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Sunday 27th May 2012 Horton-in-Ribbledale to Hawes I didn't have a very good night's sleep at the cottage as the sleeping bag restrains activity - you try to throw your limbs about and rove around but find it impossible. I got up at 6.20 so as not to get in the way of the other four, had the first of three defecations that day, a wash, shave and brush of teeth. James and Julie then got up and made porridge for the three of us, plus some bread and jam and biscuits. Julie then drove us to Horton where I left most of my luggage in her car for conveying to Hawes along with James's stuff.
As before, however, James and I walked at different speeds so we parted and agreed to meet as and when on the trail. He set off while I went back to the Pen y Ghent café to get a sandwich for later. After defecation #3 of 3 I set off after him, already 20 minutes behind. It was a straightforward, high-level walk, along undulating cart-tracks mostly, and with fine views of the Three Peaks and the Ribblehead Viaduct to remind me of the two good trips I'd had around them with the work bunch.
Sure enough I passed and was passed by James a couple of times before finally dropping down from Dodd Fell and Ten End towards the small town of Hawes. It was Sunday and hot and the town was absolutely packed with tourists and bikers, and the streets were also decked with bunting for the Queen's 60th Jubilee celebrations. In fact it was all a bit too busy and touristy for my taste just then, albeit basically quite a nice town.
I couldn't see James anywhere but the words 'Tea Room' caught my eye and as I entered the Laburnum Tea Room, eager to slake my thirst, I saw a notice saying 'Rooms Available Tonight'. Well that was convenient so I checked in there at a cost of £40 for the night. Unfortunately without my luggage which was still in Julie's car I had nothing to change into so I had to stay sweaty and smelly for the time being. After a reinvigorating cup of tea I got up again and went to look for James.
There was no mobile signal in Hawes so I couldn't ring him up; instead I walked up and down the High Street looking in all the pubs and checking at the Youth Hostel but still no sign of him. Rather exasperatedly I had another cup of tea then set off back to the YH to wait for him there. As I got near I was honked at by a silver car and saw the departing Julie, Denise and David waving me goodbye. Sure enough James was at the YH. Rather to my annoyance it seemed that on arriving at Hawes he'd decided to go back to the cottage, along with my luggage, to have a shower and meal while I was farting about in the blazing sun looking for him. Still he had put me up for the night so I couldn't really complain. I retrieved my stuff and wished him well in case we missed each other next day. Then it was back to the Laburnum for a much-needed shower and a wash of clothes as I hadn't been able to wash anything the previous evening at the cottage.
That evening I got a mediocre mushroom stroganoff at a pub and a fair pint of Theakstons. Also got through to my wonderful Trisha on a pay phone and she managed to book me in to Butt House in Keld for the following night. Distance: 14.1 miles Average speed: 2.7 mph Total ascent: 2086 feet Total Distance: 114.94 miles | ||||||||
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