Date: Thursday 28 May 2015

Walked from: Horton in Ribblesdale, North Yorkshire
Walked to: Hawes, North Yorkshire

Distance: 13.5 miles

Stayed: Herriot’s

Weather: Bit of everything 

Another wonderful day out in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This is my third trip to this part of the world and today’s walk just reconfirmed how utterly gorgeous it is. 

We had a straightforward day of walking, with a few easy ups and and downs on drystone walled lined stony tracks, thoughts drifting as and where they pleased, while soaking in the fantastic views. 

Points of particular note on the walk included the ravine at Ling Gill, a packhorse bridge, the almost never ending Cam Fell and the stunning Snazeholme Valley, captured occasionally in the glimmers of sunlight that fought their way out between the clouds. The walk down into Hawes was particularly lovely. 

We met some new Pennine Wayers today, Ken, a postman from Twickenham who, not content with walking the Pennine Way once, intends to turn back around at the end and go all the way back to Edale. In three weeks. Brilliant, in a bonkers kind of a way… Also Joanne and Andrew, a couple from Cheshire who are section walking the Pennine Way and seem to split their time between giggling infectiously (Jo) and admiring caves (not Jo) who we have seen a couple of times now. We’re all staying in the same place tonight – except @PilgrimChris, who nabbed the last YHA dorm bed from under Ken’s nose… much to his glee and Ken’s amusement. Mind you, as Ken had earlier left a weather-related note for Chris (‘weather update: it’s grim in Grimsby) – who hates being told the weather forecast – attached to a way finding post, I think they are pretty even…
Anyway, the two of them called enough of a truce last night for us to eat together at the Hawes curry house last night. It doesn’t have a license, but does let you bring in pints from the pub next door; I’ve never seen that variation of BYO before, but apparently it’s a thing in this part of the country. Who knew? Pleased me anyho!

Views aside though, the highlight of my day was doing my laundry in the washroom of the local campsite. The sheer, unadulterated joy of… clean clothes 🙂