Horton was definitely a village with a purpose that day when we stepped out on to the pavement. It had rained overnight but was a bright morning although it still looked like it could rain again if the clouds didn’t clear away soon. There was a steady procession of cars crawling along the road towards the car parking that had been set up at the north end and a steady procession of assorted walkers, runners and spectators heading in the same direction along the pavements.

Keeper of the hallowed Pennine Way Register and vendor of food, drink and waterproof socks!

We called in at the Penyghent Cafe near to where we’d emerged from the wilds the previous afternoon, mainly to get food for the day but also to have a glance at the Pennine Way register that is kept there. The cafe owner seemed a very nice guy – obviously genuinely interested in all that goes on in his cafe and keen to engage with as many people as possible. Despite a constant stream of people coming and going and registering for the three peaks event (the cafe is the official start point) he still found time to realise we were doing something different and ask when we started and whether we were doing the whole thing in one and how we were getting on. He gave us the register to sign without us having to ask and told us about some recent interesting people who’d passed through including a 70 year old lady solo backpacking Land’s End to John O’Groats – pretty humbling! Both Mel and I wrote a comment in the book but unfortunately the previous entry was from the previous day and we both blindly copied the date from that. Never mind! Anyway, we got our food and, at last, I got a pair of Sealskinz waterproof socks. Yay! Finally after a week of wet feet my blisters would be able to dry out and begin to heal. I found a free seat at the back of the cafe and changed in to them straightaway – luxury!

A very busy day for Horton

So, suitably provisioned and equipped we set off through the village and out of the north end via the walled lane. Looking back as we climbed the view opened out over the village and we could see how lucky we’d been to get the cancellation at the hotel; there were people and cars in every corner.

Soon away from the crowds AND a second day of fine weather! Things were looking very good

But ahead all was clear and once we’d passed the point where the Three Peaks route crosses the lane we hardly saw anyone else all day.

The Calf Holes. It’s quite common round here for streams to just disappear underground

The day’s route is a very straightforward one that rises steadily over Cam Fell and skirts the summit of Dodd Fell, all on clear paths and most of it on a hard surface so for once our boots remained dry. There was a terrifically strong wind up on the heights and we were wondering whether we’d be able to find a bit of shelter anywhere so we could stop for lunch – the path is very exposed. Luckily we did spot a nice little lush grassy clough just over a high bank to the right of the path. As soon as we dropped down between its steep sides the wind vanished and we spent a relaxing half hour basking in the warm sunshine and listening to birdsong. Hard to imagine that conditions could be so different just a few yards away but they were – as we climbed back over the embankment the wind returned at full strength and we pressed on, jackets zipped, hoods up and gloves on!

The Ribblehead Viaduct can be seen from this junction with the Dales Way. Whernside dominates the skyline behind

The views were great all day long as you’d expect from such a high path on such a clear day. All three of the famous peaks (Penyghent, Whernside and Ingleborough) were visible at various times but they are just the three tallest among many others of similar proportions.

The path skirts round the summit of Dodd Fell with massive views in to the valley on the left

We saw the Ribblehead viaduct and Ling Gill (a gorge with rare flora in it thanks to its steep sides being inaccessible to grazing livestock) and the wide panorama where Cam Fell joins Dodd Fell was particularly stunning. Our route coincided with the Dales Way for a mile or so and we met two guys walking that. One of them stopped to chat briefly before having to hurry on to catch his mate up who hadn’t even broken his stride!

Looking back to the end of the valley from the side of Dodd Fell

The path takes an undulating course across the hills but eventually descends more and more steeply to finally level out and emerge rather incongruously on a modern housing estate in Gayle.

Gayle and Hawes were in sight as we descended from the high road. This was the first soggy ground for two days – not bad!

It then continues from Gayle across a field into Hawes with nice views of Gayle Beck tumbling down a rocky bed between large mill buildings.

Old mill buildings on Gayle Beck

Hawes is quite a large village with lots of old stone buildings on twisty side streets and a busy central street lined with pubs, restaurants and shops.

A rather smart footpath into Hawes

Gayle Beck slices through the middle providing pretty views from the bridges of its rocky cascade. The campsite, Bainbridge Ings, is a good half mile past the centre just after the last of the houses. It’s a nice site with decent (although unheated) facilities and a big, gently sloping well drained and well maintained camping field. The showers are coin operated but I got plenty of hot water for my 50p so no complaints. Mel was delighted to find they had also a stock of books to swap or borrow – she’s an avid reader and was suffering withdrawal symptoms after a week without fiction! With a rest day ahead the timing couldn’t have been better. Once we’d pitched, showered and changed we headed back to the centre to eat and were very well fed at The Crown Hotel.

Bainbridge Ings campsite at the end of a fine day’s walking

The forecast for the next day was for heavy rain but for once we didn’t care. Tomorrow would be our day off so it could do what it liked, we didn’t have to go anywhere!

Day 6 | Menu | Day 8