Saturday 25 August 2012

Back to work.

I got up and organised in the morning, said goodbye to Josey, who didn't charge us for staying the two nights- Thank- you! and off we went again, we found our way back on to the Sabrina Way, with was all on country lanes that day and wound our way through to Jon and Glenda's farmhouse B&B. John was very complimentary of Cognac and we were made to feel very welcome. There was a little pony on the farm that went into a stable at night, so we put Cognac out in the field, but left the gate to the yard open so that he could be near to the pony if he wanted.

In the morning we went on a horse feed hunt and found a feed place on a stable yard just down the road. They let me choose any bag and take a bucket full from it- free of charge! so we had a bucket of baileys Endurance mix and they also gave to me a little bottle of wound wash and choc biscuits and some sweets to keep me going! So Cognac had his breakfast and I packed some for lunch.

Its was a lovely sunny day and we were again following the Sabrina Way. We followed a bridleway through the woods, across some grassy fields and then down a tunnel of hedges between the fields. We then hit a bit of a bridleway black- spot. Bad or no signing and very over grown gates, a particular bad point was two bridlegates, a horse length apart with a bridge over a very overgrown ditch, lots of stinging nettles and gates that swing back on you! I looked for a way round but couldn't see anything so prepared to get stung! I dismounted, held the first gate open and posted Cognac in, before shutting the gate behind him. I think edged my way between him and the edge of the bridge, trying not to fall off, to open the next gate. The gate was so wedged with weeds that I had to climb over and pull it open from the over side, at which point Cognac had managed to maneuver himself around in the opposite direction, looking back the way we had come. So I tied the second gate open, squeezed myself back to the front end of Cognac and reversed him over the bridle, through the gate to freedom! Exhausting and time consuming! but we made it...

I enjoyed riding through Cannock Chase and as Catherine had instructed me on the phone that morning we headed for the post office tower and Catherine and Robin met us at the German memorial graveyards on the edge of the chase to show us the best route from there to their house on the edge of Cannock.

Rain stops play

We overslept the next morning and woke up to the sound of rain on the tent- day off!!Josey said it was fine to stay another night and the lovely Sandy (who lives next door to Josey) brought us out cups of tea and bannanas! We went to get some food, found a local tack shop and got a new lead rope as I had manged to lose ours a couple of days ago and we also brought another bag of conditioning cubes for Cognac.

How a day can fly by! At this point I pretty much passed out and slept like a baby, until Jez shook me awake in a bit of a flurry saying that he had to leave now or he'd be late for work! While I slept he had set up my one man tent and moved all my stuff into it! He moved me over in my sleepy state and got to work taking down the two man tent to pack into his car. We said a hurried goodbye and I told him to drive safely and Cognac and I were all alone again.

It is strange that when Cognac and I are just travelling together I feel fine and everyone tends to ask if I get lonely, but I don't tend to when it is just Cognac and myself as I am always busy and there are always plenty of people to talk to and it is great when I get to see Jez, but it alters the feeling of the trip for a few days and it takes a day to get used to, at which time he is off again and then there is a gap left and that is the only time I feel lonely and think about home.

So feeling this way and now wide awake I crawled out of my tent to check on Cognac and not being able to see him, I walk across the field to find him sitting down at the back of the field, I walked over and sat between his legs, with my back against his side and looked out- he has certainly choosen the best vantage point in the field and after the busy day the air felt really calm and dreamlike. With a groan Cognac laid flat out on the floor and had a 10 minute snooze- I like to think that he knew he could relax as I would look out for him.

Sunday 19 August 2012

15th, 16th and 17th ugust 2012

Just when I was getting on top of the blogging- my iPhone charger broke! Typical! I have to admit that it makes me more social not being able to use my iPhone GPS, usually I get the postcode for where I am staying and when I get close I tend to search for it on google maps, but not being able to use my phone has made me develop a new system- when I get near go to the village pub and ask! Someone always knows in the pub!

15th- Peak Forest to Hartington
It was fair when I set out but from lunchtime on it just poured with rain so that everything was soaked! And to make matters worst, I was camping! Mind you, I have to admit that I have been very lucky with the weather the last few weeks. The last section of the Pennine Bridleway was nice level tracks following the old railway lines, the area is considerably flatter al around compared to the last few days.

Although staying at Hartington village, I couldn't help but to stop in at the official end of the Pennine Bridleway, Hartington Station, a few miles down the road.

When we arrived at Bank Top Farm it was still pouring with rain, I untacked Cognac and he was dry under his saddle blanket so I put his rain rug on and he went out in the front meadow with the cows. I noted that in preference to eating grass he stood under a tree with his head down. I put my tent up in the pouring rain and laid all my equipment our in the shed to dry. There was nothing much else for me to do, except lie in my tent and read a book, so I donned my Soaked jacket and stuffed my maps, notebook and a clean tshirt and jumper into a dry bag and walked the mile and a half back into Hartington. Earlier in the day I had stopped to talk to a farmer who had said that The Charles Cotton Hotel was good, so I took myself in there- via the toilets first so that I could put my dry clothes on and my myself presentable- I left a line of processions hanging in the cloakroom to dry!

It turns out a couple who were also staying at the B&B were in the Charles Cotton as well and they were very interested in my ride. I joined them for dinner (very nicely done fish and chips and mushy peas) and enjoyed a lovely evening in lovely company! At the end of the night we all walked back along the lane to the B&B and Jane and Lance Came to meet Cognac when I gave him his dinner.

When we got back the landlady told me that I had a phone call to make- my phone didn't have any signal in the area and Jez had phoned the landline trying to get hold of me. So I phoned him back on the landline and he was all in a panic! As he hadn't been able to get hold of me he had got so worried he had got in his car and driven up- he was now only an hours drive away!
I was annoyed, but never the less pleased to see him. Jez said he could stay for a day so he carried my extra equipment in his car for the day and met me for lunch at the George pub- after the rain the day before, it was lovely sunny day and the pub was busy, we tied Cognac to a tree on the village green and sat down on the grass beside him to eat our sandwiches.

A gentleman, and later his wife, came talk to us and told us of when the rode the local area, including the Sabrina Way trail that I was following. They had also stayed with Josey, who I was staying with the following night. They introduced themselves and Robin and Catherine and said that I was welcome to come and stay with them in a few days time.
As they lived close to the Sabrina Way and had horses of their own.

We had a pleasant afternoons ride, if a bit hot! Although we did struggle with the Sabrina Way being so overgrown as to be impassable in places and generally poorly signed. We arrived at Josey's by 5pm and set our tent up in a small grassy field with thick, lush grass.


And just in case we forgot how beautiful Cognac was, here he is:

Wednesday 15 August 2012

Looking down on civilisation. When we ate up in the hills skirting round a built up area and look down the houses fill the bottom of the 'bowl' created by the surrounding hills.

13th and 14th August 2012

Argh! We have now been going for six weeks! That sounds like forever! When I first decided to do this ride I planned to complete it in six weeks, how fickle I was! After two weeks I thought "wow- I've spent two whole weeks on my horse!" now two weeks pass by without me even noticing.
The miles mean less now too, when I started I could tell you exactly how many miles I had done in a day , now I don't keep count as its not the mileage it's the going, the weather, the number of gates and what time we set off in the morning and how we feel that determines how hard a days ride is.

Monday night we stayed in Chatlestown, we arrived at 5.30pm after the yard staff had left and had been directed to a field over the phone. I untracked Cognac and checked the water supply, pitched my tent super efficiently and felt quite pleaded with myself. Phoned Jez to let him know I was okay and set up for the night. I planned to walk up the road and into the village to have a look around and to see if there was anywhere I could get food, but first I had to be confident and go and find Cognac some hard feed. It was a big yard and I knew there would be plenty on site, but I hate asking for things and normally if I'm not offered feed I just don't give him any, however Cognac had been maintaining weight but nor putting any on and I felt that he could do with a little more condition. So I took my plastic bag down to the yard and approached two ladies and asked if anyone had some hard feed I could buy for my horse, they said their horse were 'fatties' and just had hi-fi so directed me to a gentleman who would how something more suitable for Cognac. I nervously approached him and asked If he had some horse feed I could buy and without hesitation he showed me where he kept his horse feed and said to take what I needed and also wouldn't take any money for it! Every day I am amazed at how generous and helpful people can be- with you these people I certainly wouldn't have been able to do this journey and I hope in the future I will be able to return this generosity to others that may need my help :)

I got a good nights sleep on Monday night and set off in good time in the morning. I had to be in Peak Forest by 3 as I was staying at a pub and they closed between 3 and 6. I made good time and Cognac and I stopped and had our lunch on the too of a hill with the most beautiful view and spoke to a n older gentleman who said he used to walk all over these hills and that this was his favourite view. We just managed to make it to Peak Forest in time after having to lead Cognac down and up and down... And back up some very steep hills with very stony tracks and it was soo hot!! I was in a room at the Devonshire arms pub and Cognac was staying at Fields Farm behind it. I could see Cognac in the field from my bedroom window! At Fields Farm they very kindly let Cognac stay for free and said I could take some horse feed with me- again free of charge. I spent the evening in the pub and was made to feel very welcome by the locals, who were all very interested in the ride and very kindly donated £80 collectively in sponsorship money!

Monday 13 August 2012

Thank- you

Thank- you to everyone who has sponsored me along the way and on my justgiving page. Also thank- you for all your kind words of encouragement, they really help to keep up beat and focused. I am enjoying myself so much, but the sheer scale of this ride can sometimes be daunting- its so much more than I've ever done before so it's so nice to know that I have people behind us willing and encouraging us to keep going to our finishing line, where the land comes to a stop and we can't walk any further!

Sunday 12 August 2012

Cognac finishing his breakfast at Longfield E.C

12/08/12 Longfield E.C to Denshaw

This morning I went round to Cognac's stable to find him alert and ready to play! He really seems to have adapted to his new routine now. I got him some breakfast and got him tacked up and off we went. As I walked him in hand up the road I couldn't help but think what people must think of us when they see us- people always seem surprised that I walk a fair bit beside him! I tend to walk a mile or two in the morning so we can both warm up and also after lunch, so my lunch can go down and if on a quiet road I tend to get off and walk the last mile or so as well.

Today was a very hilly day! We stopped for grass on top of a very high hill and although the view was fab, it was very windy so we didn't stop for long. As we came back down off the hill into Summit, I took long rider Elizabeth Hill's (www.ridearoundbritain.blogspot.co.uk) advice that the next section of the Pennine bridleway was very steep both up and back down and choose to ride through town instead to save Cognac's engergy. We stopped just outside town at a visitor centre by a resorvoir and I gave Cognac his lunchtime feed and let him chomp on some grass for an hour. On the way back onto the Pennine Bridleway I couldn't help stopping at an ice- cream van on Cognac! Made me chuckle anyway!

We got to Dumfries farm just in time for the change in weather and we have been made to feel very comfortable. Cognac had a nice big feed and a rack of haylage before going out in a grassy field for the night. My tent is pitched on the front lawn and I have had a lovely dinner and a hot shower and am currently watching the Olympics closing ceremony! Strange to think I was in Moffat in Scotland for the opening ceremony two weeks ago! And in two more week I hope to be arriving on the doorstep of William Reddaway (www.ridearoundengland.org)in Cheltenham! If all goes well.

Saturday 11 August 2012

11/08/12 Thursden to Todmorden.

I got up in the morning and packed away my tent and organised my saddlebags, putting my equipment in a pile ready for when I came to tack Cognac up. Sophie came and picked me up from the yard and took me back to her house for a nice hot shower and a lovely breakfast- cereal, toast, sausages, eggs and croissants! It was great to meet all her family- her husband Ed and children Fin, Bridget and Pip. Ed phoned Cosima Towneley to tell her what I was doing and she said that she had a BHS booklet with the contact details for all the bridleway officers and that they would be the people to get hold of when passing through their regions, do we arranged to meet at my lunch stop so that she could give me that and we could have a chat.

The girls from the yard rode put with me and put me back onto the Pennine Bridleway. It was a steep climb to start the day but with beautiful views from up top down on the way I had come from and I could see where we had stayed the night.

At lunch I met with Cosima and she suggested I look up the trans Pennine route instead of following the Pennine Bridleway all the way to its end at Hartington station.

Steep down and ups all day! Todmorden is at the joining of three valleys so very scenic, but hilly!

Made it to Longfield before the girls go home at 5pm, Cognac is in the worlds biggest stable munching on haylage and I have a bed in a static caravan.

Interestingly Nora and Juniblest stayed here just last week on their New Forest to Newcastle ride- same stable and same caravan! ( Nora's blog is: www.ponytrip.blogspot.co.uk

11/08/12 Pennine Bridleway, Extwistle Moor

Friday 10 August 2012

10/08/12- day 43

I'm going to really confuse matters now. I've got behind with the blog because I've struggled to get both Internet access and to have electricity to keep my phone charged. I've been trying to fill in the gap, however I am now going to update the blog every day- I promise so will have to fill in the missing days when I get chance- sorry!
Last night we stayed in the orchard at Emma's Dairy, Gazegill Organic farm, in Rimington, Clitheroe. Thank-you to Emma and Ian for having us to stay!

Jez had driven up to see me for a couple of days and left to drive back home yesterday afternoon, ready for work this morning. Waking up without him there was hard and I felt quite alone. I wanted to get a good start on the day so cooked myself a little porridge ( made with water) and tried to pack my equipment away quickly, wasn't as easy as normal after everything had ended up out of place after Jez's visit. I noticed I have managed to lose a few things ( they may be in Jez's car) my beanie hat, Cognac's back brushing boots and the strings that tie round my tent to make it easier to put in its bag.

As the weather had been so hot the last few days we have done without my hat and U think Cognac's back legs enjoyed not having hot sweaty boots on as well as they swell a little with the boots on, but have been five today. I started putting them on him when I noticed he had caught the inside of each pastern with the inside of his shoe, but don't usually put boots on him at home unless we were jumping.

Made slow progress this morning as there were some steep up and down hills, it was very hot all day and there were tonnes of gates to negotiate. We are still following the Pennine Bridleway , there are some beautiful views along it and some nice tracks to ride on, but at some points its more logical for us to go on the road for a short section to avoid a detour on the bridleway up a hill or 'round the houses'.

We stopped at the Black Lane Ends pub at 2pm to refuel. I had a coke and some crisps and refilled my water bottle. Cognac had grass, water and a bowl of calm and condition.

We made better progress in the afternoon, followed a lovely part of the bridleway that passes through a ford and the runs parallel to the river for a few miles- I noticed a very grassy picnic area to our left that would have made a good stop if we weren't running out of time.

I stopped to talk to a couple who lived locally and were out for a walk who very generously donated £23.50 to the BHF. We walked most of the rest of the route as it was just so hot and Cognac was sweating just walking. We reached Herd House farm riding stables at 7pm, Cognac has gone out in a large field down the road and I am camped in the riding arena where we found a foam cushion for me to sleep on in my tent. Catherine Billington, who owns the yard and lives on site, very kindly took me in doors for meatballs and rice and let me used her laptop and helped me with a bit if route planning and some contacts and Sophie gas very kindly taken my dirty clothes home with her to wash for me- she had also offered me breakfast and a bath in the morning. Every day it amazes me how wonderfully helpful and kind complete strangers can be!

Jez