Marsden Weekend - Day 1

Distance: 10 miles
Ascent: 500m
Weather: hazy, windy

Shallows, skylarks, ducks in a dirty puddle, curlew, buzzard and crow, jackdaws, grouse, pheasant, grey wagtail, chiff chaff or warbler, house martens, bunnies, bees

After a lie in and a plentiful breakfast, we eventually set off at 10:30. It was bright and sunny, but considerably windier than we had expected.

The paths were mostly dry as we headed up the Rochdale Way up on to the moors and the Pennine Bridleway. As if it wasn't windy enough, we decided to take the path over Windy Hill.

From there we went over White Hill, where we had a chat with a couple who are on Day 3 of the Pennine Way, and then took the packhorse route into Marsden. Along here we stopped for lunch, and watched buzzards and crows playing.

As we walked along the canal into Marsden,  we realised we'd timed things badly and ended up in a crowd of people in comedy hats getting off the ale trail train.