Walking - A Little Hill

Well just for a change I wasn't cycling. I was out walking with the Ramblers. We were on a coach ramble. The coach takes us a little further away than normal and today's treat was Pen-Y-Ghent - one of the Three Peaks of Yorkshire.

The Three Peaks of Yorkshire is a challenge event where you have to complete all three hills, and the walk between them, in less than 12 hours. The total mileage is around 24.5 miles. I've never done it but my partner, Peter has on several occasions.

Anyway, today was one little peak of 691 metres. It was a 9 mile walk in all.

The weather was a little overcast but reasonably mild as we set off from Horton-in-Ribblesdale. We got going as a group.

Through a churchyard and along a lane and then passed through a gate that had the marker on that told us it was 1.5 miles to the peak.

As we started the ascent Isobel and I took it steady but soon found we were getting quite a way ahead of everyone else.

As we got higher up Isobel started slowing a bit but I plodded on at no particular speed. I waited every so often and another lady caught me up. We chatted as we went up. Then the next time we waited her friend caught us up. I could still see Isobel who was way ahead of the main group but now a fair distance from us. I kept checking she was okay.

At about this time a man passed me wearing shorts. As he passed he nodded and said hello and I said 'I know you. You're Councillor Kris whatsit' He smiled and said he used to be. Bummer forgot he probably wasn't a councillor anymore. He didn't stop.

Then we got to the steep climb. This is where I started to slow a bit and a man from our group caught up. So the two ladies and this man, Steve were now ahead of me. I kept waving to Isobel and encouraging her on. In my mind there was a steep climb and then a slope to the top but my mind had obviously played tricks on me. There was a steep climb, a path and then another steep climb. By this time the sweat was pouring into my eyes.

After the last climb there was then an uphill path that felt more like it was flat and there, at last, was the trig point. Isobel was the fifth of our group to arrive at the top and we just waited for the rest while we had our lunch. I was proud of her for doing it especially without any audible complaints.

The view was pretty good but slightly cloudy.

When we had all rested and eaten we set off on the downward route. This was further over to the upward one. We chatted on the way down with various people and when we were on the flat again I looked back at the peak we had just climbed with a sense of satisfaction.

We got back to the coach and got changed. Then did a bit more walking back into the village for a nice cuppa and Isobel had a milkshake. A few of the Ramblers were in there so we had a chat with Mr Dawson, who we also know from canoeing.

The coach came into the village to pick us all up and we ended the day with a carvery meal at The Craven Heifer near Skipton.