Day 7 (Malham to Horton-in-Ribblesdale)

Distance: 15 miles
Cumulative: 95.5 miles
Gates: 24
Stiles: 10

Finlay, Tom and Adam, posting a parcel of books before setting off (don't ask!)

As you can see, we like to count - miles, stiles, gates, etc. It was a particularly hot walk today, I think 24 degrees. We left Malham at half past nine, after beans on toast (I don't recall how many) and arrived in Horton at four in the afternoon. The peaks numbered two. But on a long-distance walk it's always the people you meet along the way that you remember, and on my only stint on the Pennine Way the encounters were few, but they stand out. We (the rear guard, I mean, being me and my mum - Tom, the seasoned walker and taker of no prisoners faintly visible bestride the skyline) were overtaken by two men with daypacks and leather boots on the south face of Fountains Fell - hardly the north face of the Eiger, but we were taking our time nonetheless. They were friendly in passing, but we didn't stop to say much, and at the summit we passed them again, in search of a spot for lunch. They finished theirs first and began the descent as we were still eating. We didn't see them again until Pen-y-ghent, where we both arrived roughly simultaneously at the trig point. The sun was high by then, and despite the fair breeze our throats were dry. Our spaniel Finlay, who will probably appear in future entries, collapsed in the long grass, and we followed suit. It was as one of our friends, as I think of them now, though we only met briefly - in fact I hope that Tom and the ongoing party will run into them again - it was as he dropped to the ground, enjoying his exhaustion, and his partner laughed, 'That'll be him now, not bad at 62,' that I got a sense of a long friendship, the sort of thing that long-distance walks seem to celebrate. He offered to take our photo, and then they headed off. On the way down we recognized at the side of the lane a small hand-towel that had hung from the back of one of their packs. We picked it up, and mum will take it with her tomorrow as they make their way to Hardraw. I hope it can be returned. (Contributed by Adam)

Adam passing Malham Tarn

 

Adam, Finlay, Meg and Tom on the top of Pen-y-ghent