Day 68 Malham to Horton- in-Ribblesdale

Today started with another geography lesson. I was on my way by 7.20 as I had a long (14 miles) day which started with what my guidebook said were “more than 400 steps”. I found out later there were 426.

I walked the mile and a half to Malham Cove-a large cliff-face-and started the steps. There were certainly a lot of them but I took them slowly and, before too long, reached the top.

The top was a limestone pavement, very familiar from school geography lessons as I think all the photos were of Malham. The pavement was also used in one of the later Harry Potter films.

I duly admired it, took some photos of the plants growing in the grykes (crevices between the rocks) took up the path again and headed further into the hills.

It did seem very desolate and I suddenly felt overwhelmed until I saw, below me a walker who (on past form) I thought would catch up with me quite soon. I had been going for half an hour feeling pleased that all I needed to do was follow the path, no need for a map really, when I checked my map and found out I had missed the correct path. I retraced my steps and as I re-joined the path I met, not just the walker I had seen before, but a group of five people, two of whom I had met on the day to Hebden Bridge.

I had met Carolyn and Anna, a mother and daughter, resting under a crag, a few days ago. We had leapfrogged each other that day, and they had told me that their husband/father was joining them and they would be staying with friends for a couple of nights after Hebden Bridge.

They were all there today, Carolyn, Anna and Derek, and Sarah and Ross, their friends. I walked with them for the rest of the day which was great for several reasons. I had been feeling downcast at the emptiness of the path, and the 14 miles I would have to do. With other people with me, all that was different. They kept me walking briskly, they were good company, they shared their fruitcake with me at elevenses, and they did the way-finding. It was a good day.

Our paths diverged after lunch as they were heading for Pen-y-Ghent, one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks (the other two being Whernside and Ingleborough). As the climb up Pen-y-Ghent involved scrambling and an extra mile or two I had decided that it definitely wasn’t for me. I took a lower path down to Horton-in-Ribblesdale and arrived at 3.20.

The campsite was busy – much busier than the three I had been in over the last four days. I had read a review on TripAdvisor that suggested taking a pitch round the edge of the field as the middle of the field was generally taken up with people celebrating after finishing the Three Peaks Challenge. The Three Peaks Challenge is to climb all three peaks in one day. It is about 26 miles.

I disregarded this advice having spotted a flat pitch with a picnic bench (never pass up a chance to have a picnic bench when camping) rather near the shower block and definitely not at the edge of the field. Horton is just one long street with a small cafe,two pubs and a car park. I walked up and down, had another Yorkshire ice cream (didn’t change my opinion) and retired to my tent for a lie-down as my legs, it has to be said, were quite tired.

Later that evening, the live music started. It was rather nice. A guitar player and his wife in the flute. I had watched then put up their tent earlier. I drifted off to sleep being serenaded. Until I woke sometime in the early hours to a lot of noisy talking which didn’t subside much after an angry woman told them all to be quiet as she was leaving at 6 to do the Three Peaks Challenge. I don’t know if she got back to sleep but I did.