Jeri’s Steps: 35,128
Miles walked: 13.5
Elevation: 2,641
Pints: 3
Churches: none
Stiles: 6
Benches: 1

We had a lovely send-off from The Old House after a generous Full English breakfast. We crossed the dam at Torside then after a couple of miles of shaded pine woods we turned toward the moors and, you guessed it, uphill. The climb to Laddow rocks was deceptive; it started gently then became progressively steeper and it seemed the ascent was more severe than that of Jacob’s Ladder yesterday. Once on top, the path stayed very close to the steep drop down to Crowden Great Brook which was unnerving particularly as one had to look down at the rocky path all the time. Soon it descended to cross the stream and then started a long easy ascent to Black Hill, one of Wainwright’s hated hills. Five decades later it has been tamed with flagstones and by 1:00pm we were having lunch at the trig point at Soldier’s Lump. Now the views to the north and east opened up and we could see what we took to be Huddersfield in the distance. The path took a long slow descent, then a rise to the A635 at Wessenden Head. Half a mile down the track, overlooking Wessenden Head reservoir we found that very rare thing in these parts, a bench. After passing another reservoir the path crossed a stream and after a very sharp uphill climb we were on Black Moss and heading for our taxi pick up point at Brun Clough reservoir.

Not an easy day by any means but apart from some painfully spitting showers midday the weather behaved and we even managed to get a bit of a tan.