Where We Walked – #Walks #Photographs @Pen-y-ghent @Yorkshire Dales #MondayBlogs

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In both the Cumbric language and modern Welsh ‘pen’ means ‘head’, ‘ghent’ is either ‘edge’ or ‘border’. So … Pen-y-ghent or Penyghent … ‘Hill on the Border’

We arrived in Horton-In-Ribblesdale quite early in the day and parked in the village car park. Armed with warm clothes, waterproofs, water and snacks.

I was told Pen-y-ghent is the smallest of the Yorkshire Three Peaks in the Yorkshire Dales, England. Although I’d read that it was an eleven kilometre circular walk I was told by the photographer that we would only be walking around the base of it. The photographer told fibs. He always tells fibs, to ” get the best photographs”. You’d think I’d know this after all these years.

It’s just possible in this photograph to see the track way in the distance. Unfortunately, keeping my head down to make sure I navigated the rocks and ruts in the track, I didn’t notice at the time.

Before we began the ascent we did a detour for about five hundred metres to Hull Pot, a collapsed cavern. I’d read that after rainfall there is an impressive waterfall there, and even, after prolonged rainfall, it turns into a temporary lake. However we arrived after a time of little rain. Still the rock formation of grit stone and sandstone was fascinating.

Pen-y-ghent stands at six hundred and ninety four metres. The higher we went, the colder and windier it became. And the higher we went the steeper some of the sections became, and the more breathless I was. A good excuse to have to take more photographs.

Approaching the summit are a series of man- made steps leading to the summit – all two hundred and ten of them.

Unfortunately we discovered we’d walked up the alternative route, which meant that the scramble up to the top from the other side looked like a sheer drop downwards to me. We decided to retrace our steps. We returned to Horton via an enclosed walled lane called Horton Scar, with aching legs and feet. (The photographer wants me to stress that I’m speaking for myself here).

‘That is the longest, highest walk we’ll be doing this week, isn’t it?’ I asked

He didn’t answer.

39 thoughts on “Where We Walked – #Walks #Photographs @Pen-y-ghent @Yorkshire Dales #MondayBlogs”

  3. 🤣 Those views are wonderful – and the humour lightens the load! If I’d seen that faint track disappearing into the distance I might have given up. Did you actually count those steps? I have to admit that I’m quite envious – to have the freedom to walk in that vast expanse of countryside is a privilege. xx

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    • Sheer will power, I’m afraid, Noelle; I don’t like being beaten. LOL. David always captures the mood of our walks so well. We’ve stayed twice on sheep farms in Mid Wales; once during lambing. And once the farmer and his wife went of to the Eisteddfod and left us in charge for a day with three farm dogs, a field full of sheep, and two horses in foal. Totally nerve-racking! They gave us an extra day’s holiday at the end of the week, so worth the hours of panic, I guess.😊

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    • It was such a wonderful day, Robbie, the vast expanse across the fells was so good for the soul. Cold and brown? What a strange world we live in; we are well into the third week of glorious sunshine here. It feels such a long time since we had this kind of weather for so long. But making the most of it and writing in the summer house. Hope all is well with you, I’ve lost touch a little with everyone lately on social media. x

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      • Hanging in there, Judith. Still on “house arrest” via my cardio guy, but that’s okay. I needed some down time, anyway. And it’s hard for me to imagine the “cold, dark days of winter” when it’s 92 degrees here today, and expected to go a bit higher each day this week. Summer is truly upon us here in Florida.

        Thanks again for sharing your hubby’s beautiful work! 😊❤️

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      • Ah, ” house arrest”, having to rest is always hard when you’re naturally busy – but all for the best, Marcia. I’m not sure I could cope with that heat, either. Look after yourself.🥰

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