The Pennine Waltz Written by Lawrence Farrell who walked the Pennine Way with his brother in law Malcolm in 1998 If ever you have time to spare But where to go you know not where Then buy stout boots and take a pack Of socks and clothes upon your back You’ll need a compass, a stick, a map And your very own friendly blister pack One last thing ‘err its too late Don’t forget to take a mate Now off to Edale at break of day You’re going to walkbthe Pennine Way Point to north and off you go Best foot forward, heel to toe First you’ll climb up Kinder Fell Then walk through mud and bog as well Then perhaps a day of tiring heat Of aching legs and sweaty feet A friendly wave from Farmer Giles Though he doesn’t believe you’ll do the miles You wave back and on you plod Over fence and hill and sod The Helm Wind will take one look at you And won’t intend to let you through But you are made of sterner stuff Of northern grit and body tough So rest your head at the local inn With a beer or two, perhaps a gin For today you’ll walk upon Cross Fell It could be heaven, it could be hell There’s fiends up there and devils too Who may play a game with you They’ll mist your eyes with sudden cloud And wail and screech with thunder loud Yet if you say “good day to you” They’ll lift the mist and let you through Theres a Roman fort with marble floor And artefacts from days of yore And baths and shops and bathing springs And soldiers quarters in its wings You’ve far to go and much to do The wall of Hadrian beckons you But now you’re strong and off you go “Heel & toe, heel & toe, heel & toe” On the Cheviot rain soaked patch Is where you’ll almost meet your match Two steps to the right then one to the fore Three to the left then fore once more Firm steps forward, perhaps one false I call this bit “The Pennine Waltz” Kirk Yetholm’s pub now beckons you 200 yards will see you through Now you’ll have a night to rest To sink a beer, to puff your chest You’ll talk and talk in later days Of how you spent your Pennine Ways  

Written by Lawrence Farrell in 2023 Dedicated to his sister in law Yvonne What is happening to me? I cannot tell I seem to think I’m not too well Who is that stood there, he seems so nice He said I love you, he said it twice I know him now, I am his wife And I’ve loved him all our married life Yet sometimes my thoughts are not too clear What is today? What is the year? What is happening to me? I cannot say Please take me home, i know the way At home I’ll sing and dance once more I’ll ‘Zorba’s Dance’ across my floor We’ll talk of how our life has been Of things we did and things we’d seen Of how we loved and planned a life Of happiness devoid of strife What is happening to me? I feel so weak I’ve things to say but cannot speak My daughter stands beside my bed I feel her tears upon my head My light is now dim and no longer glows There’s darkness now, not what I chose Where am I now, why must I wait? What is happening to me, what is my fate? What is happening to me? I feel content It feels so nice, so heaven scent So blissful in a tranquil world Our Shangri La lies here unfurled I’ll wait with patience for my man He’ll join with me when he just can And when his life he has fulfilled A paradise just here we’ll build  

We hope that you find this tribute to Lawrence a place of comfort, support and inspiration for you to visit whenever you want or need to.