Walked this section on Thursday 3rd June 2010. James and I set off from Bowes very early in the morning, Tim and the others went off to the RVI in Newcastle to get Kez's ingrowing toe nails seen to. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and we set off in good spirits keen to get going and away from the A66, the noise from which followed us for the first hour out of Bowes.
Eventually we climbed up out of the valley onto the moorland and at last put the A66 behind us. The weather was really warming up by now so we stopped to change into shorts. It was just a little further on from here that we had our naked man experience! It is quite secluded up here so when we turned a corner to walk down past a couple of cottages we startled a man who was just having a quiet stroll around his garden. He did have a dressing gown on but it was open at the front, he retreated into his cottage very quickly.
This sheep was sporting the latest look in wooly garters!!
This was a lovely section, having left Bowes and the A66 in the valley we passed through a number of upland farms, mostly sheep farms but also some cattle.
Then we were up onto the high moorland, lucky the weather was this clear and sunny because although the first section was an easy to follow track it soon degenerated into braided paths through the peat bogs. At times we had to leave the 'main' path to pick our way across the tussocks, we passed a man going the other way doing the same thing and we pointed out the way to each other before hopping on.
At last after 3 1/2 hours we reached Tan Hill and the highest pub in England.
Time for a nice cold half of lager!
We also had lunch here but it wasn't the best pub meal we have ever had, James' burger had to go back because it was pink on the inside. Lots of people stop here though, walkers, cyclists and motorcyclists. While we were here a horse and cart pulled in, probably on their way to the Appleby Horse Fair which was on this week.
James made some new friends.
After Tan Hill it was easy, though hot walking along a track which took us through to the Yorkshire Dales. This is the view as we started to descend down off the moorland and into the village of Keld. We stopped here for a well earned ice lolly at the farm where there is also a lovely campsite.
After Keld there is a noticeable change of scenery and you definitely feel that you have entered the Yorkshire Dales. We continued on to the village of Thwaite where Tim picked us up in the car. The journey from here back to Hawes by road goes over the Buttertubs pass, very scenic and obviously a favourite of people on motorbikes and in open top sports cars.
The following day Kez had to go back to the RVI with Tim to have her toenails operated on so the children and I stayed in Hawes and did a short walk to Hardraw force waterfall. Some people were walking round the back of it but there isn't much of a path so we stayed in front. While we were there a couple of men absailed down from the top right next to the waterfall, I would have taken a picture but the camera had just run out of battery.
Because of Kez's toe nail operation and all the driving back and forwards to Newcastle we didn't get as much walking done as I had hoped so will be going back to Hawes at the end of July to carry on.
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