Pennine Way (Part 2)

26-30^th April 2010

Introduction

We needed an early start to achieve our objectives for the first day. Up before 6am, Jill was helping make bacon butties for the drive to Horton. Felicity dropped Mike off at 6.45am and we were soon heading northwards to resume our annual pilgrimage towards Cape Wrath. Last year we interrupted our journey at Horton in Ribblesdale station so this is where we were now returning. Mike had cleared it with the Railway Company for us to leave our car in the station car park. So this became our starting point for the 2010 episode. We were parked up, fed and underway before 9 o’clock.

Monday 26^th April 2010: A Train without a Line

It was a bright but cold morning as we left Horton. Clag hid the tops of the three peaks, robbing us of the best views but, once we had gained height, the Ribblehead viaduct could be seen in the distance. Mike was reasonably familiar with the route, having walked it at night on an LDWA 100. So we did not miss the left turn and were making very good time on the long high tracks towards Hawes. We met a guy carrying his camping gear in a huge high-pack but were moving so much faster that he was soon left far behind. All this was a trip into the unknown to me. I had never before walked in the Pennines north of Ribblesdale.

As we skirted Dodd Fell, great views opened up to our left and the weather skies were clearing as we descended on a long grass slope into Hawes. Here we found a quiet coffee shop and had a pot of tea and our first cakes of the holiday. As we left the village, now in sunshine, we came across an amazing sight. A complete train, steam engine and carriages, sat in the station to our right. We looked down on a double track of full gauge rails. However when I crossed the road a looked for the continuation of the line up the valley, there was nothing. Just an overgrown strip of land through the meadows. That train was going nowhere.

It did not seem worth deviating off route to see Highdraw Falls. Only a dribble of water was coming down the river. So we braced ourselves for the long climb up Great Shunner Fell, four miles of steady ascent. A young couple coming down towards us had there warm cloths on so we knew it was going to be cold on top. We rested briefly at the summit and eat our sandwiches. Then, we set off down a flagged path for the long drop into Swaledale. Thwaite was our first destination and I was surprised that there was a hotel right on-route. My research on accommodation had failed to uncover this. So we carried on up a rather steep climb round to Kisdon farm above Muker. Here we left the Pennine Way and, in glorious evening sunshine, dropped into the beautiful village to find our pre-booked B&B.

Horton in Ribblesdale dep. 08.53

Tea and Cake, Hawes 13.00-13.30

Great Shunner Fell 15.30-15.45

Muker arr. 17.30

GPS: 25.08 miles in 8hrs 15.43

We stayed at Swale Farm, Muker, Richmond, DL11 6QQ; (John & Joyce Kilburn)

Tel: 01748 886479

Dinner was at the Framers Arms where I had fish and chips and Muker Silver Beer from the Yorkshire Dales Brewing Co. (with a quick Golden Sheep from Black Sheep Brewery)

We got talking to a couple who, that very day, had moved up from Oxfordshire.

Tuesday 27^th April 2010: Hannah’s Meadow

On a lovely sunny morning perfect for walking, we retraced our steps up to Kisdon farm high above Swaledale and rejoined the Pennine Way. The route followed a balcony of limestone high above the valley and this slowly descended into woodland before the tiny hamlet of Keld appeared in front of us. Before we reached the village, the route took us over the Swale and up a side valley heading directly north. A long uphill section of bleak moorland took us up to Tan Hill. The door was open so we went inside and ordered mugs of tea. They had no cakes so I thought I was going to miss out on my elevenses until the landlord appeared with two pieces of cheesecake. ‘On the house’ was the only comment as he slung them on the table in front of us. Does life ever get any better than this?

Fully recharged, we stepped out over the lambs at the door and out onto Sleightholme Moor. Never has it been so dry, not in April anyway and we made a swift crossing of this notorious section. Once on the track to Sleightholme Farm it was dusty and hot. At the farm we took the left hand turn over the footbridge and onto a badly marked section of field path. Scrambling up a bank, Mike for some reason set off the wrong way along a stone wall whilst I, after consulting the Wainwright guidebook, sat waiting for his inevitable return. Eventually we were back on track and heading for the A66 where we had a brief rest and ate the remains of our emergency rations.

An underpass took us under this hugely busy road and then we were climbing again onto more featureless moorland. The heather eventually gave out to grass land as we approached the highest point on this section Race Yate. Here we found a young lamb standing alone and quietly at the trop stile. It did not have the strength to protest as Mike carried onto the side of the stile that contained a flock of sheep but no mother was waiting. This lamb would not last the night with motherly sustenance. So when we descended to the Clove Farm, again on an unmarked section of trod that was difficult to follow, Mike knocked on the door. But no-one was in so on we walked on to Baldersdale. At the next farm, Birk Hatt, a man was working in the yard. He listened to our story of the lamb and was moving inside to make a phone call when Mike remarked that Hannah Hawkswell use to live round here. ‘Yes’, said the man, ‘at this very farm. I bought it off her’. As we climbed the next hill we passed Hannah’s Meadow, a field of unimproved grassland that Hannah had managed by age-old techniques. Several rare species of plant are in this field and public access is along a wooden boardwalk.

A lone girl walked passed us on her way south. We were later to learn that she was London banker her had left her city life style and was walking from End to End. Our next top was the last of the day and we were soon striding down a wonderful grassy descent into Teesdale. Across the bridge and into Middleton market place, straight to our digs. Nothing could be easier, so you might think especially as this B&B was the only one to have confirmed our booking in writing. Jenny looked at us blankly. Peter who? She stared at her diary. It was good thing than I had brought the confirmation and our deposit receipt. She was very apologetic. ‘Family problems, I am afraid’ and she offered us the two double rooms for the price of a single and left us to make tea in the attic. There was a book on Hannah Hawkswell on the landing.

Muker dep. 08.53

Morning Tea at Tan Hill 11.15-11.30

Lunch at A66 20 mins

Middleton in Teesdale arr. 17.30

GPS 24.14 mls in 8hrs 01.54

We stayed at Belvedere House, 54 Market Place, Middleton-in-Teesdale, Barnard Castle,

Co. Durham, DL12 0QA (Jenny) Tel: 01833 640884 and ate at the Forresters Arms which is now a rather up-market restaurant with French Chef.

Wednesday 28^th April 2010: A Gem of a Walk

The forecast was that the dry settled weather would be coming to an end today. So it was pleasant to see that the day was starting well enough. It was a cool bright morning as we did our shopping in the Coop. We ambled back over the bridge well stocked with sandwiches and cake. We were in no hurry today. It was to be shorter then either of our days so far. Regaining the Pennine Way we started the day with a pleasant an easy walk up the River Tees, The lower woodlands were ablaze with spring plants, in particular, stands of wood anemones. I had never seen the water falls before and I thought that Low Force was the big one. So I was absolutely bowled over by our first glimpsed of High Force.

The walk then got better and better. The valley opened out into a wide flat strip between rolling hills dotted with white farm houses. Alongside Langdon Beck, a group of walkers had found some of the rare alpine gentians. Eventually the valley narrowed and the grass gave way to ankle-breaking rocks. Suddenly we rounded a corner and there was Cauldron Snout, a majestic cascade over a huge rock fall. We ate our sandwiches sitting on a shelf under the main falls and then started the afternoon session with a scramble up the rocks. The valley continued to climb until we were crossing a flat featureless grassy moor. So flat and featureless that the impact of what came next was staggering.

Suddenly we were standing on the brink of High Cup Nick, a huge symmetrical amphitheatre dropping 1500 ft below us. The chill wind that was focussed up at us added to the drama. We edged round the north side, totally dwarfed by the magnificence of the situation. Then it was a simple and easy descent in the afternoon sunshine down to the western plain and Dufton village. We kept to the official route to get round the village centre to Coatsike and then cut over to the church and back down the road to our bed & breakfast. Surely this is one of the great day walks in England.

We had lots of time for a cup of tea before wandering down to the Stag on a lovely clear evening.

Middleton in Teesdale dep. 09.10

Lunch at Cauldron Snout 13.00-13.30

Dufton arr. 16.55

GPS: 22.06 mls in 7.20.53

We stayed at Coney Garth, Dufton, Appleby, Cumbria, CA16 6DA (Trudy Foster) Tel: 01768 352 582 and ate at the Stag Inn. The Liver & Kidney was lovely, as was the ginger pudding with ice cream.

We met a local man and Dutch partner, both keen bikers. He was an Accredited Energy Auditor so I left my business card.

Thursday 29^th April 2010: No Bearings on Cross Fell

‘No-one has ever gone beyond Alston’, said Trudy as we set off from Dufton. ‘And you can’t take bearings on Cross Fell, because there are no features’. Even so, Mike kept his map and compass handy as we set off up the hill and into the cloud. As luck would have it, after three days of high clouds, the clag was down on the Cross Fell ridge. We needed our first compass bearing to find the summit cairn on Knock Fell. There were no features to take bearings on to get us over to Great Dun Fell. However Mike did us proud with his navigation and, after floundering in deep heather, we dropped straight onto the path ascending towards the aviation buildings. Not that we could see this until we fell across them in the mist. As we left Little Dun Fell the clouds parted for a few seconds and we got our only view. The surface plateau of Cross Fell was back in the clag by the time we got up to the top. Another compass bearing enabled us to pick up a line of small cairns which lead us to the trig point.

Our route off the top was the Wainwright alternative. This left the trig point on a 60 degree bearing and following some cairns toward the top of the scree and then along the rocky edge until a grassy rake was spotted descending through the clag. A fence was then picked up and followed all the way down to the old lead mine where the Corpse Road was joined. This led us all the way to Garrigill. Just before the village, we found a grassy bank to rest on whilst we ate our packed lunches. Then we descended into the South Tyne valley and a delightful riverside path into Alston. The Pennine Way does not go into the town. And neither did we. We still had a few miles to go and the temptation of a tea shop was put aside. It was a surprising good walk above the valley with the narrow guage railway down below.

At Slaggyford we missed the left turn back up towards the old railway and, by the time we had realised our mistake, we were well on our way towards our B&B. So we continued on the road and right into Knarsdale village. The bungalow was next door but one to the pub, ideally placed for two tired and hungry walkers after a tough day on hills and dales.

Dufton dep. 08.35

Lunch above Garrigill 13.40-13.55

Knarsdale arr. 17.40

GPS 26.21 in 8hr 48.55

We stayed at Stonecroft, Knarsdale, Slaggyford, Brampton, Cumbria, CA8 7PB (Les & Margaret Graham) Tel: 01434 382995. Dinner was at the Kirkstyle Inn. I had Steak and Ale Pie and Bread & Butter Pudding. The local beer was finished but the Yates ale was a worthy substitute.

Friday 30^th April 2009: Hitting the Wall

The long forecast rain had arrived. Water ran down the windows as we ate our breakfast and the doorstep was wet as we put on our walking shoes. But the moment we stepped out of the door, the rain stopped and we had our last day without a drop of rain upon us, five dry days to follow our lovely weather of last year. The Pennine Way is being very kind to us. We returned down the road to the point at which we should have left the route on the previous evening then turned north and headed for the Wall. I had not looked forward to this part of the walk. It had looked artificially and bitty on the map but this turned out not to be true. The path was a high level line giving good views over the valley and surrounding hills. The line of the path was good and purposeful with only one point, a left hand traverse near Lambley, which was hard to justify.

As usual, the route got better with height, as did the weather. The climax was a wonderful tramp on a compass bearing across an extensive moor towards Wain Rigg. Here we climbed a wall to bag another trig point and then, in sunshine now, descended into the Carlisle – Newcastle Gap. A short detour to the east took us to another defining point, the crossing of the A69. A golf course was crossed to reach Thirlwall Castle where I was planning to stop at the tea shop that we used many years ago on our Hadrian’s Wall walk. Here tragedy struck. The tea shop was no longer functioning. So we sat briefly under the castle walls and ate our last remaining rations.

Then we had a bus to catch so we made once last effort up the crags that carry some of the best parts of the Roman Wall. There was a café in Walltown Quarry car park but it was too late to stop now. We finally pulled over the last climb and started down the long gentle descent to Burnhead. Here a man cutting the grass stopped his work to tell us about the wonderful B&B he could now offer us. In the sunshine it looked idyllic. We must return with the girls sometime. But it was time to say goodbye to our route for another year. At the Cawfield road we turned for the Milecastle Inn and the bus stop. The AD122 was ten minutes late and we were worried about missing our train in Haltwhistle. But this was running 18 minutes late and we were then in danger of missing our connection in Carlisle. We just had time to grab a cup of coffee and scramble onto the Settle train for the wonderful ride down the spectacular line to Horton. We saw Cross Fell, High Cup Nick and Ais Gill summit before crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct, retracing in 90 minutes a week of hard walking.

The car was safe and sound at Horton Station and after a quick change of clothes we drove home to a meal that Jill had prepared and a clan gathering for the bank holiday weekend. A blissful end to a wonderful walk.

Knarsdale dep. 08.52

Lunch at Thirlwall Castle 12.45-13.00

Cawfield, Milecastle Inn arr. 14.25

GPS 15.17 mls in 5hrs 25.17