L2L Day 38 Delph to Hebden Bridge - 17 miles

The Old Bell in Delph is a couple of miles off the Pennine Way so to get back to the start point for the day, I was faced with a few additional miles. Over breakfast I got talking to Ian, who was also walking the Pennine Way but in the opposite direction. He was also faced with the same problem so we arranged to share an Uber back to Standedge where we could restart our walks.

As we set off from Standedge in our respective directions, the walking conditions were perfect with hazy sunshine and a gentle cooling breeze.


The natural black colour of the local stone.


In one area, it smelled as though the moor burning had been done recently.
(Subsequently found that there'd been a wildfire only two weeks ago)



Fortunately contained to one albeit large area.


Someone else appreciates dandelions.

It felt a privilege to be out on this perfect morning. In the first two hours I passed only two people.

I stopped at White Hill trig point for a thermos of coffee and though I couldn't see the motorway - still some miles off - I could certainly hear it.

After a couple of hours walking I got to Nicky's Foodbar on a lay-by close to the M62 


and at a crossing point of the Pennine Way,  and met Nicky and Rachelle.  It had been closed when Sally and I walked this way last time but I've seen on Facebook since that Nicky's has a very dedicated following. She explained that they open every day and is an unofficial checkpoint for the 7 day Pennine Spine race that's held every winter when competitors run through the day and night.


 Nicky had been an area manager for the Salvation army before setting up a burger van on the site 6 years ago and has since upgraded it to an ingenious conversion of a refrigerated unit.
The speciality of the house is the 'Altitude challenge' - a massive plateful of food, 6 rashers, 6 sausages multiple eggs, mugs of tea and rounds of toast. If you can finish the lot, it's all free. Apparently many have tried and failed. Doubting that I could move with that amount of food, I decided to head for the door before being tempted.



On the bridge over the M62, I met Lee. 


He'd decided to forego a Friday's overtime and having seen the weather forecast he'd been out for an early morning cycle over the moors
Lee and his wife had done the NC500 last year and they'd been tempted by the beautiful beaches and the colour of the sea to take a dip. His description was enough, the water must have been ffffreezing.

Cotton grass

At Robin Hood's Bed, I had a chat with a man who'd walked up with a few members of his family. He was planning to scatter his parents' ashes at Blackstone Edge. 




I decided to give The White House at Blackstone Reservoir a miss


and continued on along the long path past Hazzles and Warland Reservoirs watching out for the Wagtails, Larks and Pipits 



until the Stoodley Pike Monument eventually came into sight on the horizon.



and gradually made my way closer



until finally..

Then the last 3 long miles to Hebden Bridge...


I heard and then saw my first Lapwing this year


before the final awkward steep descent to the canal at Hebden.




In time to meet Sally off the train from London. It'll be lovely to have Sally's company again for the next week.

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