Pennine Way: Day 3 - Marsden to Blackshaw Head

Friday 21st March

Distance: 27km; Ascent: 990m; Dry, sunny but windy; with Lynsey

See approximate route in new window

It had been less than two weeks since we had arrived in Marsden after our first two days on the Pennine Way and today we were back for 4 days walking over the unusually early Easter weekend, this time with our new tent on its first proper outing.

From Marsden station our map showed a named trail, the Station to Station Walk, leading westwards to rejoin the Pennine Way.  Therefore after leaving the station we followed the towpath of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, and then a minor road before picking up the bridleway marked as the Station to Station Walk at Close Gate Bridge.  We ascended westwards up onto the moorland to meet the Pennine Way where it crossed the A640.

Near the summit of White Hill

We headed across the moorland to reach White Hill and then the crossing of the M62, by far and away the busiest road crossed by the Pennine Way.  There is a bridge that carries walkers high above the traffic, but it does seem a little odd having spent the last couple of hours walking across quiet moorland!  Once across the M62 we ascended northwards to reach our highest point of the day: the summit of Blackstone Edge (HuMP) where the trig point is perched on the top of the summit tor of gritstone.

After passing the Aiggin Stone we descended further to reach the A58, followed by a more level section of path alongside a succession of reservoirs: Blackstone Edge Reservoir, Little Hazzles Reservoir and Warland Reservoir before heading for the obvious landmark of Stoodley Pike.

On route to Stoodley Pike

We descended down to Calderdale to the west before beginning our final climb of the day up towards Blackshaw Head where we had arranged to camp at Badger Fields Farm.  However when we arrived we discovered that they had a spare room in their B&B this evening, which was too tempting given how windy it had become this afternoon!

Written up in July 2012 from photos and memories