Where has the summer gone?
We have been so busy walking and cycling that I haven't kept up with the blog so now here it is!
In July we went back to the lovely Bainbridge Ings campsite in Hawes to complete the section of the Pennine Way from Thwaite down to Gargrave.
Day 1 - Thwaite to Hawes - 8 miles
On the first day we took the 'Little Red Bus' from Hawes to Thwaite and then walked back to Hawes over Great Shunner Fell.
The Hawes village bus does a regular run to collect and deliver train passengers to the station at Garsdale Head, in between these journeys it provides an as required service to other local villages. I phoned the driver on his mobile and we arranged to meet the bus in Hawes Market Square at 11am. The bus is a little old with squeaky, bouncy seats but the children thought the whole experience was great fun!
After being dropped off in Thwaite we set off south on the Pennine Way, following the track up onto Great Shunner Fell.
At this point the weather wasn't too bad but rain clouds were threatening, it alternated between the top being clear to being enveloped in misty cloud.
The boys are the specks in the distance trying to get to the top first - which at this point is clear.
Almost at the top with an amazing view back down Swaledale.
By the time we got to the top the cloud had closed in again and we were swamped by a swirly mist. We sat in the shelter of the summit cairn and ate our lunch quickly.
About 15 minutes after leaving the summit we were back into the sunshine, the breeze made sure that we were quickly dried out. It was a long walk back down the track to Hawes so we stopped in Hardraw for refreshments before making our way back through the fields to Hawes.
Day 2 - Hawes to Horton in Ribblesdale 13 miles
Livi and I set off from the campsite, through the hamlet of Gayle and then up Rottenstone Hill onto Dodd Fell.
After the intial grassy paths out of Hawes the route joins the Cam High Road which is an old packhorse trail. Navigation is easy now as we follow the track all the way into Ribblesdale and our lunch time rendevous with the rest of the family.
The half-way point of todays walk - still on the track!
The first view of Pen-y-gent in the distance. I wanted to climb this with the children but they have gone on strike so I will have to come back and walk this another time - perhaps as part of the 'Three Peaks Challenge'.
At last we reached the point where the Pennine Way leaves the Cam High Road, and were met by the rest of the family who walked up the track to meet us. We sat eating with views of the Ribblehead viaduct in the distance - didn't see any trains though.
After lunch Livi went in the car with the others to Horton while James joined me on the track which initially took us over Ling Gill bridge and then along the top of the Ling Gill ravine the sides of which are so steep that some rare plants thrive there being out of reach of their usual predators.
We are truly into limestone country now and start coming across pot holes and streams like this that disappear into the ground. James and I continued along a grassy track down into Horton finishing in a heavy downpour that left us absolutely soaked.
Day 3 Horton in Ribblesdale to Gargrave - 20 miles
On my own today so Tim dropped me off in Horton where I set off up the path that took me to the south side of Pen-y-gent.
I was feeling a bit worn out today but luckily I had a bag of jelly babies in my pocket, these are fantastic for an energy boost! The path up towards Pen-y-gent was easy to follow and is obviously well trodden.
From the brow of the hill it was a downhill run along a path which luckily is mostly boardwalk as it is very marshy. After a short bit of road walking I set off up over Fountains Fell - another steep climb.
The top of Fountains Fell looking south towards Malham.
This bull was standing just the other side of the stile, I called him Boris, he was not at all interested in me but I kept close to the wall just in case!
I then headed down past Malham Tarn..
then down the Watlowes valley towards Malham pavement.
This is the view from the top of Malham Cove on the limestone pavement, I didn't get any closer to the edge as it is a very long way down. From here you have to make your way carefully across the limestone pavement and then down hundreds of steps to reach the cove at the bottom. I passed a lot of out of breath people making their way up to the top.
At the bottom I sat and had my lunch before continuing on into the village of Malham.
I was going to stop at Malham but it was only early afternoon so I decided to continue on down to Gargrave. This is the view back towards Malham with the cove in the background.
This last part of the walk was low level following the river valley, making it easy at the end of a long day.
Even the navigation wasn't too difficult.
Over the hill I walked down into Gargrave where I met Tim and the others in the car right beside the Eshton Road Caravan Park.
So I have now completed the Pennine Way from Hadrians Wall all the way down to Hebden Bridge. I plan to return to Hebden Bridge in the spring and walk down to Edale, or as an alternative we might use mountain bikes and follow the Pennine Cycle route.
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