DAY FIVE

DAY FIVE

We both slept soundly last night as exhaustion got the better if us. I lay awake from 8am trying to read the time on the incorrectly set clock and lay there thinking about getting up.

There was a gentle hum of boots coming from the cupboard where we have shoved them the night before and it was another glorious day outside. 

We hobbled down to breakfast ready for a good hesrty breakfast. I have to tell you it wasn't the best. After chocking on the frozen sausage, crucified mushrooms and anailated tomtoes I gave up. It was only topped by the waitress trying to take my full pot of tea away thinking the previous customer had left it.

On the way up to Malham cove we stopped at the National Trust information barn where we learnt how to count sheep to ten (Ash only remember 'ten' which was dick) and identify all the different types of cows. Ash was busy learning bird sounds whilst I left the barn in embarassment of the sounds he was making.

On the way up the cove, I counted 509 steps. Ash counted 300 but we later discovered he was taking two at a time and is after all an accountant. At the top we sat and watched the perigrine falcons swoop high and low over the cove.

Ash tucked into his piece of rich fruit cake from the day before as I sat and had a quiet moment. After about half an hour we started up towards the tarn but not before a quick star jump or two or three or five (Ash kept missing it) but he was using my camera!

Past the tarn there we ascended little fell which turned out to be not so little. The heat was so much we could hardy make conversation so just got our heads down and marched to the twin cairns overlooking Pen-y-Ghent. Here we stopped for our 'un-packed lunch' (we didn't buy one yet again) of dry roasted peanuts, chocolates bars squashed lemon slices. I also ate my piece of fruit cake but decided to throw away the sweaty wedge of cheese that Ash had kindly left for me.

A short stomp downhill revealed that it wasn't a single blister causing my pain but my whole feet felt like they were bursting out of my boots. Ash ordered me to take some ibuprofen and shoved some jelly babies in my mouth to keep me from whinging. Whilst I licked my wounds I counted the 39 insect bites on Ash's legs. He was not amused.

On the way up Pen-y-Ghent we met two very nice people. One had a very long back tooth and foamed at the mouth whilst telling  of his pennine way adventures back in 1974. The other ran past us as we scrambled up to the top.  We soon realised he was just walking and we were crawling in a more snail like fashion. We were motivated by the fast man's promise of a green grassy lane to Horton.

An hour later we realised he had lied to us and by grass he meant steep loose gravel. Ash tried to convince me there was grass down the side but wherever we stepped sharp rocks found there way to stab our blisters through our boots. the path went on for ages and we were delighted when the end was in sight.

We located the guest house near the train station and were warmly welcomed by two cats and a dog, oh and the owners Steve and Johanne. We got changed and joined them for a big pot of tea and cupcakes in the lounge before heading out to dinner and to write this blog.