Day 08 - These boots are made for walking...

Horton in Ribblesdale to Hawes

Today's Miles - 14
Today's Ascent - 2185
Today's Descent - 2165
Total Miles so Far - 112.4
Star Team Member - Caitlin for lifting everyone's spirits.

Today we really felt we had found our walking legs. We started late and finished early, with our highest average speed of the journey so far, despite the high mileage. 

I am starting to enjoy it more, as my legs and feet are adjusting more to the routine, plus the weather was a bit cooler today- I had my fleece on  for the first time!

We were dropped off at the Pen-y-ghent Cafe, where we stocked up on a few vital supplies; water and flapjacks, then set off. we walked through the village and turned off onto a track going upwards.

Walking out of Horton in Ribblesdale

We gradually gained hight and passed a stream near a very small settlement called Old Ing. 

Paddy went in, but found it a lot easier today as it was cooler, so splashing in the river was more a leisurely frolic, than a necessity. 

Strem near Old Ing

After a couple of breaks, we were making great progress, and came to another stopping point where we threw some stones for Pads. We were in a nature reserve called Long Gill and it was very beautiful.

Ling Gill Bridge

We walked up to Cam Hill, where we stopped and had our lunch and flapjacks from the cafe in Hawton. We only had 6 miles to go, and had kept a great pace up throughout the walk. 

We started up again and kept going. We were doing really well, until we came to one with some young bullocks in it. We did our usual technique, and Paddy and Dad were through and safe, but a rouge bullock was chasing after us. it was a bit scary but it veered off after a while.

We turned off onto a Roman road and some motorbikes passed us, to some tutting from Dad (he doesn't like off roading on the fells.) We walked along the flat road for a while and soon it began to slowly go downhill. We passed a very cute late lamb and squelched trough some mud. 

Hawes was in sight and with 2 miles to go we plodded on. 

Walking down to Hawes

On the flat we walked through some last fields, and met a very friendly sheep. It came up to Paddy, he was very bemused, and nuzzled him! Pads didn't really know what to make of this sheep. It had a lick of my walking pole and tried to squeeze through the fence with us, but I had to nudge it back. It was very cute and friendly. 

En route to Hawes, we walked through the tiny village of Gayle, and past the Wensleydale cheese factory, into Hawes and the pub. 

Looking back to the hills on the final mile to Hawes (Nuzzling sheep in one of these)

In the pub, we met up with Uncle John and Grandma, and Joseph and Noah, for a chat and a drink. We had a lovely time and now I am most definitely ready for a long sleep. We have passed the 100 mile mark-only another 167 to go!

Tomorrow we walk to Keld, where the Coast to Coast and Pennine Way cross. For those of you that read my C2C blog-remember Keld? Thank you for reading this post, see you tomorrow in Keld.

Caitlin :-)
Highlight of the Day: Seeing Uncle John, Grandma and the boys at the pub,