Three peaks

We are now well and truly in The Dales and have much enjoyed the hospitality of The Lister Arms in Malham. Comfortable room, excellent food, and a staff who cannot do enough for you.

Yesterday was a rest day. Well I say a rest day, but they were scurrying about like meerkats in a Go Compare advert. Main job of the morning was to get the tent sorted out after our rather wet evening in Thornton. So off down to the village green we go. Dad got out the fly sheet (that's the outer bit to you and me) and put it up. The locals looked on anxiously and were clearly not keen on the possibility of somebody camping on their village green. Next, the footprint (groundsheet to the uninitiated). They stood there holding it between them to take advantage of the wind and what little sun there was, looking like they were planning to take off, in a new variety of hang glider. Finally the inner tent (or as mum calls it, the boudoir (nor me). This was full of all sorts of detritus; dad's crisps, bits of carrot cake, some of my Burns, a lot of my hair (? I'm not moulting at the moment - worrying!) and a great deal of grass clippings. In the absence of a dustpan and brush, they had the bright idea of turning it inside out and giving it a good shake. It actually worked.

That done it was time to turn to our other possessions. Boots were washed in the river, dried and dubbined. Clothes, mine as well, washed and dried. Waterproofs, including mine, cleaned and dried. They were showered off, and I made the big mistake of standing still, and I got washed too. So, ready for the next tranche of the adventure.

We were due to walk to Horton today, but unfortunately, can you believe it, not a single B&B would accommodate me, and the campsites were closed until May. Which is fortunate because I'm told that the owner of the site sits in a tent at night playing a piano and having singsongs until the wee small hours - not my scene! So we have had to go 3 miles further on to Selside. In the interests of economy of mileage, we have been mainly on the road, but have still been able to enjoy many of the sights - Malham Cove, reputedly a waterfall as big as Niagra in its day, but now completely dry, Malham Tarn, a natural lake high up on the fells, the glorious 3 Yorkshire peaks; Pen y Ghent, Ingleborough, and Whernside. Mum and dad are thoroughly enjoying lambing this year, appreciating other peoples hard work and the fruits thereof.

When we got to Horton, we stopped at the cafe for our main meal of the day, and I need to give my warmest thanks to the owners, who kindly cooked me a sausage with theirs.

There seems to have been a lot of phone calls today so I'm guessing there are some surprises in store.

Hawes tomorrow.

Keep spreading the word.

M
xx