Busy Summer

 

This summer has been a busy one. The dog has loved being out in our local woods and out on the Shropshire Hills. However, June saw us off to the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park. She’d never experienced hills on this scale before, she has learnt not to give it everything at the start as this is going to be a long day, and not just an afternoon stroll.

We completed Pen y Fan - The highest peak in the chain at 886 meters (2,907 feet). The dog was finished at the end of the day. We found her limits, and she loved it. We are now looking to head north for our next trip. Either Yorkshire or The Lakes.

Wet walk on the Shropshire Hills

Yesterday we took Maple for a wet walk on the Stiperstones. Maple isn't our dog, but she's going to be joining us on the hills.

 

Rough day on the Long Mynd

 Pam was meeting friends for a Christmas coffee. So, I took the opportunity for a quick outing up the Long Mynd. The rain didn't materialise due to the wind cutting across the tops. 

I walked what is now signposted as the Waterfall Trail. I can see why the National Trust has enhanced this route, but it is a shame they are now sending people onto what was previously a little used part of the moor. This part was so under utilised, that I used to take candidates for NNAS assessment onto this part of the Mynd for relocation exercises that could be conducted in relative isolation. 

The Wrekim

Not a mountain, but who could resist being out on a day like this.

Map

Catrigg Force

 A quick walk before heading home. Not a full-on epic, but a hidden gem of a waterfall.

 

Whernside

 

Back to Yorkshire to get the final of the three peaks within the year. We were booked for a ride on the Settle to Carlisle railway the following day. So, despite the weather it was off to Ribblehead to attempt Whernside. It was wet, and 60 mph gust forecast. This was still nothing like Ingleborough and the winds didn’t really impede. No messing, straight up and down. Then back to The Wheatsheaf for tea and a warm.

Pam had promised herself a hot chocolate in Ingleton, strange how this changed to an Expresso Martini once we reached the bar.

Vultures

 

In the UK we usually wait for the rain to ease. In Spain we walk once the sun has eased. Today was an exception to the 360 days of sun the Almeria province promises. Hence we managed to get a walk in the Sierra Gador. Wasn't long before a kettle of vultures started following us. Just hope they didn't see us a prospective evening meal.

Yorkshire peak number two.

 After completing Pen-Y-Gent in November 2024, we decided to attempt the other two. These being Ingleborough and Whernside. We even set a time limit - to be completed in under a year. Some people may scoff at this, as there is an increasing number of outdoor enthusiasts who are only interested in times and leader boards. They don’t really appreciate taking it slowly and attempting one hill at a time. 

Sunday saw us complete Pendle Hill, this wasn’t the greatest of days in terms of weather. Pendle Hill had been a long-standing ambition, as we have passed it many times when driving North. Don’t be put off by the lack of altitude – it’s steep. This would then give us a taste of what was to follow.

Monday 1st September was a special date, in that before our retirement Pam and I would have been returning to work to face another year of trying to educate closed minds and empty souls. Instead, we were enjoying our freedom on empty hills. 

Ingleborough can be a long walk if attempted as a circuit. However, there is a regular bus service from Ingleton to Clapham – complete with a friendly driver, and welcoming locals. Such a change for the living dead that frequent the local buses at home.

We followed the classic route up through Trow Gill. Full details at:

https://explore.osmaps.com/route/28462310/ingleborough-yorkshire-dales?lat=54.13395&lon=-2.40819&zoom=12.7238&style=Leisure&type=2d

This route avoids paying the landowner for walking the woods to Ingleborough Cave.

After Trow Gill came Gaping Gill. This could have easily been the end of our walk. In the past I’ve done enough caving to know what awaits through the entrance hole to the Gill, and the need to stay well away. A dad with something to prove to his family slipped and fell flat on his backside, he begun slide towards the awaiting black hole. Lucky, his already wet jeans found traction on something and he halted on a flat slab of rock. The scenario of a devastated family, and hours spent fielding emergency services raced through my mind. Much better to head up the hill into the awaiting foul weather.

The weather worsened and by the time we reached the summit plateaux there was little in the way of visibility. We hunkered down behind the summit shelter and attempted to eat something. The coffee was cold by the time it was poured. We were joined by another walker who had come from the Whernside direction. We compared wet feet. His right boot had reached squelch proportions as water ran down his leg and into his boots. We had soaked left feet, having arrived from the opposite direction. Attempting to step out from the wall was like having someone waiting with endless buckets of water. Pam and I have been out in wet conditions, this was a whole new level of wet and wind.

After some tricky navigation we found the steps down. These were flowing with water. We were so glad to get below the summit cloud and finally get a view into the dale. The sun even came out just before Ingleton and we sat on a bench to enjoy what was left of lunch. Then down to Ingleton for hot showers, pub tea at The Wheatsheaf, and of cause the Monday night pub quiz.