Introduction

Pennine Way 2006

      > Day 1
      > Day 2
      > Day 3
      > Day 4
      > Day 5
      > Day 6
      > Day 7
      > Day 8
      > Day 9
      > Day 10
      > Day 11
      > Day 12
      > Day 13
      > Day 14
      > Day 15
      > Day 16
      > Day 17
      > Day 18
      > Day 19
      > Final Thoughts

Links on Walking Places

Monday 15th May 2006 Day 13
Dufton to Garrigill 16.1 miles

The day started well with a superb breakfast at the YHA and no washing up this time. We stopped off at the tearooms to pick up our pre-ordered sandwiches and headed off following the YHA wardens instructions of a short cut to the PW. We got hopelessly lost and ended up in a crew yard full of cows. We then retraced our steps to yesterdays route and got back on track.

It was drizzling but the tops were clear which was a good job because today we hit the highest spot in the Pennines. The climbing was quite stiff and our first summit was Knock Fell at 2604 ft and then a mile later we reached the highest road in England which leads to the Radar station on Great Dun Fell. The golf ball shape of the radar loomed out of the cloud as we approached. There was then a flagstone walk down to Little Dun Fell. It was then that we first saw the rescue helicopter with its doors open obviously looking for someone. They buzzed us but saw that we were OK. A little later he passed us again heading along the PW toward Dufton.

Dufton youth hostel

We had a quick lunch before the big climb on to Cross Fell. We climbed to the summit fairly easily and reached the cairn at 2930ft. We stopped to take photos and for Eirlys to go to the loo behind a wall when all of a sudden the helicopter came across and it was obvious after a couple of moments he was going to land right next to us. Poor Eirlys was caught with her pants down and the two Peters were giddy with excitement when one of the rescue chaps came to talk to them. They had responded to a mobile phone call from a man who said he was walking the PW but was lying injured and could not move. We gave them all the information we had and promised to call if we had anything to report. Peter then spent the next part of the walk hunting for a body down a hole.
We headed for the bothy called Gregs Hut for a warm drink and chocolate. The hut was named after a chap who was killed in the Alps in 1968 and has been a lifesaver for people caught out in bad weather on Cross Fell. There is always candles and firewood in the hut and everyone using it leaves it clean and tidy .A rescue vehicle was at the hut bringing men to search the hillsides and while we were at the hut the call came through that the man had been found. We never did find out where and in what condition.

Summit of Cross Fell at 2930’

After Gregs Hut it is a downhill walk of 6 miles along an old corpse road which we covered in 2 1/4 hours. It rained quite heavily on the way down and we were quite wet on arrival at our B and B in Garrigill but the landlady was not fazed and took all our wet clothes off us to dry. It was a lovely old cottage with comfortable bedrooms, we all had a bath and felt much better.

The pub was just across the road where were joined by Pat and Pete and all the talk was of the missing walker. The chap had stayed in Garrigill and was a bit weird and poorly equipped. The evening was tinged with sadness as this was the last time we would see P and P on the walk because they were splitting the next section into two days and would then be a day behind us for the rest of the walk. After lots of hugs and good lucks we returned to our digs for a good nights sleep.

Today could have been a nightmare day but the weather wasn’t too bad and we were pleased to have got Cross Fell under our belts.

Greg’s hut

East View Cottage at Garrigill
 

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