Thanks Hugh, I will give Traveline a check later.
I don't know about the Cheviot but you are correct about the Dark Peak (Kinder, Bleaklow and Black Hill)...in the 'good' old days they were covered in areas of horrendous bogs (and of course they still are, part of the attraction that keeps me going back!) but nowadays, due to increasing erosion and the general poor condition of the peat layer, 'they' have laid what I can only describe as pavements along long sections of the Pennine way. So now you are likely to encounter views like this as you go...
http://www.luphen.org.uk/images/2004/2004-08/2004-08-07-131215.jpgNow I understand the need to preserve what we have (there is a whole discussion thread possible here!) and the ‘pavements’ make walking and certainly navigation easier but I feel it’s a bit of a shame and these “improvements” have definitely taken away a lot of the charm of the place for me (the isolation, the mystery, the fear of impending death!
).
There is another change to the PW that has been made (also in the name of preservation). The original path used to leave Edale straight up Grindsbrook and then launch you directly over the plateau, through the horrendous bogs, in an attempt to find the Downfall somewhere on the other side. There always was an alternative path via Upper Booth which took you up Jacobs Ladder onto the plateau but then followed the edge path around to Kinder (better for the ‘cissies’
).
This latter, the original alternative, is now the only official route and the Grindsbrook route has gone from the guides. I don’t mind this too much as it means that the number of intrepid Pennine Wayfarers who set off each year with high hopes only to abandon the quest after a nasty first day of bog-trotting is reduced... and of course it leaves more of the inner-plateau free for those souls who actually enjoy wading around in the quagmire!
@Chris – ahh, sorry, misunderstood! (wouldn’t surprise me if that many folk had attempted it though!)
Cheers,
Steve
