Pennine Way in the 1960s fondly remembered
[19 April 2005]
The Pennine Way was the first officially recognised long-distance path in Britain and its creation owes much to the Ramblers' Association. Forty years ago, Ramblers Secretary Tom Stephenson realised his long-held dream when he attended the opening of the Pennine Way on 24 April 1965. More than 2,000 people gatehred on Malham Moor in the Yorkshire Dales to celebrate.
In 1935 Stephenson, an RA member and writer, first raised the
idea of a long green trail in an article in the Daily Herald.
He argued that Britain should have its equivalent of North
America's John Muir Trail through the Rockies or the Appalachian
Trail in the eastern mountains of the USA., but it took 30 years
for this idea to become a reality.
40 years on and the Pennine Way is now one of 11 official
national trails designated, managed and part -funded by the
Countryside Agency. It runs 268 miles from Edale in the Peak
District to Kirk Yetholm in Scotland and offers the ultimate
long distance walking challenge.
The Pennine Way remains something very special. Right from its
start in Edale, Derbyshire, it is a tough, wild route. And it
stays that way to the end of the trail at Kirk Yetholm in
Scotland. Its highest point is at 893m (2,947ft) on the
commanding summit of Cross Fell in the North Pennines. The trail
crosses glorious hill country, including some of the finest
parts of the Peak District, Yorkshire Dales and Northumberland
National Parks. Around 150,000 people a year use the route, for
day trips and longer walks with about 3,500 completing it from
start to finish, taking an average of 16 days.
For more about the Pennine Way, see our
Pennine Way page.
For more walking events please see our
Events Section.
Read an
article on the Pennine Way that first appeared in
walk, the
magazine of the Ramblers' Association.
We also invited people who walked the fledgling Pennine Way in the
1960s to tell us about their experiences:
"I am proud to say that I was at the official opening in the
marquee at Malham Tarn in April 1965. I was one of a group of 9
staying on a geography field course at Newfield Hall near Airton,
and our teacher, a Yorkshireman, had conveniently arranged for
us that day to do the circular walk from Malham up the waterfall
at Gordale Scar and down the dry valley above Malham Cove. As a
17 year old I must have been one of the youngest people present.
"I mainly remember people shouting “Well Done Tom” and Tom
Stephenson’s anecdote about Bleaklow – the name meant nothing at
the time to a Somerset boy. Tom and his wife were on Bleaklow on
a bad day in the 1930’s and Tom had said to her, “By gum, I
expect in 30 years time there will be people cursing the idea of
the Pennine Way” to which Tom’s wife had replied, “You won’t
have to wait 30 years!”
"I had done two short stretches in 1964 on a Youth Hostelling
trip from Barnard Castle to Ilkley including the bit from
Sleightholme to Tan Hill and the stretch from Pennant Gill down
to Malham Tarn. In the autumn I revisited Keld and redid the
walk properly to Gods Bridge, and the following day after
Barnard Castle did the bit from Middleton to Langdon Beck and
thence to Dufton, but to this day I have not done the bit from
Gods Bridge to Baldersdale. In 1966 a party of us started from
Edale with the rigours of Kinder, Bleaklow, Black Hill etc a
revelation to all of us. We did most of it ending at Alston, but
were kept out of Northumberland by Foot and Mouth disease,
another stretch still largely undone by me.
"The early years saw a common complaint called Pennine Way Knee
which mainly affected the left knee – seemingly caused by the
route going too much round the western slopes of hills and with
the left foot stretching further than the right one."
Geoffrey Evens
"I guess it was in 1967 when the guide association organised a
walk along the whole way, there were about 15 of us and we
backpacked and either camped or used hostels and were supported
by guide groups from some towns and villages close to the
footpath, it was my first encounter with muesli! And we were led
by some amazing women who taught us how to walk with compasses
as there was no clear path like there is today. I remember that
it rained most of the time and somewhere have some black and
white misty photos. It was certainly a wilderness walk in many
places - especially at the bottom of the gullies in the peat
bogs! But had some amazing views, as the low cloud lifted as we
got to Malham and looked over the cove."
Dr. Val Harris
"I remember the long drag up Grindsbrook Clough then to be
confronted by a wall of mist. The next stage, to Kinder Downfall
was a ‘roller coaster’ walk, on a compass bearing, up and down
endless peat groughs, not being able to see more than 5m ahead.
Having made it to the River Kinder there was no respite as
further on as we crossed Featherbead Moss. It was wet!! It was
squidgy!!
"On to Black Hill when some of us became ‘mobile cairns’ over the
mist shrouded, featureless landscape. I remember walking on
ahead, directed by Mr Doughty, on a compass bearing till I was
just visible. The rest of the party would then walk to me – and
on it went, taking turns, till we made the trig point. No let up
in the sticky squidgy stuff!
"I remember going over Cross Fell in at least a Force 8, nil
visibility and it was my day to ‘navigate’. I was dead chuffed
as we hit the summit spot on.
We got into Garrigill fairly bedraggled so Mr Doughty persuaded
a landlord in a pub to let us in to dry off. It got better –
they gave us warm drinks and some glorious Meat & Potato Pie.
What a way to finish the day.
"We walked on top of Hadrian’s Wall to Housesteads pretending to
be Picts and Romans fighting, as we went (only kids then
remember)
"The midges/flies in the Wark Forest were a real bind! Then there
was a second dose in the Redesdale Forest."
John Pickles
"The change of the scenery from the peat of the Peak District, to
the limestone country and then finally into the country of burns
and lochs. The way the path on the map often disappeared on the
ground and we, not infrequently, had to resort to map and
compass – we weren't lost, it was simply that the path was
little used in places! (I
understand – and see from the part of the Pennine Way near my
home -- that this is no longer the case!) I also remember the
weather. 1969 had a dry summer - which made crossing the Peak
easier - but it was often uncomfortably hot, particularly on the
very long day I mentioned above!
"The mess getting across the M62, which was under construction
and largely a mud track with very large vehicles trundling
around, the first look down into High Cup (still a very fresh
memory, I was stunned), the flies in the forests north of
Hadrian's Wall. They were definitely "hard nut" Geordie flies –
they ate the fly repellent first, and then started on you!
"At the end of it all, the sense of achievement when I finally
got onto the green at Kirk Yetholme. Fantastic memories!"
Barry Caldwell
"My wife & I with our sons aged circa 9,12,15 walked the PW in
the early '70. I still have the accommodation book where B&B
plus evening meal is offered at between £1.50 and £2.90. A
wonderful experience though the youngest has never walked
further than house to car since! My notes show that in the five
of us had tea & biscuits on arrival, dinner, B & B (3 rooms) and
packed lunches for a total of £7.78.
The two of us walked the alternative Pennine Way en route from
Lands End to John O'Groats and one night our B&B alone was
roughly ten times that!!!
An entry in the RA’s accommodation guide from 1974 read:
Gargrave, Skipton, Yorkshire.
Mr. & Mrs. Meeson, Kirk Style Private Hotel, Gargrave, Skipton,
Yorkshire.
Number of Beds: 3 Twin bedded rooms.
1 Three bed room.
1 Double bedroom.
Bed & Breakfast: £1.63.
Evening Meal: from 75p
Ample accommodation for drying clothing, hot baths as required.
Hot and cold in all rooms.
Television lounge.
Telephone: Gargrave 356.
Brian Tordoff
"I was privileged top walk the Pennine Way with Tom Stephenson
when it opened in 1965. He was so happy and proud recalling, in
his own modest manner, how his teen dream had been realised
after some 30 years campaigning. Ramblers everywhere continue to
be inspired by the vision and work of a great man."
Sean Quinn, Founding President, Irish Ramblers Club.
"I started walking the Pennine Way at Whitsuntide 1961. Yes, I
know that was four years before it officially opened, but I had
a sixpenny leaflet published by the Ramblers’ Association.
The Ordnance Survey 1 inch Popular Edition was recommended, to
be used in conjunction with these directions in the sixpenny
leaflet:
Sheet 102 From top end of Edale village on accommodation path up
Grindsbrook and from north of Fox Holes continue up feeder
slightly north of west and on in same direction to join feeder
of Crowden Brook, follow slightly west of north towards Crowden
Head. Then north-west to join Kinder stream which leads to
Downfall. Round the head of the downfall and along edge
north-west to Mill Hill. Thence north-easterly crossing head of
Within Clough through ‘a’ of Featherbed Top to join parish
boundary which crosses Snake Road at highest point 1680.
That certainly involved map and compass reading. How many of you
crossing such terrain could be sure that you had passed over the
piece of land where the letter ‘a’ was written on a one inch
map?
I remember nearly losing the path within the first ¼ mile, as it
looked as if no other feet had been that way before. Compare
that with the track from Edale now! Probably more by luck than
anything else I did lead the group safely off the moor.
On arriving in Kirk Yetholm, in September 1982, I signed the
famous book. In answer to the question 'How long did you take?'
I wrote, '21 years, I am a slow walker'."
Ann Beasley
"In 1938 I took the train to Tebay, armed with two sheets of the
1924 edition of the 1:63,360 map (mounted on cloth) and the
first of many maps of the Lake District. Leaving the dark, but
sheltered station, now vanished, I set off across the limestone
past Sunbiggin Tarn and on to Brough, where I stayed overnight
in an inn. The next morning, I climbed up a lane onto Middle
Fell and followed the high ground over Little Fell, avoiding the
broken ground towards the county boundary, until I came to the
green nose of Mickle Fell.
"Once up that nose, a short distance along the ridge took me to
the highest point of Mickle Fell, and of that time of Yorkshire,
and I made my way on to the Tees through areas of very varied
vegetation and eventually to the Youth Hostel at Langdon Beck,
specially built and opened a few months previously. The next day
I passed by the remote farm of Birkdale heading west on a track
which was far better defined than I had expected to High Cup
Nick.
"The crags formed by the Whin Sill, and the deep notch below
them, were impressive enough. The thoughts of the forces that
had intruded the sill and the aeons of time which had passed as
the trench was cut were awe-inspiring. The sight is one I have
carried in my memory ever since."
John B Richardson
"In 1964 while living in Bolton, Lancashire with a group of
friends, we decided to venture up the ‘new’ Pennine Way in
stages on ‘free’ days at the weekends. This was done by the use
of two cars, one parked at the end of our proposed stage. We
would then all squeeze into the second car and drive to the
start of our days walk.
By the use of this strategy, we got as far north as Hawes in the
Yorkshire Dales. By this time though I had the ‘bit between my
teeth’ and was able to complete the remaining distance of 150
miles by taking some leave. I recall on the last stage of the
road going from Bolton to Hawes, accepting a lift from a
gentleman driving a hearse!"
Neil Heaton
"In 1969 there were one or two guides published but the Long
Distance Footpath Guide No. 1 from H.M.S.O written by Tom
Stephenson, published in 1969, was the one I used. I still have
it to hand.
Though the path had been open for four years it was not well
defined, for use was still to be developed. Accommodation had to
be carefully planned; youth hostels were available en route but
not always at a convenient distance. Many path walkers at that
time carried a tent!
The moorland stages were the most difficult. Fortunately I was
familiar with Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Lancashire, having been
a member of Leeds Rambling Club through the war years.
I covered some of the path 16 years later. That later walk was a
revelation. Footpaths installed at Malham Cove…complete with
In/Out gates. Progress Indeed!"
J.W. Ruecroft
"On Friday 14 July 1961, I set off from Malham, with a fellow
student, to backpack up the Pennine Way to the Roman Wall. We
had a deadline to get back to the West Riding within a week as I
had a summer job to start 10 days later.
"On the first day we reached Horton and camped near a farm just
north-east of the village. There were few signs and no route was
shown on the 1 inch Ordnance Survey maps. I don’t remember how
we knew the route – we must have read about it somewhere.
"At God’s Bridge on the Tuesday there was a huge Aberdeen Angus
bull, but somehow we managed to ease past over the bridge,
something that you remember for a long time. At the A66 there
was no sign and we drifted off course somewhat to Ravock Mire
which I still remember as being a brilliant, almost luminous
green, but which we managed to cross without mishap. To our
surprise we hit the road on the northern side of Cotherstone
Moor exactly at the point where a Pennine Way sign pointed back
across the moor. It was such a surprise that I took a photograph
of it. I suppose that Hannah Hauxwell was the farmer at Birk
Hat, but she was just another Dales farmer at the time, unknown
to the world beyond. There was no Balderstone reservoir and of
course no Youth Hostel."
Howard Crossley
"I read the article ‘Seeing the Way’ with great interest since I
walked the route nearly 50 years ago. As I read the article I
realised now that it was some 15 years before the official
opening of the path!
"I had heard of the Pennine Way so I bought a copy of the
Ramblers' Association’s pamphlet of the route. It was a black
and white publication of 8 pages and cost 3p. It included
photographs, a sketch map, and the barest walking description.
The mileage was reported as 250. This pamphlet and my original
maps of the route are now treasured possessions.
"A year later I set off from Edale. In those days I wore boots
with hobnails as recommended. (Rubber soled boots were regarded
as too slippery for wet conditions). For rain protection, I took
a cycle cape, which also covered the rucksack. Otherwise it was
normal clothes. Some of my older maps, printed before 1953, were
mounted on cloth to stand up to rainy conditions.
"In realise now or perhaps had forgotten that large parts of the
route were not then even public rights of way. Likewise there
were few signposts for the Pennine Way but the ones I saw could
have been counted on one hand. I remember the thrill as I passed
the one at the start in Edale.
"Where I slept most nights have been lost in the mists of time.
However, I do recall sleeping the first night on Bleaklow Head
and waking to see sheep staring down on me. I know I did not
always stick to my marked route since I recall walking through
an utterly deserted Lancashire spinning town in the pouring rain
and thinking this must be one of the most miserable places on
God’s earth. Later on an open moor I came across a small barn
with a windswept tree beside it. The place struck a chord in my
mind but it was only later when I saw the film ‘Wuthering
Heights’ for the second time that I remembered that this barn
was the location for a love scene.
"In those days there was no path up Cauldron Snout so we climbed
up besides the tumbling water and I think we were a bit scared.
I presume that now there is a proper path. Towards the end of
the day we came out at the lip of High Cup Nick with the sun low
in the sky across the mountains of the Lake District. It was the
most beautiful view that I think I have ever seen in this
country."
Ian Blackwell
"As we were fortunate in having a friend drive us to Kirk
Yetholme we were able to stop off en route to secrete cashes of
canned beer at two carefully selected ‘dry’ locations, a
logistical brainwave that was to prove very fortuitous since our
arrival at the pick-up points coincided with a spell of hot
weather! Our daily burden was also lightened by our having
despatched parcels of clothing, socks and maps ahead to await
our arrival at Dufton and Malham.
"The exception to the generally ideal weather was our traverse of
Cross Fell where we encountered thick mist driven by 70 m.p.h
winds. Thereafter saw a reversion to the hot settled conditions
for which we destined to pay a price, for at the end of a
gruelling 21 miles walking in great heat from Middleton-in-Teesdale
to Keld we were both traumatised by severe muscular pain in the
legs. Fortunately the next section was a mere 12 miles to Hawes
via Great Shunner Fell, accomplished by a series of short
‘hobbles’ interspersed with numerous rest periods wherever it
was possible to sit with legs raised vertically, a posture that
evoked amused comment from passing Wayfarers.
"For me it was and remains the zenith of almost 60 years of
rambling, and I shall never forget the great elation of the
final day when we fairly galloped across the peat hags and bogs
of Bleaklow and Kinder Scout to a jubilant finish at Edale."
Peter G. Shipley
"On Saturday 24 April 1965 I was one of twelve Manchester City
Police Cadets who set off to walk the 280 miles of the newly
opened Pennine Way. The group were aged between 17 and 19 years
and had been trained in map reading and compass work in
preparation. Campsites were set up along the route but each lad
would carry their own personal equipment and take a turn at
leading the walk.
"I remember the bleakness of the moors and the fact that it
appeared to rain all the time. As the walk progressed we were
walking on autopilot due to tiredness and the conditions. The
camaraderie of the group and the challenge kept us going. We
were determined to finish the walk.
"On Friday 5 May we walked into Kirk Yetholm to be greeted by
local dignitaries who congratulated us on being the first
organised group to walk the full length of the Pennine Way.
"At the time I did not fully understand what a tremendous
experience and opportunity I had been given. I continue to walk
with family and friends but now at a more leisurely pace."
John Boyle
"In 1963 while youth hostelling with my fiancée in the Yorkshire
Dales, I was intrigued by the words ‘Pennine Way – undefined’,
which I found on my 1 inch OS map o the top of Great Shunner
Fell. Five years later that first flicker of interest matured
into the first of many long-distance walks.
"The walk felt like a bit of a pioneering venture. Not all that
many people had completed the walk by that time. The Way was
quite undefined. The basic rule of thumb was that it was very
well waymarked where the route was quite obvious but far less so
at those points where it was far from clear.
"I remember standing reading the guidebook, which said, “head for
the trig. Point on the top of Black Hill”. Easier said than done
when facing large, rather formless mounds of peat. Three years
later at the same spot I could follow a well-defined path – so
many more feet had passed that way. That first time I also had
to pick my way through road works where three years later I
could cross the footbridge over the M62.
"The walking was superb in glorious weather. Two moments among
many stick in my memory: reaching the top of High Cup Nick and
standing on Hadrian’s Wall looking north. That was a dark
overcast day and as I peered into the distant forest, I could
well have been standing on the very edge of civilisation."
D.J. Atkinson
"The Holiday I had in June 1953 was advertised in the Ramblers
catalogue as three weeks camping, but as I only had two weeks
holiday a year I joined the party at Malham. The tents were
pitched in the field at the bottom of Gardale Scar. There were
no official campsites, so we would see the line of yellow tents
and come down into the valley. One site I remember was on an
island in the middle of the South Tyne River.
"How long did it take me to walk the Pennine Way? 43 years. I
finished the last section in 1996."
Marcia Panetta