New Walks in Central Nottinghamshire ... and Beyond

Start: Mankinholes Finish: Stanbury Moor Distance: 12 miles Total Distance Walked: 52 miles After a windy night under canvas where I didn't get much sleep we got up at 7.30.  We set off at 9.45 and after a mile had reached the imposing tower of Stoodley Pike where the wind was still strong.  The monument commemmorates the Peace of Ghent in the Napoleonic Wars and can be seen from many miles away. From there we desecended to the Calder Valley.  There was a sense of reaching a new phase of the Pennine Way.  The first few days had been mostly across rather bleak moorland with few distinguishing features.  We entered the valley through woods having barely seen a tree for the last three days. We went through a hamlet called Eastwood and up a steep track.  A little later at Jack Bridge we stopped at the New Inn for lunch.  After the opening few days with nowhere to stop for refreshments mid-walk it was nice to have a meal and break. Leaving t...

Start: Marsden Finish: Mankinholes Distance:12 miles Total Distance Covered: 40 miles At the Grey Cat in Marsden I had Corn Flakes followed by a full English breakfast to help keep me going on the day ahead.  It was great to have a proper meal to start the day. We set off at 9.50 and left Marsden to rejoin the Pennine Way route soon after.  The Way climbed up to another area of moorland before crossing the M62 on a footbridge.  The bridge had been built relatively recently and we seemed very high over the motorway.  The wind was funnelled through the gap and really blew strongly.   I've been under this bridge many times since and always think back to the time we crossed it. On the other side we stopped for lunch before yet more trudging through moorland, a little wet here, but otherwise it didn't seem too arduous.  However, I had picked up my first blisters of the walk, although they weren't bad ones.  Near Blackstone Edge the ground ...