Author Topic: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain  (Read 6869 times)

Solofool

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« on: 00:03:19, 31/03/08 »
Well I am back, well got back on wed, after setting off on last Friday, managed to get as far as Horton on Ribbles-dale, unfortunately I had a fall on the approach to Fountain fell, where I turned my ankle, managed to follow path to top of Fountain fell even with wading through up to 3ft of snow and was feeling quite  good until I started down the path opposite towards Pen y Gent and then the pain kicked in (later found out after 4 hours in A&E that I had pulled a ligament in the knee and had torn/ snapped a ligament on the ankle), I am now on crutches and some horrid painkillers, back to A&E next week to see if I need an operation). Spent the night at the campsite in Horton with the hope that the pain would calm down by the next day after swallowing too many Nurafen but by morning I could not stand on the foot and knew the dream was over, foolishly I had turned the same ankle a few times before but I had never had the pain going up the front of the foot like this, so it was with a sad heart that I hobbled off to the train station and spent 8 hours getting back to Surrey. Anyway while it lasted it was fantastic, great country side and the Yorkshire people are just out of this world, can’t do enough for you. The weather was, well different, hail stones, snow, rain and the bloody wind, did not mind any of it except the wind, I have never experienced such strong winds and after being blown over many times on high ridges I was getting quite [censored]*d off.
I learnt 2 lessons:
1. Whilst I had got the weight of the pack down to 24/26 lbs with 7 days food and water, wearing inov trail shoes did not provide nearly enough cushioning or support and so by the second day my knees were killing me.
2. 20 miles a day straight off the bat with no proper training is stupid!!!

Even though I had dreamt about this for over a year and planned this trip for 6 months and spent a small fortune on gear I failed through lack of physical training. I will be back next year and complete it (may be a little later in the year though) will write up my trail notes and post later. I still have a week off and I am hating every day of it, I sooo much want to be out there doing the trail.

Oh and I now have to get my care package back from the post office in Bowes, had even got the missus to pack my boots and yeti gaiters in with the food.
« Last Edit: 00:05:43, 31/03/08 by Solofool »

titaniumdude

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 344
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #1 on: 01:22:37, 31/03/08 »
That's pretty bad luck mate.  hope your legs okay.  On the plus side it sounds like you had a great few days and lets face it, camping all the way to Horton from Edale in this weather is an achievement.   Lets face it, you would've made it, but for bad luck. 

I did think you were brave mind, taking a tarp, wearing trail shoes and carrying so many days food.  There are stretches of this trail that would leave you with wet feet for days even in the middle of summer.   A tarp like yours gives little wind protection if tthe direction of wind changes.  Theres also plenty of places to stock up on food. 

Hope you're better soon dude and if it's any compensation, only very small fraction of people who set off to do the whole trail in one actually finish it.

TD
I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing

mike knipe

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2872
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #2 on: 10:17:00, 31/03/08 »
You had some tough luck, there S/F - the snowy and windy weather would have stopped many people on this route, so if it hadn't been for the accident, you'd have been doing remarkably well.
Interesting comments about the trail shoes, though - what will you be wearing the next time you set off on this, or something similar?
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

See the blog!  www.northernpies.blogspot.com

Solofool

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 51
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #3 on: 12:19:59, 31/03/08 »
The tarp worked quite well, in the picture i had it up as a standard ridge style open at both ends, but the wind had died by then and it was behind a stone wall, although was awoken by some guys in a van who drove past 3 times lobbing snowballs at it :) on the other night i had the back end down and staked with a pole lowered and on internal guy ropes. Am on the search now for some decent leather boots (lowa are looking quite good) as i now realise that whilst it could be done in trail shoes, i cant do it that way neither my knees nor ankles are good enough. As for wet feet the joys of seal skinz socks with thermal liners worked well, coupled with the fact that the shoes dont hold water meant they dried pretty quickly.

wellerchap

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 74
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #4 on: 14:54:19, 31/03/08 »
Congratulations to you for trying mate.
Good luck for a speedy recovery and, ofcourse, the re-match !

ukmase

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 789
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #5 on: 15:52:12, 31/03/08 »
Hard luck old chap. I dare not even look at the PW route let alone tackle it.

Great report and some amazing pics. Hope you have a speedy recovery.

videoman

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 305
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #6 on: 22:31:47, 31/03/08 »
At least you tried and I know how painful torn ligaments are. Mine took longer than broken bones to heal properly i.e. six months.

walkinggirluk

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 611
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #7 on: 00:31:17, 01/04/08 »
That's pretty bad luck mate, hope you make a good recovery for nxt time a round and there be....  A nxt time believe me....   It's not about gaven up but finding the time to set the project and time off work..
peace and tranquillity in the countryside. clean your rubbish up after you  respect it.


clean it bin it

Ridge

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9691
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #8 on: 09:34:01, 01/04/08 »
Much sympathy. I checked the weather a couple of times and did think of you but to drag yourself through all that to then turn your ankle must be gutting.

As others have said torn ligaments can be a long job so take it easy.

Though not everyone feels for you, when I told my son, 10, what had happened he said he would rather twist his ankle than walk through that weather!

tonyk

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2857
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #9 on: 10:13:18, 01/04/08 »
 Sorry to hear about the injury,hope you recover quickly.The truth is you can never predict the weather at this time of the year.A couple of years ago it was dry and sunny throughout March and would have been ideal weather for doing such a walk. Was the first photo taken in Gargrave,the wall looks familiar?

 

 

 

kkm

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 458
Re: Pennine Way Pleasure and Pain
« Reply #10 on: 21:49:31, 03/04/08 »
sorry about the injury :( hop you're back on your feet soon......

well done though. getting to horton in itself is an achievement, carrying all your kit.

and yeah, its unfinished business......maybe next year?

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy