The English Pennine Way - Days 8 & 9 — Long Walks, Organics & African Stuff

Day 8 – Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Hawes

I left Horton around 9.00 am to head for Hawes. For the first few kilometres, all my muscles were twitching and complaining. On the brighter side, my blisters had settled down and weren't so demanding of my attention anymore. So the journey went well.

On the rise out of Horton, the sun became scorching, so I put on my shorts. However, 2 km later, I began to suffer from the cold, when the wind kicked up strong and bitter. I began to feel sluggish and fed up. However, once I put on a thick sweater and trousers, I felt much better. As I got higher up is got colder still, so I put on my jacket. What an amazing difference that made, and to my mood. I can quite understand why people die from hypothermia in winter if the wind-chill today was anything to go by.

The track today, mostly followed old pack-horse trails, so it was green and pleasant to walk on. Only occasionally did the road deteriorate into large stones again, making walking painful on the feet and heels.

Just past Old Ing Farm is "Calf Holes", an enormous gap in the earth, below which are many deep caverns and holes. There was a group of young schoolchildren about to be taken down by a guide, but some of them looked very apprehensive. I peered in, and it was very steep and dark! I would be anxious too. At certain times of the year, after heavy rainfall, a waterfall, close by, flows straight down into this deep gap. Not for the faint-hearted if you ask me!

At "Ling Gill", an area has been fenced off that contains mixed woodland of ancient trees. The trees surround another big gash on the ground where limestone paving slabs jut out, over which a beautiful waterfall pours.

From here, I began to climb again, and the view got better and better, across vast areas of moorland. In the distance Penyghent, and sister Ingleborough, could still be seen quite clearly.

As I got higher, the wind also got stronger and colder; I was grateful for my jacket. Widdale opened up on my left, a lovely little valley along which the river Widdale flowed.

Following a ridge along an old Roman Road, the hills suddenly fell away in front of me to open up the stunning landscape of Wensleydale. I was so overcome with the view, that I sat down next to an abandoned farmhouse, and drank it all in. I remembered the wise words of Alfred Wainwright, a fellow walker, who said, "Always tarry long in the presence of beauty, for so much in life is barren".

**Wensleydale wildflowers - © Duncan Smith**

Shadows of clouds floated gently across the fields, undulating up and down, contouring the rise and fall of the ground. There were acres of wildflowers, stone walls, black-faced sheep, stone barns and pretty rooves of small hamlets hidden among trees. The River Ure glistened, diamond-like, as it wandered along its floor, disappearing every so often through woods to emerge again further along the dale. Overhead, skylarks rose higher and higher, happily trilling their song till almost out of sight, before plunging back to earth, to begin it all over again. The nearer I got to Gayle and Hawes, the view became even more stupendous.

**River Ure, and Haylands Bridge, near Hawes - © Duncan Smith**

I got into Hawes around 4.30 pm. It was a bustling town, sitting squarely on the A8625 main road. It was the hive of activity, being a Sunday, with people milling around and cars and coaches passing through. I had to wait an hour for the hostel to open, so I spent it window-shopping. The hostel was pleasant, so was dinner! I found a friendly pub in town, "The Fountain Hotel". It' so very important to keep hydrated on these long-distance walks, you know.

Today, I completed 160 km of my walk along the PW. Only 250 km to go. All downhill I hope!!?

I did stop many time to enjoy the views.

I walked 22.5 km in 7.5 hours

Day 9 – Hawes to Keld

I left Hawes to make for the tiny hamlet of Keld. It was an exciting route, with plenty of variation, from the beautiful Wensleydale; up and across Great Shunner Fell; through magnificent Swaledale, then around Kisdon to the hamlet of Keld. It wasn't too strenuous, but, in parts, a bit of ankle-shatterer over tracks of large stones.

Staying in Hawes meant I could catch up with a bit of shopping and go to the Bank to get more money. I also called home to let them know that I was okay. Being Monday, Hawes wasn't so busy with tourists, and it was also quite early, with just locals up and about their business.

**Hardrow Force waterfall - © Duncan Smith**

From Hawes I met a couple of Australians who were looking for Hardrow Force, which I wanted to see too, so we walked together. It is England's highest, single-drop waterfall at 30m. To view it we had to pass through "The Green Dragon Inn", and pay a fee of 20 P. The falls were a disappointment. Both J.M.W. Turner and William Wordsworth have visited the waterfall and stayed at the Inn.

From Hardrow Force I began the crossing over from Wensleydale to Swaledale via Great Shunner Fell, the highest point on the PW at 713 m. Curlews and skylarks kept me company again most of the way up, but as I neared Crag End Beacon the wind blew colder and stronger, so the birds didn't venture that far.

From the top, the view was breath-taking, Penyghent and Ingleborough hills could be seen to the south; to the west, the Lake District peaks; to the north-west, Cross Fell and north-east, Swaledale. You felt as if you were on top of the World. I had a bite to eat here, but not for long as it was quite chilly.

The views down towards Swaledale got better and better. The scene was spectacular, and I took many photographs. It would be lovely to return one day and spend more time exploring these beautiful hills and valleys. Down into Thwaite, a nondescript hamlet of a few stone houses, quickly through and on to Kisdon, thence to Keld.

The climb was reasonably gentle and took me around the Kingston Peak, a limestone outcrop, sporting many beautiful wildflowers. The path clung to one side of the Valley. On the opposite side was an ugly scar of an awful waste tip from a quarry there. I visited the waterfalls at East Gill Force which were quite impressive.

Deep into Swaledale, the River Swale snaked slowly along the valley floor, a mere trickle at this time of year. The path deteriorated into more ankle-straining stuff, until, eventually, I reached the village of Keld. Another small hamlet with lovely old stone houses. The names of Thwaite and Keld are pure Norse, indicating the origin of its early settlers.

I walked 24.2 km in 7 hours

Back to Days 6 and 7 - https://duncangoeswalking.squarespace.com/blog-pages/the-english-pennine-way-days-6-and-7

Onwards to Days 10 and 11 - https://duncangoeswalking.squarespace.com/blog-pages/the-english-pennine-way-days-10-to-11