LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

Pennine Way No.10                                  Total: 153 miles

Time Taken:   6.00 hrs      Distance:        Enjoyment:                   Weather:  Wet               
   11:00 am - 17:00 pm        9.00 miles             90%                              and Windy      

Temp:    Cloud:     Rain:     Visibility:   Ground Conditions:   Wild Life: Sheep,    
 16oC       95%         40%          Dull           Good Underfoot         Oyster Catchers                                     

Total AA:      Total MH:    Total LD:      Total AW:      Other:       Total Distance:
  XXX mls         X mls       XXX.00 mls        X mls           X mls         XXX.00 miles

Companions:   Eddie Dealtry

Points of Interest and LINKS:
Pennine Way			River Tees  
Keedholm Scar 		Wynch Bridge 	
Low Force Waterfall 	High Force 

Description:
Drove to Langdon Beck and parked Eddie's car near the entrance of Cow Green reservoir road 
and by Harwood Beck and a cattle grid. Drove to Low Force lay-by at Bowlees Village for the start 
of the walk at Low Force on the River Tees in Teesdale. More photos of Low Force before the 
continuation of the walk up the River Tees towards its source. Rounded Keedholm Scar to High Force. 
An even more impressive waterfall, a good excuse for lots more photos, justified they were, a 
beer-coloured frothy water, at a rate of hundreds of bath loads per second. Forever upstream 
passing Old Peat Moor and Bink Scar to a stone quarry on the north bank, obviously in service or 
production as smoke could be seen from the cutting equipment, Over the Bleabeck footbridge to 
Pasture Foot, an easy walk before the climb of Bracken Rigg in the rain, After the High Crag descent 
we started looking for a suitable place to eat lunch, away from the rain. 'Cronkley' was not helpful so 
we continued along the lane to the bridge over the river, looking for a seat under the bridge, out of 
the rain. No such luck, the best we could do was to sit on a big rock on the south east side of the 
bridge, under a large bush. We sat crouched, eating our lunch, for a short while in the rain before 
continuing on the north bank of the river. We passed the mouth of Harwood Beck tributary and 
continued up this beck as we disturbed a flock of Oyster Catchers. Not far to Saur Hill Bridge where 
we had to make a decision in the rain. The high road or the low road? No, in this case to abort back 
to the car or continue alongside the River Tees to Cow Green Dam. A couple of fellow walkers were 
also on the bridge discussing their walk. They decided to continue to Cow Green reservoir so we 
agreed, not wanting to be seen to be weak or 'chicken'. Easy going at first past Sayer Hill back to the 
bank of the River Tees before Widdy Bank Farm. The river valley became very narrow at this point, 
between Raven Scar and Holmwath. This made the walking hard work as the cliffs on both river banks 
had dropped thousands of boulders, right down to the river, making stone hopping the only option.
 This continued past Falcon Clints, Lingy Holm to the mouth of Maize Beck. A very large version of 
Janet's Foss. The fun started here as a very steep rock climb was necessary up to Cow Green Dam. 
We agreed that Eddie would run along the reservoir road back to the car and drive back to the gate 
on the reservoir road where I would be waiting, energy permitting. I walked along the reservoir road 
to the gate, but Eddie hadn't arrived, so I continued walking down the tarmac road where I eventually 
met Eddie driving up the road towards me. We turned the car around, drove back to Bowlees and 
collected my car. Another magic day's walking on the Pennine Way, despite the rain. Very few walkers 
following the Pennine Way.


Location: Start of Walk

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