The Pennine Way Day 6 - Grid 853 722 to Hawes 30 March 2011.

The Pennine Way - Day 6
Grid SD 853 722 to Hawes
Distance 26.5km Climb 740m
Wednesday 30th March 2011

The day started misty then the weather moved to a more persistent rain as the day moved on. After packing my kit I set of up a misty and invisible Pen-y–Ghent. 

Can you see Pen-y-Ghent?

It is there some where

It seamed to take me ages to climb up it.  It looked like the Pennine Way route took me across some open fields or it may have been I turned off the route too early.  Never mind Pen-y-Ghent was hard to miss as it was up, up, then more up.  Part of it was climbing up the steep side I previously mentioned in my Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge.  The mist cleared a little as I reached the top.  

Spot Height on Pen-y-Ghent

At the top of Pen-y-Ghent the Pennine Way turned directly West over a style then follows a route down.  Near the bottom as the Pennine Way hits the track towards Horton in Ribblesdale I saw a shepherd moving amongst his sheep.  It was sad watching him picking up a number of dead lambs.  

Before I had started walking today I had made the decision to have breakfast at the Pen-y-Ghent Cafe in Horton in Ribblesdale.  

Approaching Horton in Ribblesdale

When I got there I found the cafe was closed.  I sat outside to have a drink of water, check my map and plan my next steps, when a lad from the cafe came out for a chat. I think he thought I needed some help.  Anyway it had taken me so long to get up and down Pen-y-Ghent that I was now in Horton in Ribblesdale in time for the pub, The Crown.  So I had an hour and a half break, having some lunch.  While in the pub I heard the landlady saying on the phone that they were fully booked and would be from April until August.  Then the conversation in the bar turned to talk about an increase in the price of beer and the impact it would have on their costs. I am sure being fully booked and always being full of people eating and drinking they would still be in profit.

Leaving The Crown The Pennine Way turns left, following a track heading North.  I started walking again just as the rain started getting heavier.  

Leaving The Crown the view of Pen-y-ghent

As I moved through the heavy rain, after just over 4km The Pennine Way turns West before moving to another track heading North.  It was near here I passed a group of three walkers going in the opposite direction.  I suspected they were on their Duke of Edinburgh expedition, mainly because they carried their maps in plastic map cases on strings around their necks.  Fully wrapped up in head to toe waterproofs, and a badge saying DofE was a bit of a give away.

At a junction with the Dales Way the Pennine Way heads North East for a number of km, into Gayle and then leads into Hawes.

I had started walking at 09.00 and finished walking at 19.00 in Hawes.  The weather was still bad, and being very tired, rather than look for a campsite I decided to treat myself and stop in a B&B and found myself a room at the Queens Head.  When I considered how tired I was I thought about the time I was walking and the distance I had covered. The book I was following was on day 8 and I had covered this in 6 days walking. I was ahead of my plan, 179km/111 ½ miles, according to the book.

I had a meal in the bar, it was still raining outside.  In the corner of the bar a Spanish class was in progress.  After the class they sat and discussed a new program on the telly, Adrian Edmondson’s and his view of the Yorkshire Dales.  After doing The Pennine Way when I was back at home I watched his program a few times and saw many of the places I had passed on my walk.

So today I walked approx 8 ½ hours and covered 26 ½km with approx 740m of climb.  

More to follow.


Boz North
Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done on The Pennine Way or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to previous - Day 5 Gargrave to Grid SD 853 722
Follow link to next - Day 7 Hawes to Tan Hill Inn
Follow the link to another time I walked Pen-y-Ghent as part of the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge