Day 5
Rosedale to Hawnby
(Should have been!)
16 miles
We spent the evening and the night worrying about the weather. The forecast was terrible with heavy snow predicted on high ground and severe weather warnings issued for the area. We knew that today's walk involved 5 climbs with a cumulative ascent of over 4000 feet and after the last few days we could imagine what it would be like in truly adverse conditions. We agreed to make a decision in the morning.
The day dawned pleasantly enough and we had breakfast in the August Guest House's bright conservatory with a nice garden view.
Carole said the kippers, which had been cooked wrapped in foil in the Aga, were the best she'd ever tasted, plump and juicy and cooked perfectly, and as we enjoyed our breakfast we watched a woodpecker eating peanuts right in front of the window.
As we finished breakfast snow started to fall heavily and we were told the local forecast was poor with a warning of blizzard conditions on Blakey Rigg. Our host offered to arrange for us to go to Hawnby with our luggage and we reluctantly decided this was the best option.
Arriving at the Inn at Hawnby at 10am we were told our room would not be ready until 1pm, but were seated in the bar and given coffee and biscuits 'on the house'.
We decided we couldn't sit there all day so we donned wet weather gear again and decided to have a walk up to Arden Hall and Dale Town Common, the start of tomorrow's walk.
It was snowing heavily as we passed Arden Hall and a tractor coming the other way stopped, the farmer leaning out of his door to talk to us. He said he had just come from Dale Town common and the snow was horizontal with no visibility in the strong wind. He suggested sheltering under a tree until the snow passed! Since that might take all day and it was bitterly cold we decided to walk up and see, ready to turn back at any time if necessary.
We crossed the common in heavy snow using my GPS and keeping a close eye on the track in front of us and made our way back to Hawnby via High Buildings and Sunnyside Farm on the OS map.
It was still snowing heavily as we arrived back at the Inn at Hawnby and we had a late lunch of soup and sandwiches. Our room was now ready and we hung our gear to dry on every radiator and doorknob. We felt better, we had done a 6 mile walk and satisfied ourselves that it would indeed have been madness to attempt Farndale and Blakey Rigg in today's weather.
Our room was pleasant and we had a snooze before dinner.
No comments:
Post a Comment