Day 8 Hawes to Keld

 The obligatory selfie from the start of the day in Hawes

Today was a slightly shorter, than normal, 14 miles but there was a lot of ascent  and the warm weather in the afternoon made it quite hard. The limestone of the Dales has now disappeared for a short while and the peat landscape we encountered at the start of the walk is back first we have a pleasant stroll through Wensleydale out of Hawes across meadows and by the river,  a delight

Soon we got to the green dragon Inn at Hardraw which is the pub used in the series  All creatures great and small

behind the green dragon is hardraw force waterfall which we discussed making the detour to but so little rain lately we decided against this excursion. We now had the inevitable ascent of great Shunner Fell. It stands at 2349 feet and is Yorkshire’s third highest mountain This was the highest point.we’ve reached so far on our walk there was nothing technical about it we just needed strong calf muscles to  carry us along the 4 1/2 mile up hill track to the summit.

There are 360 degrees views from the top but lunch is more important 😜

From here It’s a long gentle descent with fabulous views 

It’s obvious why this is called Black Hill

And it just gets better 

We press on towards Swale and into Thwaite unfortunately the tea rooms were closed ,

we  have a good climb from the village up the steep slopes of Kittson Hill. Hey, yeah, we can see the village of Muker in a distance.

It’s beautiful everywhere you look

We have to take a narrow rocky track with incredible views into winner Gill

 

and onto East Stonesdale from here we have to continue to go into Keld. I have to stop occasionally to take in the views

A day of spectacular views. 

Thanks to all our new sponsors the total continues to rise ❤️❤️

https://www.justgiving.com/page/steve-jane-kirsty-1704720779976?

Todays route

Day 7 Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Hawes

From our accommodation,

we returned to the start of the path where we left yesterday. We passed the scene of last evenings celebration 😜

It now seems traditional that we climb instantly each day.  We started with a long climb along the narrow Harber Scar lane

with the views behind, if you ignore the Scar of the quarry, being an excuse for a breather as we soaked them in.

 

 A decent gap between my full English and this immediate climb might of paid dividends, hindsight is a good thing This day has consisted of wall enclosed stony tracks old packhorse trials used for centuries a thoroughfares  over the wild limestone moors and the final descent across Moorland and fields into Hawes. The almost ever present drystone walls on this section tend to mute the exhilaration of being out on the moors, but do make for easy navigation With limestone comes potholes and one example is at Sell Gill holes , where the water from Sell Gill disappears into a gaping hole in the ground.

The way now crosses Jackdaw Hill and an old trading route. This seem to go on for a long time and the hard surface was quite tough on our feet. We pass a  reserve at Ling Gill which was a deep vein, just beyond was the ancient packhorse bridge at Ling Bridge a perfect spot to ponder

By

then continued onto the expanse of Cam Fell. Here the pass meets a harsh logging road at Cam End, again tough on our feet but with views of all three the Yorkshire peaks as well as Ribblehead viaduct.

Where the  Pennine  way  meets Cam  High Road is the route of an old Roman Road now upgraded to support timber Lorrie’s, this harsh logging road has eradicated any sign of the path that used to carry Romans, Drovers, packhorses and walkers.

We did pass the high point of the Dales Way, a much shorter long distance path. We turn left of the tarmac to you join West Cam Road another old drove route above the lush valley of Snaizeholme

we hugged the lip of Dodd fell on our right and the valley on our left  

around us the sky was huge and the path unravels easily and the moorland walking is straight forward up and down Rottenstone hill

Hawes is now in view seen like a far distant land Wensleydale 

We then have a path through a boggy field

We go onto Hawes via fields and past the church

We go past St. Margarets church

And finally through an old entrance to Hawes main road

We then turn right and a short walk to our accommodation. Today’s route was not particularly hard but the heat certainly made it tough. 

Day 6 Kirkby Malham to Horton in Ribblesdale

 An amazing day today, yes surprised at the end by my Daughter and Grandson. My Brother joined us for today’s leg as it was my birthday. This was our favourite leg so far with stunning scenery and great weather. We walked 18 miles and 3,300’ of ascent.  As we started from our accommodation in Kirkby Malham

we returned to the Pennine way and immediately took a steep Hill turn past some pretty properties 

then over uneven fields

I was forced to wear a birthday badge

crossing a small stone slab footbridge and passing the turning to Janet’s Foss and Gordale scar to reach Malham. Very soon leaving the village we encounter the incredible Malham Cove this famous limestone theatre the sight of an ancient waterfall is now home to Peregrine Falcons and climbers.

The ascent of the steps beside the Cove doesn’t actually count as one of the two tough climbs up today, but it certainly had us breathing heavily as we climb out of the limestone valley below.

The top of the cove is just as impressive and was used in part of the Harry Potter films

We walk down dry valley to Malham tarn

which is unusual a lake in a porous limestone country we eventually reach tenant Guild farm and the foot of fountains fell where we take an obvious path. This leads up 900 foot of ascent and incredible views all around as we reach the top of the climb,

we get the sight of Pen-Y- Ghent,  meaning ‘hills of the winds’ this is one of the Yorkshire three peaks and our next target.

 Descending from Fountains fell we then follow a country lane which provides a perfect panorama of the profile of Pen-Y-Ghent which we will be shortly ascending. At its base the climb looked ferocious and quite daunting, but it wasn’t quite as difficult as it looked but was very steep and had a few scrambles.  

At the top we get the poster out to remind everyone we are raising money for’Mind’ and earning every penny 🥵🥵

From the trig point the path down to Horton in Ribblesdale on the other hand it is quite jarring and hard as it is to support the hundreds of thousands of three peakers who use it every year, it’s quite a difficult on the knees and feet

But the views were still beautiful 

eventually arrive at our pod in Horton in Ribblesdale which had been decorated by Faith. 

Today’s route