I woke up this morning not wanting to do much, I felt a down for the first time in weeks. I did have a walk planned but after my alarm went off I switched it off and thought I couldn’t be arsed. A short while later I woke up again and looking at the ceiling I thought “I can’t let things get to me again, especially after doing so well” so I dragged myself from under my duvet into the freezing cold and started to get ready, and 7 hours later I would be glad I did!
I caught the bus to Wilberlee just above Slawit where I got off, started the ‘Map My Walk’ app on my phone and then set off, the camera clicking away almost straight away as usual. Walking along Intake Road I was already greeted with some nice views, looking down the valley towards Slawit and beyond. I was making my way towards the old Halifax to Oldham packhorse trail (see my blog from 18/01/15), climbing higher into the hills before turning onto Laund Road seeing some friendly pigs (I hope they didn’t smell what I had for tea the night before {belly pork curry!})
I caught the bus to Wilberlee just above Slawit where I got off, started the ‘Map My Walk’ app on my phone and then set off, the camera clicking away almost straight away as usual. Walking along Intake Road I was already greeted with some nice views, looking down the valley towards Slawit and beyond. I was making my way towards the old Halifax to Oldham packhorse trail (see my blog from 18/01/15), climbing higher into the hills before turning onto Laund Road seeing some friendly pigs (I hope they didn’t smell what I had for tea the night before {belly pork curry!})
I then walked onto Tyas Lane past Shred Church steadily descending down the lane and Scout Wood until it merged into the old cobbled packhorse trail and it’s beautiful ‘double’ bridge. It was here where I started my first hard climb and it took my breath away walking up the steep path back up the other side of the valley towards the Rose & Crown pub (I defiantly have to visit here in the summer months). Walking along Marsden Lane with more stunning views over the Upper Colne Valley, it’s not the first time I’ve been here but they views still got to me. Looking down towards Huddersfield, Castle Hill and Emley Moor then up towards Marsden and Pule Hill. It was here I suddenly had a feeling of dread, looking at Pule Hill, my map and then my watch, it looked and felt like it would take hours and hours to reach my final destination, especially the way I was taking photographs (I was now on photograph 259 {55 minutes into the walk})
Anyway, I carried on and made my way up a public right of way from Marsden Lane onto Old Ground, again enjoying the beautiful scenery, maybe a little too much as I was behind and had to pick up my pace if I wanted to reach the summit of Pule Hill for the sunset (the main aim of today’s walk). At the end of Old Ground I carried straight ahead off road and onto the familiar moorlands high above Marsden and headed up towards Cupwith Reservoir, where on a previous walk, I had been forced to turn away by blizzards, (please see Slaithwaite to Marsden 12/12/14) but although there was snow on the ground, this time I was greeted by very sunny weather and this time I made it all the way up past the reservoir and onto New Hey Road. For the first time on any of my walks, I did feel a little uncomfortable walking along here, there were far too many idiots thinking “oooh look, I have a nice smart BMW, the weather conditions are perfect for me to put my foot down” so looking at my Ordinance Survey map, I remembered that there was a trig point up here so quickly checking the road I crossed over and jumped over the style and into snow up to my kneecaps (it was a relive to get away from the speeding prats on the road). I started heading up towards where I thought the trig point was. I managed to catch it in the corner of my eye and was touching it within a few minutes, it was a hard slog though, snow almost up to my hips at times. After a few moments and a few thousand more pics (that’s how it felt) I walked back down towards the road and then walked along until I reached Buckstones on the A640.
I was now high above March Haigh Reservoir with wide stretching views over Marsden and everything beyond, I honestly cannot explain how I felt now so I’ll just let you view the photographs below, I’m sure you’ll get it. For a starter, just look at my walking selfie, I’m sure you can tell I have the biggest smile in the world at that moment, even though it’s hidden by my scarf!!
Again, I spent a little more time than planned at Buckstones and with the view of Pule Hill again I remembered I’m already running behind schedule so I again set off, multi-tasking with taking photographs whilst watching where I was walking. About 20 minutes of walking along the A640 I reached where the Pennine Way crosses the road, another place familiar to me, but I soon got pissed off again as after I turned onto the Pennine Way, I was greeted by the sight of rubbish bags with their contents spread all down the banking, again at this moment in time I thought loudly to myself “W***ERS!”. I’ve walked along this stretch of the Pennine Way quite a few times now, but this was the first time in months, I think the last time I was here, I was wearing my Huddersfield Giants t-shirt and my jacket never left my backpack, now I resembled Scott of the Antarctic. But I needed all the layers I was wearing, it was absolutely freezing up there with icy cold winds hitting me from every direction but again, as expected it was worth it. Once I got to the views looking out over Diggle and Delph I’d given up hope of reaching the top of Pule Hill before the sunset as the sun was already getting lower so I spent more time than planned up here, just shooting away and watching the sun getting closer to the horizon. Even though now I had given up, I still walked along whilst taking pics but I was walking a little slower, but something in me pushed me on and I thought even though I won’t get there in time (I was now 98% convinced I was too late) I decided to walk a little faster, I had some decent sunset pics so I thought I had nothing to lose.
Even though Pule Hill looked miles away, I found myself walking faster and faster and even though at times it felt like I was walking in quicksand, I soon found myself walking past The Great Western pub and onto Manchester Road just, now I was almost breathless as I realised that I might just make the summit of Pule Hill in time to get some sunset shots from there, but my I still picked up my pace. Walking past The Carriage House pub and feeling very tempted to give up and go in there for a nice pint (luckily I think it was closed) I then left the road and started the what felt like never ending climb up the hill, amazingly although I was totally knackered and out of breath, I soon found myself at the summit, I felt like collapsing but I found the strength to stumble along the top of Pule Hill to Marsden Moor Heritage Trail marker No.14.
I was going to walk to the other end of Pule Hill, but by now the light was starting to fade fast and I didn’t fancy being up there in the dark so I walked back down to Manchester Road and started the what felt like a never ending walk (my feet were now killing me) down into Marsden and home to a nice warm bath and chilli pizza.
I don’t think the smile left my face all night!
I don’t think the smile left my face all night!