Your Correspondent walked the whole of the Pennine Way in 1988. He returned for 5 days walking the southern section to see what it was like now. The short answer is: quite different. YC recalls the first few days as being an epic battle against the peat bogs with always an eye on the map to prevent one wandering astray. Now the walk is signposted at every path junction and much of the route is paved. YC appreciates that this stops folk getting lost and prevents erosion. But it rather takes the fun out of the walk, and the flagstones are murder on your feet.
It's also not possible to youth hostel the PW in its entirety anymore. The YHA suffered its own version of Beechings when numerous hostels closed 5 years ago. Furthermore many of those hostels which are open tend to be booked solid by school parties. Thus PW walkers either have to choose the expensive option of B&Bs or carry tents (which adds appreciably to the backpack weight). Perhaps not surprisingly, few people walk the PW in its entirety now. YC met just one person doing the whole lot.
On the plus side, YC chose to backpack with a tent. He wild-camped for 2 nights and stayed on basic campsites for another 2 nights. Total cost - £5. Bargain! Pick of the campsites was May's Aladdin's Cave near Hebden Bridge. It offered free camping to PW walkers. There was a view to Stoodley Pike, a farm shop selling pies, beautiful spring water to drink, and The New Delight pub 10 minutes walk away selling its own locally produced Bridestones ale: fantastic.
wild-camping on Pinhaw Beacon
Kinder Scout summit - the mother of all peat hags
The White House - a welcome lunchtime stop with Theakstons Bitter at £2.40/pint.
those dreaded flagstones
