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.

Sunday 4 September 2022 - The Dales High Way - Day 4 - Malham to Stainforth

Malham YHA was an adequate place to spend the night, especially as the rest of Malham was fully booked when Cary did the bookings last weekend. 

We set off around 9:30 and after a few seconds stopped to chat with a group of Danish fellrunners outside the Lister Arms. 

Passing Beck Hall, it looks as if the ambitious plans the owner once showed us have come to fruition.

The well used path to Malham Cove was pretty much deserted. (See above.)

Grey wagtails, as usual, flitted in the shallows below the towering cirque of the cove. House Martins feverishly hoovered insects. Here's the view back towards Malham. 

Some climbers were on the face of the cove, perhaps checking bolts?

There were a few people struggling to cross the limestone pavement at the top of the cove. Beyond here, we rejoined the main DHW path after our diversion to Malham. 

It had started overcast, after overnight rain, but as we strolled towards Malham Lings, the sun came out and Drone Age Man, sounding like an exhausted lawn mower, lurked above us.

After passing Langscar Gate, we rose gently, past harebells and eyebright, to Nappa Cross, an ancient artefact that has been restored.

There were more mountain bikers than pedestrians on this section to Settle. Plus a flock of agitated crows.

As we neared the town, we heard the distinctive sound of a steam engine, and admired it as it flew past.

We entered Settle, full of bikers, restocked in a Co-op and savoured a late, leisurely, baked potato lunch in the Naked Man Café. 

Leaving Settle to reach the riverside path to Stainforth, we noticed that lots of properties were adorned with flower pots, from the town's annual Flower Pot Festival. 

Rain was forecast, but instead the sun's strength seemed to increase. We pootled up to Stainforth Falls, which don't amount to much in the current dry weather.

Stainforth village is pretty enough, with our home for the night, the Craven Heifer pub, being near the centre.

Last orders for food on a Sunday here are at 4:30. At least we arrived in time for that, but given our recent lunch, we ordered sandwiches that could be eaten later. The place has a Fawlty Towers air about it.

Today's walk was 12km to Settle, then 5km to Stainforth, with no serious hills. It took us about five and a half hours.

Saturday 3 September 2022 - The Dales High Way - Day 3 - Skipton to Malham

Little did we know, when planning this trip, that our accommodation would be just a ten minute walk, along a canal towpath with curious swans and hedges full of chattering sparrows, from a parkrun on a Saturday morning. 

It just had to be done. I may do a separate posting in due course. The 'four and a bit' lap course includes a hill. So it was a bit tiring.

Eventually we left the B&B at about 10am, and spent the next seven hours on a 22km stroll to Malham, arriving just as the youth hostel, our home for the night, opened at 5pm.

Meanwhile, from Skipton there was a long climb and some monstrous stiles, up to the 357 metre summit of Sharp Haw.

We lingered on the summit, with good views down to Skipton on the warm, overcast morning. 

Then we got caught up in the melee of a half marathon fell race with about 150 competitors. We were exceedingly courteous to them as they struggled up their final hill, and we struggled against their relentless flow along the narrow path.

The valley walk to a lunch bench in Hetton was a delight. Cows were bathing in the river. Harebells littered the meadow. Bog asphodel occupied a boggy section where a boardwalk had been supplied.

The grassy slopes by the river are currently home to eyebright, clovers, dandelions and daisies, buttercups and ribwort plantain, as well as plants mentioned previously. Not forgetting a flapping heron.

After lunch we saw very few people until we reached Janet's Foss. It was a long, lonely, but not unpleasant drag up to Weets Top, where we drank the rest of our water before descending past ragwort, knapweed, willowherbs and cranesbills, to the honey pot of Malham.

The bathers at Janet's Foss reminded me of Sue and certain of her crazy friends going skinny dipping there in the middle of February 2007.

We quickly showered and washed clothes, and Cary had booked a meal at the Lister Arms. A fine meal it was too.

Friday = Isabella Day (21)

It looks as if Izzie survived a day without grandad!

 

Friday 2 September 2022 - The Dales High Way - Day 2 - Ilkley to Skipton

Last night's Korean style meal at Host Restaurant was delicious. Cauliflower bhajis to die for! 'Best of Doors' helped the ambience.

Today we returned to White Wells after a superb breakfast, on a newly laid path under a leaden sky.

Morning fell runners bounded past us.

Luscious blackberries lined the path, along with tormentil and rock roses, thistles and yarrow, and not forgetting a large expanse of mint.

Soon after reaching the Swastika Stone, pictured above, the sun rejoined us for the rest of the day, and more sun tan cream was duly applied.

A long stroll atop the escarpment brought us to a lovely elevenses stop just before the descent to Addingham. 

Delightful field paths took us down to and around the village of Addingham. 

Lunch was taken on a bench by some allotments, then we proceeded through the rest of the long village before ascending a long, straight lane up onto the moors above Skipton.

A pair of red kites were quartering the freshly cut fields, searching for victims. We found the remains (feathers) of what had possibly once been a grouse.

After another break to finish our remaining supplies of water on this humid day, we continued down to the rapidly expanding town of Skipton.

The descent was completed in pleasant woodland. Just a smattering of people were seen today. 

Rehydration took place at the Greenwood Café Bistro. Thanks, Helen, for the extra hot water, and as you can see, the cakes were delicious!

Then we adjourned to the comforts of Town House B&B, where the owner, Mick, is the spitting image of our friend and neighbour,  Rick!

Thursday 1 September 2022 - The Dales High Way - Day 1 - Saltaire to Ilkley

I did this walk with Andrew in 2011. My daily reports start here. Should you wish to work your way through them, just click on 'Newer Post' at the bottom of each page.

I'd had the walk in mind for a while, but I wouldn't have set off without the encouragement from Cary, who has organised everything for the two of us to do the walk. Not bad going, as we only decided to go a week ago. Sadly Sue couldn't join us due to a long standing work commitment.

Leaving home at 7:30 this morning meant that I had to pay for the tram to Manchester Victoria. But having sorted out a Senior Railcard a couple of days ago, the journey to Saltaire, via Leeds, cost less than £12. My last Railcard was a card. Now I have to store it in an 'App' in my 'phone. I'm not a fan of this, but it worked today, and to be fair, in the past I've forgotten the card but remembered my phone!

The train to Leeds was cancelled, but another slower service still managed to get us to Saltaire by 10:40.

After a couple of hours in Salt Mill appreciating the galleries of wonderful Hockney images, we set off on the 12km stroll to Ilkley, taking rather less than four hours to reach the comfort of a well presented twin room at One Tivoli Place.

It was a lovely day for walking, with others enjoying being outdoors near the flesh pots of Saltaire and Ilkley, and deserted dessicated moorland in between.

Very little bird life - just a few Martins on view, with smaller birds no doubt busy in the heather, which is close to assuming a glorious purple colour.

Here's Cary on the moor near Horncliffe Well.

We passed the Twelve Apostles stone circle.

Being rather ahead of schedule, we lingered in the lovely weather at White Wells before ambling into Ilkley to reach our B&B by 4:30.

27/28 August 2022 - A Lovely Weekend for Running

Wythenshawe parkrun number 488 on a wonderfully warm, cloudless, sunny morning, and some 310 runners and nearly 30 volunteers assembled for their Saturday morning exercise.

After a fair amount of socialising, Run Director Richard (Happy Birthday, Richard) gave the traditional briefing, assisted by the usual melee of barking dogs, before setting everyone off from the wide expanse of the starting field.

We enjoyed a lovely run. I couldn't get far enough ahead of Sue to picture her at the finish, but Cary is pictured below, a little later.

Others drifted in over a period of just over an hour.

Meanwhile, the Elite finishers gathered over coffees in the Courtyard or in the friendlier area by the pony field, and Cary and I progressed our plans for the Dales High Way walk in a few days' time.

Full results are here.

Sunday morning was another one perfect for running, so whilst Sue rang a few church bells, I went down to Wythenshawe running track to take part in Sunday morning's 5km Community run. The children just enjoy a 2km version.

I was nobbled with a request to be the 30 minute pacer, and posed with other pacers before the start.

Afterwards I chewed the cud with Fechin, after checking on the health of a lady who I pushed over the line in 29:59!

Reports, videos, etc on these Community Runs can be found by rummaging around here.