
So Saturday morning dawned to a frost and by 7am where up and out and on the road to Horton. Amanda and Karren as support crew, the rest starting the walk. Met up with Ian and Rob and at 7.50am passed the Cafe, we were off! Ian had done this several times before although as it turned out there were loads of people, obviously a popular challenge, so as long as the others knew where they were going we could be sheep and follow them! Our challenge was to do the 3 peaks which entailed a 24.5 mile circuit in under 12 hours.
So up to Pen-y-ghent (694 metres - 2,276 feet) we went, quickly the layers started to be removed and the first emergency of the day. Marti needed a hair band! But thanks to Jocky's TA training, a toggle off the rucksack was used to manufacture a solution, sorted! With Finn leading the way we soon reached the base of the scramble. Ian by now was convinced I was a Japanese Tourist (taking pictures), but as the rest know, I do have fun playing with the results! So up we went, peak one, time for Rachel to exorcise her demons. On trail trekkers the words of "never again" were uttered. Didn't seem as bad this time or maybe it was because we hadn't been walking 10 hours beforehand? Finally we where there, all present and correct. With Blue skies, you could see for miles, truly breath taking thanks to the views and the wind!!! Gazing across to Whernside (peak number 2), it seems absolute miles, but the Viaduct could be seen and would be our first support crew stop.
So down Pen-y-ghent we go across a boggy bit and a good pace in glorious sunshine with all in good spirits. Pace was good, actually very good so a text sent to say we would arrive early. But mobile reception was soon lost again and on arrival at Ribblehead (midday), no sign of the support crew. But Jocky and his full size rucksack which had everything bar the kitchen sink produced some goodies. The sight if the Princess Elizabeth steam train crossing the viaduct got the boys dashing for there camera's and a reminder that I had a thigh strain and shouldn't of done that! The arrival of the girls and grub saw Ian and Rob look flabbergasted, they obviously hadn't heard about our feasts but didn't turn down the opportunity to replenish the spent calories. Rachel decided to give her knee a rest and join us for the third peak so the girls retired to the pub and rest of us set off.
Along the railway, past a small waterfall and then up a long constant incline to the Whernside ridge, the highest point of Yorkshire (736 metres - 2,415 feet). Many found this hard going, looking up ahead, people looked like ants but bit by bit up we went. Finn was going strong and got the impression was taking Susan for a walk, not the other way around, while Steve had a family reunion! Eventually we reach the top, it was 2.15pm, Pen-y-ghent was on the horizon. Seemed difficult to believe we had waked all that way. Reaching this point raised the spirit and looking across to Ingleborough, we had a real purpose in our step. But when ever you go up, you have to go down, unless you have an helicopter ( But as Rachel had pointed out earlier, we should be careful as the rescue helicopter was grounded, thats thinking ahead for you!!!) so had no choice and as many found this the worst bit. The next pub stop was reached and surprise surprise inside was the support crew who didn't move an inch and bunged us the car keys to resupply!
So to the final stage, Susan's knee's where not happy so decided to call it a day as did Rachel. Marti who had never walked more than 16 miles and thought she would do one peak, possibly two at a push, now had a decision? But this was helped along by the announcement by Amanda there was now no room left in the car for anyone else! So after declaring Marti an honorary boy much to her dismay. Ian, Rob, Steve, Tristan, Jocky and Marti set off for the final peak, it was now 4.10pm, 3 hours 40 minutes left.
In many ways Ingleborough looks the most imposing. At 723 metres 2,372 feet its only 44 feet lower and there is no obvious way up. But as you got nearer most of us took a gulp as we could just make out the zigzag path up, if Rachel had seen that, that would of been an instant 180 degree's turn! But we hadn't come all this way to turn back now and up close it wasn't so daunting although a number of brief stops on the way up helped and actually scaled it in 14 minutes. We were there, on the top plateau, looking like a lunar landscape. A last climb saw us to a wind break and the trig point, We had done it! Although for one member this didn't sink in for several minutes!!! Of course by now we had become cocky, no peak was too high and we demanded a 4th! But looking at the watch needed to get back to Horton.
The decent was a tricky at first but became easier with Jocky suddenly demanding that we opened out our legs further! By this time of the day, the team joke was that Marti, how can we put it, has something to say about everything! But determined to prove this was untrue went on a silence which would last until we got to the pub, an hour away. Difficult to convey in a Blog but we had great fun trying to make Marti say something be it via phantom phone calls demanding her attention to sudden off the cuff remarks. But as hard as we tried, we kept failing. Steve treated us to one if his Happy Dances, so asked Marti if she had one. A dead fly impression in silence prevailed and had us in stitches plus the walkers following us! So through the Limestone pavement we went, still trying to get Marti to speak as well as trying to give Jocky the run around and before we knew it Horton was in sight. We had hit the village and reached the cafe at 11 hours and 35 minutes. Ha, no problem, call that a challenge!
Said good bye to Ian and Rob (Marti was still in silence and felt a bit embarrassed) so made our way to the pub. A freelander passed and thinking it was them (Ian/Rob), we all waved, but it wasn't, the occupants must of been well confused? So to the door Marti sprints, challenge completed, words of joy followed by the dead fly impression with full sound affects surrounded by loads of walkers, classic!
Suitably refreshed and no "Tristans" having taken place back to the cottage to find the girls had run out of wine, so all in all an excellent time was had by all! The following day it has to said, Jocky was doing a good impression of John Wayne and Marti had found a way to go down stairs side ways quite elegantly. Such are the sacrifices on a Tears for Beers weekend. Another classic which for me, will remember for ever... :o)
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