Monday 5 September 2022 - The Dales High Way - Day 5 - Stainforth to Ribblehead

After an overnight storm had cleared the air, a fifth t-shirt day beckoned. A perfect day was to follow.

We let ourselves out of the Craven Heifer before 9am, via the fire escape, after consuming what we could of the extensive continental breakfast that came with our room.

Beyond Little Stainforth, our path lay upwards through fields linked by high stiles.

There were lovely views across the fields.

Dropping down to Feizor, we were pleased to find Elaine's tea room open for coffee, hot chocolate and scones that tasted as if straight from the oven. (Tea also available!)

Pleasant paths took us through the heart of  the Yorkshire Dales, along enclosed bridleways lined with backberries and Welsh poppies, to the pretty hamlet of Wharf.

Near a field full of boulders we encountered a lady with two friendly collie dogs. Then we passed Crummack and enjoyed a grassy ascent to a prominent cairn on Long Scar. A mountain biker was enjoying the descent even more!

A good footpath next to beds of tormentil, and some lesser celandine, took us, punctuated by a leisurely lunch, past Simon Fell, and led inexorably to the summit of Ingleborough. 

There were 10 to 20 folk in the vicinity of the summit. More than the total number of people we saw during the rest of the day.

We descended along the Park Fell ridge, with good views back to the summit. On the way we met the lady with two dogs, who had bounded around a much longer route than ours, and we were surprised to find a cluster of red admiral butterflies.

A recommended route then took me past a quarry, pictured below, to a table in the sun outside the Station Inn at Ribblehead. Cary arrived a bit later by a different route (sorry about the miscommunication), and we enjoyed the rest of the day in this excellent hostelry. 

I was unable to finish my whale. No question of being able to fit in a dessert tonight!

Today we walked about 22km in rather less than 8 hours. A really fine day in the hills.