Yorkshire Dales: Pen-y-ghent and Ribblehead Viaduct

We've been on no decent walks for a while as Sybil's leg has been playing up again, and after several vet visits I found that her knees aren't as good as they should be. After medicine and building her walks back up, we decided to hop on the train to the Yorkshire Dales yesterday. I've only ever been with school years ago and Sybil hasn't been at all so it was an easy choice for a new walk.

Looking back towards Horton

We left the train at Horton-in-Ribblesdale. The plan was that this day trip was to be a whistle-stop tour of the Dales, with a quick peek at Pen-y-ghent and then back on the train to gaze in awe at the Ribblehead viaduct. The weather forecast wasn't good anyway, so no major walks were planned. However, we headed towards Brackenbottom Farm and up towards the hill until we got our first glimpse:

Pen-y-ghent (!)

And decided that to head back now would be rather defeatist. As we couldn't see the hill properly, I decided that we should climb it. A foolhardy decision maybe as the wind was already bad enough that I had my hood drawn around my head and ears and Sybil was wearing her jacket, but nonetheless we started to climb. 

Not far now

One excellent thing about this walk, and possibly due to the weather, was the lack of sheep. Sybil was off-lead for most of it, which was great to see as she hasn't had the best of walks lately due to her leg. Several people admired her jacket which she was happily showing off, while accepting fusses from other walkers.

The last push to the top was the worst, as it was an almost vertical scramble up wet and slippery rocks with the wind threatening to blow me somewhere I didn't want to be. Sybil made it look incredibly easy, darting up the rocks like a nimble mountain goat while I huffed, puffed and slowly crawled up.

A very windy summit

But I made it! Several people had overtaken us on the way and were nowhere in sight when we reached the top, wisely deciding not to hang around. We settled down on a bench out of the wind and had a quick bite to eat while recovering. The views were nothing like as promised with only cloud as far as the eye could see, but we didn't mind. After this it was an easy but long descent back into Horton along the Pennine Way, eventually coming out of the clouds and wind to blue skies.

Rainbow over the Pennine Way

Back in Horton I popped into the cafe for a delicious hot chocolate before walking back to the railway station, where luck would have it the train to Carlisle was running forty minutes late. We boarded the train until the next stop, Ribblehead, and had a gentle walk up to the viaduct.

Getting tired now

We stopped at the burger van and shared an egg sandwich before boarding the train back to Leeds, and onwards to home. Result? One amazing day out, and one very tired collie-cross.

River Ribble in Horton