Tuesday 6 September 2022 - The Dales High Way - Day 6 - Ribblehead to Sedbergh

A 9:30 start after more scrambled egg and smoked salmon than I could manage! There's a first for everything. Portion sizes at the Station Inn are not for the weak hearted. 

After leaving the convivial atmosphere of the inn, we headed alongside the impressive viaduct. Two fighter jets roared across the sky just above us.

A short climb led to Blea Moor Sidings, where Cary inspected the property he has in mind for his parents' next move. Swallows, unaware of their impending eviction, flew in and out via the cat flap. 

This is 'Three Peaks' country, and we followed the well made path up the flank of Whernside, passing the Force Gill waterfalls just as it started to rain.

Waterproofs were donned, as we left the Three Peaks path in favour of the walk past Wold End to Deepdale. Meadow pipits flitted in the tall grasses. We joined the Dales Way footpath, along which we paused to consume huge Station Inn sandwiches below drippy trees next to the stony river bed. The water must have been underground here.

We met three blokes who were heading over Whernside to the Hill Inn. 'Good luck with that' we commented, looking up to the rainy route to the cloud blanketed summit. 

Later, we would observe that they must be having a delightful romp in bright sunshine.

Meanwhile, Cary and I found a sociable spot outside Dent Village Heritage Centre and Museum, where hot chocolate and Bakewell Tart went down well as the rain relented and Cary changed into dry socks.

The weather was lovely for our walk over Longstone Fell to Sedbergh, with good views back to Dent, with Whernside and Crag Hill prominent in the background. 

Ahead of us, tomorrow's country, the Howgill Fells.

We entered Sedbergh and reached the Dalesman Inn by around 4:30, after a 20km walk, taking 7 hours or so. Our 'room' for the night turned out to be a two bedroom cottage just down the road.

So we had a kitchen in which to fry in olive oil the sliced up puffball that we'd collected earlier on the hillside. A tasty starter before a more substantial meal at the Al Forno restaurant. Calzone for Cary, Carbonara for me, followed by tasty desserts.