Keïteï Ventures

By hiker standards, I was up late again. My body seriously didn’t want to get up but despite this, we are marching by 6am. It is an easy start to the day as I walk down into the village called Thwaite. It’s peaceful and I’m the only person up, only the chattering swallows break the silence. A cafe has a dog bowl and tap conveniently placed outside so I refill my water and pause for some chocolate preparing myself for the upcoming climb. I’m headed up Great Shunner fell, a peak I’ve done before and remember it being a fairly straight forward. Gradual but paved and a gentle ascent. The sun is slowly breaking free of the clouds and casts a lovely aurora light over the surroundings hills.

Upon reaching the top, I have a quick snack break and plow straight into the descent. This was when my ankle began to hurt…quite a bit. Only on the downhill, right up the inner part and I began to compensate to ease it. I nodded bravely at passing hikers who were on their ascent of Great Shunner as I entered Hawes. Another quaint village in the Yorkshire Dales and home of the Green Dragon pub and the epic waterfall which lies behind it. I scaled the outskirts of the village and smelt smoke. Looking to my left as I ambled through a field. A medium sized tent was there, pitched up on the wall above. Someone was having a little BBQ breakfast. Not somewhere I’d choose to have a mini fire but heyho. Continuing into Hawes, I wander through the village and try not to be envious of the tourists who dither about freely, enjoying the sights before hopping back into their cars and zooming off.

Looking for somewhere quiet to rest, I take up a pew in the grounds of the church. I have some lunch and take an ibuprofen hoping it will help my ankle. A few people come and go, either tourists or locals and a tall lady with a golden retriever walk by. She eyes me casually and I think maybe I should have brushed my hair today when she makes a beeline for a tiny paved slab in the corner of the church.
“I can’t pass by without saying hello” she says, not to me but to the stone. “Hey Baby, you ok? I’ll get you some flowers” she says gently as she scraps away the newly cut grass with has fallen over it. I try to pretend I’m not there and look intently at my book. “Ok baby” the lady continues, a sadness filling her voice and she departs.

I watch her leave and look to the headstone. Testing the painkillers, I pace over and read the inscription. A girls name is engraved there along with her dates of birth and death. We would have been the same age if she had lived. Next time I was in Hawes, I would lay some flowers there.

Heading off, I walk slow and steady leaving the hum of the busy village behind and return to the hills. The hillside offers a great view over the area and two German thru-hikers appear. We swap hiker intel and they speak of a pub in Horton which offers great meals and explain that was how they spent their night. They ask if there are pubs and cafes in Hawes, I nod and explain they would have no trouble finding something.

Hiking on, I entertained myself with my fictional stories, replaying sections in my head and parts that I needed to rewrite and edit. Descending down, I arrive at Ling Nature Reservoir and my foot is still sore. Thankfully I’ve done all the down hill and it can recover somewhat on the uphill. Two cyclists appear and cycle up and out with power assisted mountain bikes. Leaving, I venture down the wrong path and have to correct myself. Thankfully this is done before I hike too far in the wrong direction. Pen Y Gent appears on the horizon and I had planned to camp in a cave nearby and tackle the full ascent tomorrow morning on fresh legs.

It’s 6pm and I’m at the bottom of the famous Yorkshire peak, despite it being an already long day. I keep going and arrive at the top in good time. I have a light tea, re-hydrate and scout around for somewhere to pitch. A cyclist appears out of nowhere and zooms on as quickly.

A modest sunset fills the sky as the sun battles the clouds and shut out the rest of the world. I wonder what the weather will bring tomorrow.