Yorkshire (R)ambling

Click here for pictures in the web album.

Another weekend and another trip away. This weekend was a Bank Holiday on Monday and the destination was the Yorkshire Dales.

Friday night, the 8 of us, fully provisioned, jumped on the train for Yorkshire. A few beers, wines, bacon & egg pie, and an assortment of snacks later we arrived in the little Yorkshire town of Settle and walked the mile or so to the much smaller town of Langscliffe where we were staying. Having spied a good looking pub on the way, we promptly dumped our gear and headed pack to the Thwaites pub, steering clear of the other pub in town with the blaring karaoke (though I guess you've got to do something in a small Yorkshire town).

After cooking up an energy-supplying and head-clearing breakfast, and comparing scroggin (I don't think Titch's jelly babies and minstrel mixture is in the "Trekkers manual"), off we set on our ramble. Our first part was a 6 mile cross country walk to the town of Malham where we had planned to have lunch. Was a bit of a shock to the system as it started straight off with a steep climb. But once the blood pressure was up and we had made the rise, it was a great rolling walk across what was quite deserted Yorkshire Dales countryside. Passing over various stone farm walls, under crumbling "Scars" (limestone cliffs), we hardly saw another soul - the most notable exception being a small herd of Highland Coos.

After a Ploughman's lunch at The Lister Arms in Malham, we took off on part two of our day's walking (though after two pints this was definitely more an amble than a ramble), a 6 mile loop from Malham. This was a much more treaded path and there were plenty of other walkers on this route. First stop was up to Malham Cove, an impressive curved limestone cliff which was dotted all over with rock climbers and bird watchers (difficult to know which are the more mad). Our route took us to the top of the Cove and through some pretty cool exposed limestone landscape, but the return leg was much more exciting. The Gordale Scar is the other main natural attraction in this area of the Yorkshire Dales - a narrow and steep limestone ravine with a couple of waterfalls. Coming up to it from behind, it jumped up on us quite unexpectedly. It also meant that we had to traverse down it, which at the bottom required a certain amount of rock climbing. For some of us, it was the best bit of the day, others weren't so enthusiastic....

To reward ourselves for a good day's walk, we had booked ourselves into The Angel Inn, a pub that I had read was recommended for its food. Getting picked up by our taxi at the end of the walk, we knew we weren't probably dressed as well as we might, but we weren't prepared for the snobs that the restaurant was filled with. Granted, we were still in our smelly walking gears (and didn't have our Tweed jackets on), but this was in the middle of walking country. We still had excellent food and after a couple of wines quite enjoyed the fact that we were getting up the nose of the local gentry.

Sunday dawned overcast and with the hint of rain. After the efforts of the day before, a shorter walk was planned, though of course the pub lunch was still very much on the agenda. After a gentle walk up the river, the rest of the crew turned back for the pub while Gump senior (Si) and Gump junior (Sam) decided to do another 5 mile loop before returning to the pub. Of course, as all such decisions usually turn, it was at the top of the climb on our walk that the heavens decided to open and rain started coming in sideways. Thankfully it didn't last long and the only other difficulty on our ramble was a cheeky cow who decided he didn't want to run off like the rest of his herd and decided to stand us down (requiring a few careful sidesteps and a watchful eye). A good afternoon at the pub was had, and where Titch reminded us all why we aren't married to her as she incessantly let Rich know that her team (Man U) had just won the premiership and his team (Arsenal) had not won anything.

The next day we departed back to London - not of course without another visit to a Yorkshire pub - though with a slight detour when our booked train was cancelled. Wasn't too much drama though and it gave us more time to debate the official rules of Last Card. A good weekend trip all up, the Yorkshire Dales are definitely a great area of the country and a bit of rambling is certainly good fun. In fact the complaints coming home weren't so much of tired legs, but more of full stomachs from pub food and Yorkshire beer!

For more pics you can go here or here.