My first morning on Tuesday 3rd May.... Edale to Crowdon. The BIG day has arrived at last!. It's 9.50am and with my personal trainer, Alex. we are standing outside The Nags Head in Edale. Sadly , I have not been in yet, but savouring the beer will have to wait until another time....Having been told how busy THe Pennine Way (TPW) is, we look around to make some friends ...nobody in sight! Is TPW closed this week??

So, we set off...only 268 miles and 36,500 feet.

The weather is beautiful as we head along the first valley, with stunning views to the south. After 3 miles we hit the first real climb of the day, as they say in " Tour de France" style, Al, my personal trainer is always succinct " Bloody hellfire"..as e head upwards. Jacobs Ladder has arrived! After what seems an eternity, probably about 1000 ft, we reach the top...of stage 1. Onwards and upwards we go, mile after mile; my GPS tells me that we have climbed 1400ft by 11.30am. At least half of the day's total ascent. A distraction to our left is welcome..the sighting of red grouse which pleases Alex enormously. ( Di, the red grouse reminds me of the Old Grouse that I have in my hip flask!) Then across the Kinder Scout plateau and ups and downs again until lunchtime.

Alex is taxed a little by the morning , blames it on the very weak Pimms he had the night before..being his current favourite drink! Arrived at Horace for our lunchbreak across a windy, bleak moor, "Bloody hell fire", Alex's favourite saying as he fell into Horace...ate his cheese sandwiches and promptly "threw up"..!

However the afternoon passed uneventfully and although Alex continues to use his favourite adjectives each time another hill approaches, we stride on through some very beautiful scenery.Amazing but the terrain changes constantly, which means checking and rechecking our position. The GPS is proving to be very useful.

Past many reservoirs, until thankfully Torside Reservoir is in sight and only 2 miles to the campsite. This bit certainly seemed the hardest part of the day, and it was good to arrive and see the others at 6.30pm. Molly and Alan Goulding have joined us in their Motor Home, Monty, so much merriment at the end of the first day. Sadly, I can only manage a couple of beers for bed seems very attractive. Alex too, has decided that Pimms isn't the drink for him and retires with a hot chocolate. My last thoughts for drifting off are "what would red grouse taste like?"

Alex has a joke for the readers: Where did Saddam Hussein keep his CD's?

In Iraq!

Night night!