Walking The Pennine Way When I Was Eleven - Stage 9: (Horton-in-Ribblesdale to Hawes)


Start: Horton-in-Ribblesdale

Finish:  Hawes

Distance: 15 miles

Total Distance Walked: 103 miles

After a breakfast of raspberry yoghurt we decamped and set off at 9.10.  The first few miles were easy walking on a well-surfaced, quite straight road with Pen-y-Ghent's distinct stepped profile on our right and Ingleborough's flat table-top summit to the left.  The route climbed steadily but took a course between the really high country on either side.

After three miles the Way went into more open paths and we entered wilder terrain and saw a baby sparrowhawk.  We walked alongside Cam Beck and idled away some minutes watching a piece of foil drift along the Beck.  The ground became wetter underfoot on Cam Fell and at 12 we stopped at Cam End for lunch.

The next notable climb was of Dodd Fell.  Although there were many of these hills on the Pennine Way I don't recall any of them being very arduous.  My father set a sensible pace and along the way told us stories of his adventures when he was at university and comic tales of cricket matches he'd played in.  The miles didn't seem to drag for most of the walk, something which can really affect morale and that cause many people to give up on long-distance trails.

Coming down from Dodd Fell took us along a stony path into the large village of Hawes.  There are limited numbers of settlements on the Pennine Way where you can stop which means that the campsites are big.  The one at Brown Moor Farm in Hawes was the largest of the whole walk, with its own shop as well as the usual facilities, and was very busy.  How many of these were Pennine Way walkers I don't know as Hawes is also one of the main centres for visitors to the Dales.  I don't remember seeing many other people while we were actually on the route except in touristy places like Malham.  Very few times did we see other walkers along the Way.

That evening I had scampi and chips at a local pub.

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