Day 5/20 The Pennine Way 429km - Cowling to Earby - 1 Aug 2009

13km, 646m ascent, took 3.5 hours (no rest)

It was quite an uneventful day. Not much distance to cover and I took the road route for the later half of the Way. The sunny weather from yesterday had concluded, and the clouds and drizzle returned. Breakfast was great in the B&B. I left the B&B at about 10am, limping. My left leg had started giving me problems since last night. Probably too much usage of thigh muscles due to slight pain of ankle. Hence my thigh muscles might have been overexerted. I had difficulties lifting my left leg up. Had to use my hands to lift my left leg up whenever I had to cross over stiles. I hoped more walking would get the muscles working again, and not worsened!

Crossing Gill Bridge, another 'up-and-over' pastoral interlude took me to a wooded valley and it was where I got lost again! I backtracked downslope, and went upslope again, making the right turn this time. I was progressing/ walking at a very slow pace today. No urgency and also leg pain and exhausion.





Lothersdale was a lovely village with a huge out-of-place mill chimney. From Lothersdale, I took the road way towards the west, heading towards Earby. Didn't bother climbing up the steep valley via boggy paths. At least the road would be an easier option with fewer chances of getting lost. :) While trekking along the road, one of the cars stopped to offer me a lift. How kind, but I turned the lady down. The final descent to Earby was beautiful. Quite a big town with many houses and a few streets of shops. I bought food from Co-op before returning to YHA. Waited till 1630 when I could check in. Washed up and left the wet stuff in the drying room. Not a very pleasant hostel actually...old...