HIGH FORCE TO GARRIGILL

Sunday 16th.May 2010. PHOTO: Greg's Hut.
Leaving "Juniper Camp" I have by my caluclations now completed 146 miles of the walk. The next dozen or so miles I know quite well and expect to make fast progress to Dufton and so it turns out. Once I have passed and photographed High Force (again), it's a short climb up Cronkley Hill and down to cross the Maize Beck and on to the waterfall of Cauldron Snout and the dam wall at Cow Green Reservoir. Reaching the dam wall involves several miles of wonderful sprung-turf walking by the riverside passing the whitewashed farmsteads of the Raby Estate. But alas the Way abandons this five star terrain for a couple of miles of boulder-hopping to reach the bottom of Cauldron Snout's waterfall, the difference in going is sudden, dramatic and the turf is soon missed! At the top of the Snout I met and chatted to a man from Australia who was also walking the Way but was making for Langdon Green to meet up and then walk with his friends, all fellow Australians. Most of the walkers doing the Way seem to be from overseas so the Way is contributing to our foreign exchange reserves, or at least the walkers I am meeting are. The next notable landmark is the wonderful Whin Sill glaciated valley at High Cup Nick, I had my photo taken here I'm meeting more folks on the Way than on any earlier day! Down into Dufton and a bit of a blow to learn that the shop in the town is no longer open! dratt.. I went into the pub preparing to have to fork out extortionately for sandwiches etc but had great good luck to meet a fellow (lady) walker, who on learning of my predicament gave me her surplus food, thank you ma'am! Next on the walk is a big pull up onto the ridge leading to The Dun Fells with the Radar Station atop, on the climb up I even managed to get some snow on my boots! Making my way to Cross Fell was hard going a) I was tiring by this time in the early evening and b) a stiff and very cold wind did nothing to help. But I was making good distance and soon found myself dropping down to Gregs Hut the old mining cottage now serving in the office of a bothy. No one was resident, I had a quick look at the log-book and was gratified to see that my immediate predecessor (walking the Way and signing the book) started his entry "Day 12 on the Pennine Way", I was tempted to start mine with "Day six on the Pennine Way- so there!" but modesty forbade me! I considered spending the night here and it would have been a pleasant doss but the time was just too early, I can easily get another hour or two on my legs and get closer to Garrigill, hard tonight, but I'll be glad on the morrow. It's all downhill but a bit uncomfortable underfoot due to the rather stony track, but I endured and found a wonderful spot to camp about three miles above Garrigill in the small bay of an old quarry near some abandoned mineworkings. A great little spot and the Golden Plovers kept me company and I slept a happy man.