Wednesday May 3 Badgerfield Farm to Cowling
Sunlight was streaming through the window. I looked
outside and all was beautiful, a flower garden below
and, to the south, Stoodley Pike framed against the
blue sky in the distance. Last night’s storm was
past.
From Miriam’s breakfast menu, I chose cheese and
mushrooms with scrambled eggs. Miriam is a great
host and cook and the food set me up for the day,
but the coffee needed help. I backtracked to the
Heptonstall road where yesterday I had trouble
finding a PW waymark. No, there isn’t one! But I
found the waymark when crossing a smaller road 500
yards further on. I took a photo but as I said it is
now lost. Uphill onto Heptonstall moor, bleak,
boggy, lots of ups and downs. Passed Lower Garple
Reservoir, crossed two footbridges over a beautiful
spot where Reaps water meets Graining Water, then on
to the three Walshaw Dean Reservoirs.
Here I made a turn too soon, turning uphill at the
second reservoir instead of the third. This
misreading of the map cost me an extra three miles
and an hour. Not fun! I’m probably the only walker
who has ever done this. Luckily, a farmer set me
right and told me of a little shortcut to boot. On
track again, up and over the stone slabbed boggy
moor to Withins House, the inspiration for Withering
Heights. Lovers of Bronte novels from all over the
world visit this ruined site. Here I had lunch of
bread and sausage (saved from breakfast) and visited
with two chaps who were out walking and fishing.
The track then led to Ponden Reservoir and past
elegant Ponden Hall which seems to have
accommodations for walkers in an adjacent building.
After crossing the bridge, I climbed uphill through
pastures and past Far Dean Fields Farm, where I
stopped to refill my water bottle at a spring
supplying water to the farm.
Then on to the real moors, Ickornshaw Moor,
desolate, brown and boggy. Ten years ago, they
started putting stone slabs on the path over the
bogs. These slabs came from the floors of old
disused woolen mills and are brought in by
helicopter. They made it easier to negotiate the
watery, sloggy bogs, but are hard on the feet. Take
some, give some! I hate to think of how tough it
must have been to cross here without the slabs.
Finally, out of the moors and past old farms where I
reached the road into Cowling and Woodland House
B&B. It was 6 pm and my hosts were beginning to
worry.
Susan and Sandy greeted me with hot tea and
shortbread and were eager to chat. They recommended
the Harlequin restaurant for dinner, just down the
road. This was quite a nice place. I had Timothy
Taylors Landlords and a wonderful plate of lamb
fillets w/red wine au jus and scalloped potatoes.
Just fantastic! The young couple sitting next to me
drive 15 miles to eat here because the food is so
good.
My room at the B&B is comfortable and roomy, very
luxurious compared to last night. I write, read and
study my guidebooks for tomorrow’s walk. I’m using
Wainwright’s book for it’s superb detail and also
Hopkin’s book for its more generalized macro
approach and up-to-date maps. I fall asleep in a
wonderful double bed. Nice!