not only cooler, but as a result it is also denser than the air mass sitting in the Vale of Eden.
After crossing the highest parts of the North Pennines, the northeasterly wind is cold, dense, and suddenly runs out of high ground. The air literally ‘falls’ down the East Fellside slope, and if it could be seen, it would probably look like a tidal wave. This, and only this, is the Helm Wind. The greater the northeasterly wind speed, the greater the force with which it plummets down the East Fellside, and if it is particularly strong, wet and cold, it is capable of great damage. Very few habitations have ever been built on this slope, and the villages below were generally built with their backs to the East Fellside, and most of them originally lacked doors and windows on their windward sides.
The air mass now does some peculiar things, having dropped, cold and dense, to hit a relatively warm air mass sitting in the Vale of Eden. A ‘wave’ of air literally rises up and curls back on itself. As warm and cold air mix, there is another phase of condensation inside an aerial vortex, resulting in the formation of a thin, twisting band of cloud that seems to hover mid-air, no matter how hard the wind blows at ground level. This cloud is called the ‘Helm Bar’ and is conclusive proof that the Helm Wind is ‘on’, as the locals say.
Local folk say that no matter how hard the Helm Wind blows, it can never cross the Eden. All the wind’s energy is expended in aerial acrobatics on the East Fellside, where it can roar and rumble, while the Vale of Eden experiences only gentle surface winds. Northeasterly winds are uncommon and short-lived, so after only a few days the system breaks down and the usual blustery southwesterly winds are restored. In the meantime, don’t refer to any old wind as the Helm Wind until all its characteristics have been noted, including the northeast wind, the Helm Cap and the Helm Bar.
Wildlife
Swaledale sheep are common throughout the Yorkshire Dales
Pennine pastures offer good grazing for sheep and cattle, while the higher moorlands offer passable grazing for sheep in the summer months. Only in the North Pennines are fell ponies likely to be seen, and feral goats are occasionally spotted in the Cheviot Hills. Other mammals that can be seen include foxes, badgers, hares and rabbits, along with small rodents, or bats in the evenings.
The heather moorlands of the Pennines are managed for grouse-shooting, which involves the control of ‘vermin’, meaning anything likely to affect the numbers of grouse on the moors. Red grouse are dominant, but there are small areas in the North Pennines with black grouse too. The plaintive piping of the curlew will be heard on the moors, while snipe may be flushed from cover. Lapwings are notable in high pastures, usually when trying to distract walkers from their nesting sites. The reservoirs and bog pools attract all manner of wildfowl and waders, and it is not uncommon to find raucous colonies of gulls breeding on the high moors, far from the sea. Emperor moths are also notable on the high moors.
Reptiles include common lizards, adders and grass snakes, although these are rarely seen. Amphibians include frogs and increasingly rare newts, while the native white-clawed crayfish is under great threat from competition and disease introduced by non-native species.
A well-camouflaged adder on a heather moor adopts its strike position when approached too closely
Plant life
Woodlands are rare in the Pennines, although densely planted commercial forests occur in some places. For the most part, the high Pennines feature tussocky moor grass with boggy patches of sphagnum moss. In the summer months, vast areas of nodding bog cotton give the impression of snow-covered slopes. There is rather less heather than most people expect, and much of it has been managed to provide a habitat for red grouse. The dominant species is ling, although there are occasional areas of bell heather. Heather is burnt on a rotational basis, so that there are always young heather shoots for grouse to feed on, as well as dense ‘leggy’ heather for shelter. Heather seeds are fairly resistant to fire, but in places where heather is over-burnt, invasive bracken is quick to take hold. Some heather moorlands also feature bilberry and crowberry, while the higher, bleaker, boggier moorlands are home to an interesting arctic remnant – cloudberry.
Cloudberries, arctic remnant plants, only grow on the highest and bleakest parts of the Pennine Way
There is very little tillage on Pennine farms, and most fields are managed as pastures for farm stock. Some fields are managed for hay, and in the dale-heads of the North Pennines, haymaking comes so late in the summer that wildflowers have a chance to drop their seeds, making the meadows rich in species and remarkably colourful.
The range of plants thriving in Upper Teesdale owes its existence to several factors. Arctic/alpine species survive because the climate in this bleak region suits them, keeping taller and more competitive plants at bay. The underlying crumbling ‘sugar limestone’ suits some species, while others grow on sodden, acid peat bogs. Plants that once grew in well-wooded areas now survive by adapting to life in the shade of boulders and cliffs. Many people have heard of the spring gentian, which is strikingly blue on sunny days in early summer, but few know where to find it. Large expanses of juniper are easily spotted, but in recent years a fungal disease has attacked these. Other species of note include the mountain pansy, alpine bistort, bird’s eye primrose, globe flower, Teesdale violet and blue moor grass. These grow alongside more commonplace wild thyme, tormentil, thrift and harebells, while wood anemones and woodland ferns have adapted to non-wooded habitats. The ‘Teesdale Assemblage’ of plants are survivors from bygone ages, reminding visitors how habitats have changed over time.
THE PENNINE WAY
Halfway up the slopes of Knock Fell with the Lake District visible beyond (Day 14)
DAY 1
Edale to Torside
| Start | Railway Station, Edale, SK 123 853 |
| Finish | The Old House, Torside, SK 049 978 |
| Distance | 25.5km (16 miles) |
| Total ascent | 680m (2230ft) |
| Total descent | 680m (2230ft) |
| Time | 8hrs |
| Terrain | Elevated, extensive and exposed boggy moorlands, with several stretches of firm flagstone path. Careful navigation is required on some stretches in mist. |
| Maps | OS Landranger 110, OS Explorer OL1, Harvey’s Pennine Way South |
| Refreshments | Pubs and cafés at Edale. Café at Torside. |
In its earliest days, the Pennine Way left Edale in two directions. The ‘main’ route made a direct ascent of Kinder Scout, crossing soft peat bogs that proved very confusing in mist, while the ‘alternative’ route skirted round the edge of the plateau. The top of Kinder Scout became very badly over-trodden, so the Pennine Way now follows only one route out of Edale, staying on firm ground. The moors between Kinder Scout and Bleaklow were once trodden into a filthy quagmire, but now boast fine flagstone paths. Attention to route-finding is necessary on Bleaklow, where some walkers drift off-course. Bear in mind that this is a hard day’s walk, and some trekkers realise too late that they are not equal to the task. The final descent of the day is quite awkward and rugged underfoot. Originally, this first stage ended at Crowden, but in recent years most wayfarers stop at the Old House at Torside.
EDALE
This little village can be overwhelmed by visitors, especially on summer weekends. If arriving by train, simply follow the road a short way