Bogs fallen into: 0 (although path was quite marshy and squelchy for some of the way)
Bus drivers chatted up: 1
Clothing disaster: fleece zip broken, typically as I’m getting higher on the moors and will probably need warm clothing!
This morning, I was up and dressed, tent taken down and I was driving to Cowling at 6.45 am. Sadly, the journey took longer than anticipated and I didn’t start walking until 7.40 am.
I’ve been conscious all day that I had a lot of miles to cover and that I had to be in Malham for four o’clock to get the last bus back to Skipton. I think I’ve quite possibly just got tired and was trying to achieve too much today? The paths today have been mainly on farmland and I’ve not seen any other walkers, only farmers to give a cheery wave as they drove past in their tractors. At least I THINK it was a cheery wave?
Quite quickly, I’d had a couple of climbs and stopped to sit on a couple of dry stone walls for a breather and to just watch life down in the valleys. The sun hadn’t totally burned the mist off and the views, although stunning, were very hazy. I soon passed Lothersdale and Thornton-in-Craven, and walked along the Leeds Liverpool canal towards Gargrave where I stopped for lunch. I was really overheating and needed some shade – the Masons Arms has the dubious distinction of being the only pub in which I’ve ever taken my boots and socks off!!
From Gargrave, I still had six miles to go and only three hours to get there – blinking timetables! I got quite excited past Gargrave as I recognised the path from the Trailtrekker route. I sent text messages to my fellow team members and was just sorry that Jonathan was nowhere in site with the bacon butties …..
I was beginning to panic slightly at Hanlith, especially as I’d forgotten about the really horrible hill climb there before heading round and down into Malham. The only thing to lift my spirits at this point was that I could see Malham Cove! I made it down to the village with half an hour to spare for the bus and had a major result at Skipton – a bus was heading out to Cowling and while, strictly speaking, the bus didn’t actually go as far along the A6068 as my car was parked, the driver was a guardian angel and dropped me off at my car! So I got back to Malham for my campsite at least an hour earlier than I’d anticipated – quick shower and a dash back into the village to the Buck Inn for tea and a well earned glass of wine. The last time I was in this pub was on a training walk back in March, when we reached the pub in darkness and sat, cold and tired, with puddles forming around us!
Malham Cove and Penyghent tomorrow – have gone from excitement to terror – what if I can’t do it?
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