. perfect for walking. And the vistas kept opening up as I came around each bend in the track. I felt as if I was seeing the Peaks for the first time.
Dowry Road ahead
The Bridleway followed a necklace of reservoirs .. Castleshaw to Dowry to New Years Bridge to Rooden to Piethorne to Norman Hill and finally to Hollingworth, which I talked about yesterday. Canada Geese and Mallards abounded although I missed all of them flying overhead with my camera. Not so the Black Angus cattle, who posed beautifully for me. (No flying of course .. left that to the pigs).
First sighting
Profile
Full frontal
I spent minutes watching and listening to a calf who had been separated from his mum. Eventually his plaintive moos were rewarded with one of her bellows. He immediately broke into a run and pelted across the field to be reunited with her and breakfast. Too sweet.
Fluffy white clouds alternated with steel grey skies, at times making it difficult to believe it was the same day I was passing through.
Piethorne Reservoir with Manchester on the horizon
Sign to Delph.
The Peak District relies mostly on tourism for its income, with more than a staggering 10 million visitors to the area a year. Tourists come to walk, climb, cycle, sail, visit stately homes and of course have tea and cake at the abundant tea rooms. Quarrying, farming and manufacturing make up the lesser part of the district’s income. Nearly 90% of the 550 square miles is farmland .. both arable and livestock, although it’s well known that making a living from farming in this part of the country is a struggle. Most farmers have a second business to make ends meet.
One of the many out of commission farm vehicles I passed
Octagonal reservoir buildings
Each of the reservoirs I saw today had a distinctive hexagonal or octagonal building with one door. I’ve had a quick canter through Google to see if I can find out their function but have failed miserably .. any of you readers know what they were/are used for?
Close to Rooden Reservoir and the famed Ram’s Head Pub .. sadly closed on a Monday
Over the last few days I’ve been struck by the number of times a single bee has buzzed past me. They’ve not been the sociable honeybees nor the big furry bumblebees. And they’ve been miles away from anywhere or anyone. Consulting the oracle I found that they are indeed called ‘Solitary Bees’. Of the 267 breeds of bee in the UK, 90% are not at all sociable and neither do they live in colonies. Many of these hardy Solitary Bees live underground and others buzz into cavities in houses. There are lots of characteristics which make them different from honeybees. Best of all, they outclass them by pollinating 120 times more than the worker honeybees. Add to that the fact that they are completely non-aggressive and are totally safe around kids and animals. No photographs of them though .. sorry. Kept disappearing down holes.
Gorgeous views
Brooding Bridleway
Heading down towards Hollingsworth Reservoir, the route unavoidably passed underneath the M62.
Approaching the M62
Under the M62
Looking back from the motorway
It was a stunning day. And now I’m firmly esconced in the most unlikely of venues for the night, where the Gipsy Kings are on loop (inside and out), tapas are on the menu and the walk to my room from the restaurant is decorated with replicas of Chinese Warriors, Buddhas in Abhaya Mudra pose and concrete Venus de Milo statuettes. But the food is terrific and the welcome was warm when I arrived, so I’m not complaining. In fact I couldn’t be happier.
Black Dog Tails
Red worked on a 27-dog team that was given the task of finding DNA evidence at the Pentagon after the 9/11 attack.
What a day Jules! And over the magical half way point…. mixed feelings? I’m guessing you always knew how majestic the Peaks could be….completely unknown to me and a real lesson. And those bees – I hope they are fairing better than the better known ones! Those threatening clouds were quite something – and Manchester on the horizon…already!! We’re with you all the way Jules. Xx
I thought it could have been called ‘a day of two halves’ but really it was a day of infinite fractions .. every time I turned my head there were different coloured skies! I was in Lancashire/Greater Manchester yesterday and this morning will cross into Yorkshire! Feeling you with me all the way, Frannie! xx
Could each of those buildings have been small pumping stations? The reservoirs probably work independently and together to feed fresh water to the populations below. And presumably also would need to supply the canal system ….?
I have a bit of reading on Victorian infrastructure development ahead methinks…!
Well done. You are really cracking on.
Amazing to think that in less than two weeks we will be with you before you go “north of the wall”
Adam, that sounds very feasible. Typing ‘octagonal building reservoir’ into Google just didn’t come up with the goods. V much looking forward to seeing you and Shauna.
Fabulous photos; wonderful colours. Amazing to see the underside of the M62. Glad the weather was a lot better today. It is incredible to realise that Marjorie Wallace, the founder of SANE once came to lunch with my ex husband, our two daughters and me back in 1974 . She came with her husband and two young sons. Marjorie’s husband was a psychiatrist; a Polish Count. I was one of his patients for a few years and rather unusually, he agreed to come and have lunch with my family when we lived in Tidworth. Marjorie is a brilliant woman with a very interesting past. So glad you were able to celebrate your wedding anniversary on the same day as a happy wedding. I loved the photo of you and your husband. Your descriptions, drawings and photos are marvellous. xx
Anthea, how interesting to hear about Marjorie Wallace. I took to her immediately when I met her in London last year. I do hope her husband was able to help. Thank you so much for your compliments .. are you a writer yourself, I wonder? xx
The octagonal buildings are there as defence from that most horrible, terrible creature (think Python’s Holy Grail) which you featured in your drawing today (how did you get close enough to draw??) Gypsy Kings and Chinese warriors in The Peaks? A black dog called Red? Life’s rich tapestry…
Ahhh, that explains it! I had a lucky escape then yesterday .. had no idea what a close shave it was!
So glad the sun has come out for you! Wonderful photos!
It was indeed a treat! Thank you.
Each and every day I see you car from our window Jules and as it sits there going nowhere I think of you on Shank’s pony, taking your beautiful photos (millions of them) and researching all manner of things for our edification. Loving each day and all your stories. So glad to see you’re past the midway mark and “couldn’t be happier” in your very strange sounding accommodation. Congratulations.
Jo, what a lovely message! Thank you so much. I will have Jill beside me on Shank’s pony this weekend .. we will think of you. xx
Jules my friend , congrats on reaching the half way mark although we all know you reached it long ago ! Do you happen to have a pedometer on your phone that calculates daily distances ? Also really hope you didn’t throw the walking boots from your first 1500km away… and kept them to illustrate all the stories you will be telling your grandchildren one day by the fire .. or take them back to the suppliers to show them how they didn’t last how they should have and you need a replacement ( did that with my asics runners , they replaced them and gave me a better model ) .
…You are such an animal lover, and of all animals ! And I love that about you xx
I so love getting your messages, my friend! Full of encouragement, love, support, ideas and fun. It will be wonderful to have you with me north of the border! xxx
Poor old Diggle – shame you had to leave him. Reminds me of Oates – sometimes just can’t be helped. Onwa dis to the Pole!
I loved the fact that I left Biggin for Diggle! xx
What a good route and I think more interesting than the obvious Pennine Way.
Thank you for saying that, Conrad. I think I just like the variety of terrain and paths .. rather than the challenge of walking the whole of the PW. Each to his/her own, I guess.
Love that bunny, Jules. You must have really enjoyed drawing it!
Congrats on the „Bergfest“, German word half way mark, (you climbed up the mountain now down again, in your case now more up!)
All the best xxxx
Yes, he was very pleasing to draw! Want to try one of the gorgeous lambs soon. Thank you for the well wishes. Much appreciated. Jxx
Bloody hell Jules – half way already! I’m beginning to worry you’ll be finished before we can join you…
Awesome brooding sky pic. Love it.
Keep on truckin’
Hurry up!! Looking forward to seeing you both soon. xx
Half way Jules.. amazing effort.. Enjoying your daily tales enormously.. enjoy it all for those of us who can’t be there with you.. ❤️❤️❤️
Great to feel in contact with you Robyn! Shame you can’t make it .. I know we could have had a lot of fun! xx
Jules. I hope the Diggle Hotel was not as grim as it looked. I, too , have looked up what those octagonal buildings atop the walls of many reservoirs could be. The onlynthing I can surmise is that they might be pumping stations to regulate the water level when needed.
I write quite an extensive daily journal which keeps me literate. Your writing style is a joy to me. English language and literature have long been precious in my life. Marjorie Wallace’s husband, Dr Andrew Skarbek as he was known, helped me greatly during the four or five years I was one of his patients. Later, he became a good friend. He and Marjorie were not together as husband and wife for much more than five or six years. They separated and Marjorie than had a long term relationship with someone who died in 2014. She had a daughter with that man and three sons with Andrew. Both Sacha and Stephen Skarbek are successful and accomplished musicians; as was Marjorie’s mother and I think Marjorie plays the piano too. She really is an incredible woman. Hope the weather warms up and that the sun will shine upon you as you travel ever nortwards. xx