From: Hawes to Thwaite
Distance: 9m / 14.4km
Cumulated distance: 631m / 1015km
Percentage completed: 61.4
I completely fell in love with Hawes and in particular The White Hart Inn, where I stayed for my rest day. If you ever have the good fortune to visit the market town make sure you at least call in at the White Hart and have their pulled beef. It is utterly delicious and you’ll be guaranteed a very warm welcome. http://www.whitehartcountryinn.co.uk
The fabulous White Hart Inn
I met some lovely people staying there too. Amongst them, a quietly-spoken, delightful American couple who were in Yorkshire for a campanologist workshop. We met over breakfast and got to talking about the menu. The lady was keen to try the black pudding. ‘Is it anything like the sticky toffee pudding I had last night at dinner? It was delicious.’ she asked. She very politely tried a teeny corner when it arrived but judging from how much was graciously returned to the kitchen, it didn’t taste at all as she’d expected.
Hawes
Bedding plants for sale in the weekly market
Gayle Beck running through Hawes
I’d given myself a short day today. Just ten miles. Joining today and tomorrow together it would have been just too long .. 17 miles. Had I been doing today’s walk a few years back, I would have been anticipating a day of squelching in peat bogs. With the new paved path, there’s little chance of me sinking to my waist and having to perform windmill arms to attract rescuing attention, like my friends Marian and Phil Slater. Nevertheless, I’m taking a short day today as accommodation is also pretty restrictive.
Leaving Hawes was a bit of a wrench. My rest day had been blissful. A great massage with Jac had put my legs and feet right, a gentle amble through the town and some of its shops had been lovely and then just relaxing, with my feet up for most of the day catching up on all sorts of things on the computer had been a joy. It doesn’t take much to make me happy! Once again, if you do find yourself in Hawes, give yourself a treat and contact Jac at Fringez N Freckles for a great massage. https://www.yell.com/biz/fringez-n-freckles-hawes-5086003/
Following the River Ure out of town it wasn’t long before I came to the hamlet of Hardraw, with its beautiful waterfall. Along the way, the views back of Hawes were very pretty in the sunlight.
Looking back at Hawes
River Ure
Cute lamb who had his eye on my hat, I think
At Hardraw I pulled in for a very early coffee. I’d not long since had breakfast but the deal is you have to pay to see the waterfall as it’s on the private land of The Green Dragon Inn and at the little turnstile, there is an excellent, quirky cafe. My £2.50 was well spent .. the gardens and picnic area approaching the waterfall were beautifully kept.
Hardraw Force .. see the people behind for scale
The Force is England`s largest single drop waterfall .. 100 feet. It’s set within the grounds of the historic Green Dragon Inn. The arc of stone behind the Force is just as impressive as the fall itself.
Trees clinging to the edge at the top
Hardraw Beck beyond the Force
Leaving Hardraw on the PW there was a long and steady climb. I saw virtually no-one all day up on the moorland .. just a couple of black grouse. Not too surprising as the rain set in and the wind picked up to almost gale-force towards the highest point. The names along the way may have sounded cute .. Bluebell Hill, Swallow Hole, Jinglemea Bog .. but the atmosphere was anything but.
Leaving the sun behind
Part of the paved path, laid to help prevent the erosion by walkers
The path of large paving stones uses slabs of various origins, including those that once made up the floors of old cotton mills. Every so often I’d come across a slab which had a bolt still sitting proud or a rectangular hole where once a piece of machinery might have been fixed. Transporting the huge and heavy tiles up to furnish the way must have been an enormous undertaking. On Pen-Y-Ghent, the flags were lifted into place by helicopter and so it’s possible the same was true elsewhere along the Way.
Rain on the flagstones
Along the way I came across several piles of stones. Looking on the map to see if it could shed any light on their origin, all I could see was the phrase ‘Piles of Stones’, repeated numerous times. I know the old path was made up of stones before the flags were laid so I wonder if the piles are the original path .. too heavy and expensive to remove.
Piles of Stones
The mist started to drift across the landscape, obscuring the way ahead.
Now you see it ..
.. now you don’t.
As the way became a little steeper there were shades of Cornwall’s South West Coast Path, with its endless irregular steps. At the top, at Great Shunner Fell there is reportedly a great look out. Not so today. I took a scant look and carried on, wishing I’d put more layers on.
Deja vu
Many stone cairns punctuate the Way. On the way down into Thwaite there was a particularly impressive one.
Looking down into Swaledale
There’s a long moorland descent into the tiny village of Thwaite, where I was stopping for the night. The village was the home and birthplace of Richard and Cherry Kearton. A truly fascinating pair of brothers. Back in the day, ie the Victorian day, photos of badgers, weasels and stoats were not that highly prized. Until the brothers Kearton appeared on the scene, that is. They were pioneering wildlife photographer brothers who would have cocked a snook at the Attenboroughs. They resorted to the most extraordinary lengths to get good close-up snaps of every sort of animal and bird imaginable. Having no telephoto lenses or fast film, they had to lug around massive plate glass cameras and devise ever more bizarre ways to get close to their shy quarries. ‘In 1898, Richard Kearton, who had fallen out of a tree while collecting birds’ eggs as a child and had one leg six inches shorter than the other, had a brainwave. He asked his butcher to buy an ox, skin it and send the hide to a London taxidermist. The hollow bovine was a triumph. The brothers would carry it around, plant it in fields, ponds or anywhere close to birds’ nests and then crawl inside its belly with the camera lens poking through a hole in its head. But the ox had several near-fatal drawbacks. Not only did the brothers have to endure excruciating back pain as they waited up to eight hours at a time to get a single picture, but in breezy weather it had a tendency to blow over .. to the surprise of the birds they were filming. “Once out of sheer agony I dropped from the bottom (of the cow). Upon seeing me the bird sprang almost vertically in the air and, dropping among the grass, stared with outstretched neck in blank amazement,” Richard Kearton recalled.
Despite the humorous, not to say un-pc methods .. plastering trees with honey to attract insects, firing revolvers to disturb birds and reveal their nesting places, remaining hidden for days under mounds of peat to film Skua in the Orkneys .. the brothers undoubtedly changed the face of wildlife photography. Cherry went even further, producing documentaries in Africa and then taking some of the rare film footage of WWI in Ypres.
Cherry standing on Richard’s shoulders to take a photo of a bird’s nest
As I came down the last couple of hundred metres of the day, I was delighted and so happy to see my old friend Nick, coming up the lane to meet me. We’ll have the next few days walking together, with others joining along the way.
Black Dog Tails
“Opal means hope and life to me!” beams Alexis, who was born with brittle bone disease. Opal is a Service Dog, provided for Alexis free of charge by Assistance Dogs Australia.
So glad you will have company again. I feel much better when you aren’t walking alone. Your blogs and photos are fantastic Jules! I love sharing your story – the latest with Elva and Maurie and the Englishman fixing our hydronic system!!
Yes, the next few days should be fun. Nick was our best man and we have a couple of others joining us, who I haven’t seen for many, many years. Thank you for sharing! xx
Seeing some of these photos, Jules, reminds me of an old Worcestershire saying: « it’s looking a bit dark over Bill’s mother’s ». I’ve often wondered who Bill and his mother were!! Xx
I love those old sayings, the origins lost in the mists of time. x
My family who are from Gloucestershire also say this but I’ve never heard anyone else use it! I love it.
I walked the Pennine way in April 1987. It was the first proper extended backpacking trip I did. I had the most incredible heatwave nearly all the way, almost unbelievable at that time of year, and was carrying tons more weight than I would today – ascents were agonising, and I was a bit naive about it all – from my journal:
“Down into Hawes – all was hustle and bustle, but no real provisions shop open. Got Camping Gaz and some biscuits, and on to The Green Dragon at Hardraw. Pleasant memories of caravanning here with the family. Had a ploughman’s and two pints-then-The Thrash up to Great Shunner Fell. Wainwright makes light of this – I found it devastating – two hours of never ending, scorching grind – one of the most arduous hill ascents I can ever remember.
Had apple, water and biscuits on the top then long descent to Thwaite.
Fabulous situation and interesting walking round the hill to Keld, but I was too tired to appreciate this – it seemed a long three miles. Greeted by a “Camping” sign on entering this superb village – it must rank as one of the prettiest I know. I bought a pint of milk from the farmer’s wife and then camped. I was the only one in the field. Drank some milk which I don’t normally like on its own, but this seemed ok, it was nicely chilled – nice to have it in tea instead of the powdered stuff. I’ve been having Five Pints, it does work fairly well. This journey could not possibly have survived so far without TEA and ELASTOPLAST, and of course water!”
I wonder if you will commit yourself to saying which part of your LEJOG you most enjoyed when you get to furthest north – I would guess you might say the Yorkshire Dales.
How absolutely fascinating, Conrad. I so enjoy reading your diary excerpts. The day yesterday could not have been more different from your experience! You were clearly covering big distances each day. Thank you for sharing. I’ll definitely be saying which part I enjoyed most ..
Anzac Day here in Oz with a beautiful dawn service at Bondi. I too am so glad Nick is joining you – I would be so far out of my comfort zone on my own I am sad to say. You are setting such an example of fortitude Jules. Loved the photographing brothers! All love xx
Happy Anzac Day .. although I guess you’re probably at the end of it by now. Love those dawn services. Have a lovely troupe of people of friends joining from here .. Beck and John soon. xx
Hi Jules, scenes full of drama in your photos today but I too love the changes in weather as it adds to the excitement and nature’s colours and changing moods of the day. A great thing this walk reminded me of was to appreciate the diverse interests and passions of people you meet along the way. Passion for wild flowers, stone walls, birds or butterflies and so much more. Many British truly love and preserve the traditions and nature of their country. When I sank in the peat it was atop Black Hill way back near the start of PW. All those flagstones now would help enormously and preserve the fragile moors. Good that you will have company particularly if you are venturing up Cross Fell. For us that was an almost blind section in thick mist, howling winds and driving sleet. From Hawes you are walking paths we walked and I can see it all. We had a dawn start that day and walked Hawes to Tan Hill where we camped at the back of the pub. Thank you Jules for bringing back all these memories and I am thrilled to see you progressing so well. xx
More of your beautiful prose, Marilyn .. what a treat. We may well hit Cross Fell on Sunday .. will give it your love! Should be a band of merry walkers by then and the weather looks as if it will be kind to us. xx
Jules, you need to be a wee bit cautious of the apparently sweet, fluffy, innocent lambs. The way that lamb was eyeing you up is worrying. Remember the Killer Rabbit of Cerbannog! I assume you aren’t endowed with The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch?
As always, awesome pics, awesome prose.
You can’t frighten us off with a few photos of mist!
General abuse to Nick. Don’t let him navigate. Or advise. Or anything, really, except buy you lunch. 🙂
Yes, we showed them who was boss by having lamb chops for dinner last night! Now have Jacko to contend with as well .. just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse! xx
looks wonderful there!!!
The places are beautiful .. sometimes the weather isn’t so good though! Thanks for your message, Jeremy. x
Well I live on Hawes St, I’ve forgotten what you said it means, that was in the prior day’s blog post….glad to hear it met expectations! Our accommodation is pretty top notch too!
Unfortunately I’m off to Zimb again on Fri – my mom passed away and the funeral is on Sunday….
Oh Linda, I’m sorry to hear that. You’ll feel comforted that you made her such a comfortable place with a lovely garden to spend her last couple of years. I hope all goes well on Sunday. Will be thinking of you. xx
Was most amused hearing about the Kearton brothers resourceful ways to get the right shot ! And really enjoying your magnificent skies Jules ! such variety , no 2 skies alike , serene , dramatic , moody , bleak and eery , the more somber ones are so much more interesting to paint and the bluebird days more enjoyable to experience …. No mention of any pain nor discomfort on your side and well over the 60%mark , you are a true champion ! xx
The skies so often remind me of your paintings, Sophie! All good this end .. Nick brought me Epsom Salts which have worked wonders for my dancing legs! Thanks so much for your message, my friend. xx
“Someday, lad, all this will be yours”
“What The Keartons?”
… you must check out the stuffed ox they used… but also the wooden mask, the sod house and the artificial trunk… I am glad to hear that when they went to East Africa, they were persuaded against the notion of hiding by a stuffed zebra… ingenious and insane, wonderful
https://publicdomainreview.org/2017/05/17/stuffed-ox-dummy-tree-artificial-rock-deception-in-the-work-of-richard-and-cherry-kearton/
Thought it might appeal to you. I thought they were wonderful too. x
Cherry? Really?
Is that the most outlandish bit of the story you can pick out??!!