The campsites all have a brief review along with the prices, and are then graded in three criteria:
1. Walkable to pub?
2. Likely to be quiet by 11pm?
3. Quality of the showers and washing areas.

The campsites reviewed are as follows:

• Edale (Fieldhead)
• Crowdon (Camping and Caravanning Club Site)
• Mankinholes (Cross Farm)
• Ponden (House)
• Malham (Miresfield Farm)
• Horton-in-Ribblesdale (Holme Farm)
• Hardraw (Cart Horse)
• Tan Hill (Pub)
• Middleton-in-Teesdale (Daleview)
• Dufton (Grandie Caravan Park)
• Alson (Tyne Willows Caravan Park)
• Greenhead (Holmehead Guesthouse)
• Bellingham (Demesne Farm)
• Byrness (Border Forest Caravan Park)

>> Click Here to Download the Campsite Reviews (PDF File) <<

Annual Report of the Pennine Way Association
2011 was a successful year for the PWA. In view of the drops in numbers in other assoociated groups (such as the Ramblers Association) our membership remained static which was pleasing. This was possibly due to our website which receives over 2000 hits per month and the establishment of this website has had a beneficial effect on our organisation. Not only does it provide a news section relating to the PW but in addition it contains our Accommodation Guide. In the absence of a specified hard copy which we formerly provided this is invaluable and is kept up to date by our Accommodation Guide Editor. Our Guide is proving very useful, particularly as the Accommodation Guide provided by Natural England is also not now available as a book and is on their website. As there is limited funds available there for marketing the future of this may be uncertain.

In 2011 the membership of the officials remained static but like many similar organisations we are having difficulty in recruiting volunteers and any additions would be most welcome.

The Objectives of the PWA are:
a) To provide information about the PW and its environs to the public.
b) Encourage users of the PW in a proper respect of the countryside.
c) Make appropriate representations to governmental and non-governmental bodies at all levels, and to their individual members
d) Provide a forum in which different interests connected with the PW and its use can discuss problems of mutual concern.

These objectives have been pursued and in 2011 the PWA was involved in the Dales Bus project, making a generous donation which (along with some bigger organisations) helped to provide the service. In other matters we have supported Natural England on the Walshaw Moor Estate in their decision to refuse planning consent for changes to the Walshaw Moor Estate which would be detrimental to the landscape. We were asked for comments by the Countryside Agency of several minor changes to routes and erections of gates to segregate stock, none of which were contentious. We believe that the proliferation of the demands for vehicular access on old bridleways and other paths in both the National Parks and other countryside areas (not all of which are well protected) is having a very adverse effect on these routes. This is not only in terms of excessive cost but also in accessability and enjoyment. This applies to all other users such as horseriders and mountain bikers and because of this the PWA has joined the Yorkshire Dales Green Lane Alliance and the newly formed Peak District Green Lane Alliance following their stand at Chapel Gate near Edale close to the start of the PW and arguably an extension of the PW.

The current state of the PW is still good and it has been well maintained by the Countryside Agency over recent years. In fact we feel that it has never been in better condition. At the current time we are not certain whether this situation will continue and the situation will be closely watched. We are aware of some cutbacks in flagging in the Cheviots in the Northumberland National Park.

The accommodation providers reported a reasonable year although we note with some disquiet the further loss of some Youth Hostels in Scotland, in the Borders and particularly the loss of Kirk Yetholm hostel at the end of the PW. It is hoped that, as in England, this could become a private hostel or other similar type of accommodation.

Our Annual Walk and Dinner this year will be in Teesdale, based at the Langdon Beck Hotel on the weekend of September 29th and 30th. This is an excellent area much enjoyed by both the founder Tom Stephenson and in later years by Wainwright as well as countless others.

New for this year is to be a Certificate which will be available for those who complete the Pennine Way. This is being designed by our President John Needham who also produced out memento which is available for purchase.

Since the inception of the Pennine Way a tremendous number of National Trails, other specific walking routes with top class guides and also other competitive challenges (either the one-day challenge events or the more arduous Munroes etc) have entirely altered the face of walking in the UK. We believe that the Pennine Way, being the first National Trail, still has a special place in the walking hierarchy and still represents a significant physical effort and because of this we believe our organisation remains important for future generations of walkers.

In the coming year there are proposals to alter Planning Law which will impact on the PW as indeed will the apparent reluctance to push on with the last big National Trail project – the Coastal Trail around England. At a time when financial restraints look as though they will be around for the forseeable future, we will be there to ensure that our much loved trail will get its share of funding and attention.

I noticed that you posted a small news story about the book on your website a little time ago (which is great) and I now wanted to bring you up-to-date on the book’s publication. The book will be published on July 5th of this year. I would be happy to send you a finished copy once they have arrived in May. Simon will also be doing an event in July, in which he will walk a section of the Pennine Way (from Thwaite to Hawes) and members of the public will be invited to join him.

We will of course continue to keep you updated with information about the book and hopefully a review once it is published!

There are some restrictions in place in the area of High Force as a result of disease in the juniper woodland.  There is an emergency closure of open access land (see attached file at end of this post), and users of the Pennine Way are asked to clean their boots at specially provided bio-security stations, to keep dogs on leads and to stick to the public rights of way.  The only issue really for walks leaders is the need to inform walkers, and to allow for the delays as everyone cleans their boots, but thought you might want to know.

We stress that the Pennine Way is still open and these restrictions do not close or divert the Pennine Way in any way, but this information is provided to advise you of the boot-cleaning and dogs on leads information.

To see the Open Access Land affected please Click Here to view a map in PDF format. You can read more about the disease affecting the juniper trees on this page on the Forestry Commission website.

Briefly they are to extend the Lake Distruct NP and extend it further east towards the Lune Valley, to include Bretherdale, Borrowdale, Whinfell and Grayrigg Commons and parts of the Lyth Valley. The Yorkshire Dales NP plans are to extend and include the northern Howgills, Wild Boar Fell, Mallerstang Edge, and Middleton, Barbon, Casterton and Lack Fells, most of which are featured in Wainwright’s book “Walks on the Howgill Fells”.

The campaign to have these extensions was led by the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England. They have been supported by the Friends of the Lake District, Campaign for National Parks, Open Spaces Society, Ramblers Association, John Muir Trust and the Yorkshire Dales Society, all of which have aims that broadly coincide with ours and have the support of the majority of the local population. This is a great opportunity to strengthen our National Parks and the PWA supports the proposed changes.

Add your own voice to support this important change by going to the CPRE website at www.cpre.org.uk and seeking out the petition or follow this direct link to the campaign page.

People in the North Pennines have opened their arms to me and have come together in places like village halls and pubs for a shared experience and l have realised how important gathering points like these are for often geographically scattered communities. North of my doorstep used to be a bit of a blank – the North Pennines, for me, was a huge unexplored area. It’s now on my mental map although l feel like l have only scratched the surface. It has an epic geography and a variety of landscapes that are on a breathtaking scale [he had just come over High Cup Nick]. It’s no longer a blank – instead it’s a place full of variety and surprising diversity – a place that l can see myself returning to.

Simon is writing a book about his walk which l imagine will be due out shortly and we will keep our members informed on this. As a matter of interest this year’s Annual Walk will be based at Langdon Beck which is a hotel l can definitely recommend. It captures the essence of the North Pennines as well as serving excellent ales (Jarrow Rivet Catcher is superb!) and top class local food.

After much consideration, the Wainwright Society Management Committee has agreed to pass over the role of ‘Responsible Organisation’ for the Pennine Journey long distance footpath to the Pennine Journey Supporters Club.

This new body, in course of being established, will have as its primary purpose “the support and promotion of the Pennine Journey” and its founder members are comprised mainly of Wainwright Society members who have been involved with the Pennine Journey project since its inception in 2005. The name of the new body reflects Alfred Wainwright’s membership of Blackburn Rovers Supporters Club at the time he walked his 1938 Pennine Journey.

The Club will seek to engage with local communities and organisations in achieving its aims which if successful will bring economic benefits to those communities through which the route passes.

The Management Committee of The Wainwright Society has recognised that for the Pennine Journey to make a real impact there is a need for the ‘Responsible Organisation’ to be more locally based when compared to the widespread membership of the Society.

The Wainwright Society wishes the Pennine Journey Supporters Club every success and hopes to see the route waymarked at the earliest opportunity.

More information can be found at the project’s website: www.penninejourney.org.uk

Discussions are now taking place to decide the constitution of the Pennine Journey Supporters Club and an inaugural meeting will take place on 31st March. It is expected that its purpose will be agreed as “to promote and support the Pennine Journey” and the Club will seek to engage with local organisations to, amonst other things, create economic benefit for the communities through which the walk passes. I hope that the new Club can develop a good relationship with the Pennine Way Association. Membership of the new body will be open to anyone with an interest in seeing a satisfactory conclusion to this tribute to Alfred Wainwright.

The initial monitoring of the route is to take place in early spring and it hoped that the waymarking will be completed by 25th September 2013 – the 75th anniversary of when Alfred Wainwright set out from Settle station.

As the press release says, information about the establishment of the Pennine Journey Supporters Club will become available on the website as the situation develops.

“The stone used had obviously had a previous life: besides obviously not being of the local geology, there were holes cut in it and remnants of what looked like metal railings. I simply wondered if it is known where the stone came from? Who had done the work to flag the path with it?”

Steve Westwood:
The flagging you saw between Cross Fell and Dun Fell is made from flooring flags from demolished textile mills in Lancashire and Yorkshire. The mills had stone floors to help prevent fires. I believe the flags are mainly gritstone – quarried in Lancashire and Yorkshire. The metal bits are where looms etc were fastened to the floor. Most of the flagging up there has been around for 10 to 15 years or more, however we have had problems on that section with lichen growing on the flags and making them slippery when wet. The flags you noticed as being quite recent may well be ones that have been recently turned over and relayed to give a less slippy walking surface.