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.
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