Day 11 (Clove Lodge - Langdon Beck)

Distance: 15 miles 
Cumulative: 159.5 miles

Gates: 42

Stiles: 48

Red letter day today. We finally managed to get the cream tea we have been searching for since we left Malham. The Conduit Tea Room in Middleton in Teesdale didn't disappoint....and the rock cakes were great too. 

The Cream Tea

Clearly we avoided being trampled to death by Baldersdale cows. Having left Clove Lodge we walked past the house where Hannah Hauxwell lived, farming without mechanical aids, running water or electricity until 1988. She was the subject of a fascinating BBC documentary . The route followed the Tees upstream passing Low Force and High Force. 

Low Force

Tom and Finn at High Force

Dale B&B is lovely, and we highly recommend tea at the Langdon Beck Hotel. I will be so sad to leave Tom tomorrow and head back to the real world and work. 

Meg.

 

Day 10 (Tan Hill to Clove Lodge)

Distance: 17 miles 
Cumulative: 144.5

Gates: 25
Stiles: 19
We set off at a good pace down from the Tan Hill Inn, over mercifully dry peat moorland passing numerous grouse butts. I was glad to be the right side of the glorious 12th (is it the 12th?).

Tom at the half-way point on the Pennine Way (or thereabouts!)

We were off the moor after 2 hours and reckoned at that rate we would be at the B&B by two. This seemed a touch early so we decided to take the alternative and slightly longer route via Bowes. In my mind Bowes was quite a big place with that splendid museum where we were bound to be able to get a cream tea to celebrate the half way point of the walk. Unfortunately that place is actually Barnard Castle another 4 miles in the wrong direction and there is nothing in Bowes except a ruined castle. We marked the occasion instead with the end of an oft melted bar of chocolate Caitlin had left for us. 

Bowes Castle

We continued on the alternative route over Cotherstone Moor to Baldersdale. 

A little rest....

We had been warned about some killer cows here by friends who did the walk last year and only narrowly escaped with their lives by vaulting a barbed wire topped wall. Fortunately we didn't encounter any cows and arrived safely at Clove Lodge, possibly the most beautiful B&B ever. You will have to wait until tomorrow to see if we can get out of Baldersdale in one piece....

Baldersdale

 

Day 9 (Hardraw to Tan Hill)

Distance: 16 miles

Cumulative: 127.5

Gates: 22

Stiles: 11

Today we set off from Hardraw, and having agreed to partake in this day of the walk I was not informed that in fact today's route included the largest amount ascent of the whole walk. We then, obviously, began up a hill with the morning sun on our backs. Not being a walker we only got several hundred meters before I had to take off my boots and treat two blisters. 

The first blister

We continued to hike on until we reached the first of many summits for our elevenses, only for Tom to open up his ruck sack and say "I wasn't given any food today....". 

Field barns near Thwaite

We continued on towards Keld, and my spirits rose when I saw I sign that claimed Keld, our lunch destination, was only 2 miles away. After possibly the longest two miles of my life, I limped into Keld, abandoned even by dog, at the back. 

Finn swimming near Keld

I agreed to continue on the premis that Tom gallantly carried my rucksack, and we set off toward Tan Hill. Despite popular belief I made it to top, and the spectacular views made it all worth while. 

The Tan Hill Inn comes into view

The food was fantastic and the day was made by a hot shower. 

Contributed reluctantly by Caitlin

Day 8 (Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Hardraw)

Distance: 16 miles
Cumulative: 111.5 miles
Gates: 15
Stiles: 35


Great news! The blue towel has been reunited with its owner. Adam's hunch was right that the towel was doing the Pennine Way. 
We set off from Horton at about 09.15. Passing Calf Holes pothole brought back fond memories of many freshers' weekends. It is an ideal introduction to caving in the Dales and has seen many hapless groups of ill-dressed 18 year olds passing through. Some instant converts to the sport and some who probably still have to sleep with their bedroom light on as a consequence of the trip. 

A couple of hours later as we started up Cam Fell we heard footsteps behind us - our acquaintances from Fountains Fell and the owner of the now-famous blue towel. His delight at being reunited with his trusty walking companion was obvious. They were indeed walking the Pennine Way, but in short sections over time as work allowed. 

The walk over Cam High Road and down into Hawes was lovely. We spent a while trying to work out all the different geological features we could see and I wished I had concentrated more when I was testing Caitlin during her revision for AS geography earlier in the summer. After a pot of tea, banana milk shake and a ice cream in Hawes we wandered along the river to Hardraw. There was a folk festival in full swing with a great atmosphere, the rooms were lovely too. 

We had a quick look at the waterfall soon after we arrived. Caitlin, Finn and Nick are due to join us for tea.

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

Day 6 (Gargrave to Malham)

Distance: 7 miles
Cumulative: 80.5 miles
Gates: 26
Stiles: 15

 Another bright, sunny day, but fortunately a short one! At Gargrave we met up with three of Tom's friends from school - Ben Cooper, Smith Middleton and Jacob Jackson - who were to walk the stage with us. The road ran through shady woods to start, then onto Craven farm land where making hay and silage was in full swing.

We crossed Eshton Moor before joining the Aire and had elevenses sitting by the river at Newfield Bridge. Then gently up the stream to Airton, with its imposing converted Mill.

Hanlith provided a steep little climb to a lovely shaded lunch spot above the weir, in sight of Malham.

The morning's walk had been a complete delight!

Day's end in Malham

Day 5 (Ponden to Gargrave)

Distance: 18 miles
Cumulative: 73.5
Gates: 52
Stiles: 44

The Old Silent Inn couldn't provide breakfast until 9am but offered us a packed lunch in lieu if we wanted to set off early. With even higher temperatures forecast we decided to start walking at 8am, fortified by a couple of biscuits. What a fortunate decision! We set off in cool, low cloud and walked round Ponden Reservoir and up the first climb of the day to Icornshaw Moor in comfort before stopping on the descent for 'breakfast'. While we ate the sun came out as our companion for the rest of the day.

Setting off from the top of Ickornshaw Moor

Going down to Cowling we passed a curious collection of private 'bothies', apparently accessible only on foot, all of which had stoves - hard work getting in the fuel!
From Cowling the second big climb of the day went over Cowling Hill and down a steep-sided valley into picturesque Lothersdale. Back in Craven! Sadly, it seemed that the standard of waymarking dropped as we came into Craven and we twice missed our turning because of overgrown or non-existant waymarks.

Lothersdale

The sight of the Hare and Hounds was even more welcome, with a chance for drinks, a light lunch (too hot to eat much) and, above all, refilling our water carriers. Despite carrying some 2.5 litres each we had used most of it on the way over and would not make it to Gargrave without a refill. The Landlord said that he had been filling water carriers all week!
The third big climb of the day over Elslack Moor gave us views into North Craven and more gentle farmland - but on the tops it was still hot!

Down into Thornton-in-Craven and snacks on a stone seat under a large tree. The fourth and last section started with a climb over Langber Hill to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

No time to stop at the Cross Keys! It was up and over Scaleber Hill before dropping down into Gargrave at 5.40pm and welcome drinks in the Old Swan.