Change of plans

The plan was to meet some friends in Dent Friday night, one of whom I hadn’t seen for the best part of 10 years. A good craic was had in the Sun Inn tasting the local ales with me hooking up with a possible skipper / yacht for next years Scottish Island’s race (I just need another runner now). Before heading back to crash at Rich’s catering barn where more beer and curry was consumed.

Loonking down a wet Dentdale.
With more showers on their way.

I was up early (ish) the next day and heading out into the rain and wind by 9am, as I planned to run down the Dalesway to Lisa mums, leaving everyone else in bed. As I progressed down Dentdale I was “swithering” about what to do as it was pretty poor weather and my back / hip was giving me some jip. So by Ribblehead I decided to change course and head to Settle, this would allow me to catch a train to Skipton if my back got worse. Fortunately I know most of the paths around here so not having a map wasn’t an issue.

For the first part I used the three peaks route to head to Pen Y Ghent. I'd already passed nearly 100 walkers around Blea Moor and as I progressed along passed many more doing one of the charity organised 3PKS that was on that day. It was while I headed across Birkwith that the thunder and lighting started and thoughts of going over the tops changed as it was breaking directly above me. So I diverted down to Horton to pick up the Ribble way which tries its best to follow the river to Settle.


The end. A welcome sight.

By the time I’d reached town it had finally eased off. I called out the recovery truck for collection and headed off for a café for tea and chip butty. Not much time to linger though as the next stop was a quick bath and change and then onto Halifax for Smithy’s BBQ / Birthday / Extension warming, where a pleasant and tame by our standards evening was had by all.