In Hawes: a hike/bike in the Yorkshire Dales

July 19, 2022

A historic day, the first time temperature will hit 40C in Britain in recorded history. We’re fortunate that we’re far enough up-country that we’re above the worst of it, but our forecasted high of 95F is well above our comfort zones. We don’t want to sit out our chance to see more of the famously beautiful Yorkshire Dales, so we rise to the occasion and set the alarms for 5 AM. We’re out the door by 5:30, Rachael on foot and I on wheels. We’ve time boxed ourselves and have four hours. Last orders for breakfast are at 9:30.

Hike

The 268 mile long Pennine Trail is one of Britain’s most famous walking paths. Britain’s first National Trail, it stretches from the Peaks District to the Scottish Border. It passes through Hawes, right down the middle of Main Street. Rachael just walks out the stairs, steps out the door, and she’s on it!

She turns left, and within a few blocks is out of town following Gayle Beck for a short ways, then crosses the River Ure and starts climbing. And continues climbing for the next 4+ miles before turning back. Later we’ll compare notes and routes and she surprises me by claiming that she was above 2,000’ when she turned around - higher than I was when crossing Buttertubs Pass just a mile to the east of her.

She’s in a hurry but still finds time to take enough photos to remind herself of what fabulous walking country this is and how spectacular it is to be out in it so early in the morning. She turns around, walks back to town, and finds she still has a few minutes left to walk up to the church and back to pad her distance to 10 miles. Then she’s off to the room to clean up and change, and at 9:25 she heads downstairs to breakfast.

Bike

I’ve planned a challenging little route for my outing. Only 20 miles, but with two significant mounds in the way. First, a thousand foot climb up to Buttertubs Pass, a challenging traverse made famous by its appearance in the 2014 Tour de France. Then I’ll lose it all back when I drop into Swaledale, the next dale to the north. Then a short bike east along the Swale and then it’s up again, climbing back over the same formation but on a different road, Cross Top, before dropping back to town. The route as a whole is a circuit around the prominent hill north of Hawes, with the charming name at its highest point of Lovely Seat.

It’s a challenge. Four challenges really because these being the Dales, both climbs and both descents have exceedingly steep bits intermixed with more manageable slopes. On both ascents I come to a stretch where dismounting and walking seems like the right plan, and both descents are ones I take very slowly and consider dismounting and walking down rather than risk losing control or braking power and flying off the nearest edge.

So that slows me down, but so of course do the stunning surroundings. I log 350 images in four hours - likely a new record, at 17 snaps per mile on average. In this morning light especially, everything is arresting.

I cut it close. I’m back at the inn at 9:25, climbing the stairs and just reaching for the door when it opens and Rachael emerges on her way to breakfast. I’ll be another ten minutes before descending myself, but she places my order for me and coffee’s on the table when I sit down to the most enjoyable breakfast of the tour. We should do this more often.

Leaving Hawes, 5:30 AM. Quieter than last night.

Gayle Beck. Rachael came this way too, just a few minutes ahead of me. I keep an eye out but don’t see her.

Looking back into Wensleydale, at the start of the climb to Buttertubs Pass.

I’m climbing up the scar carved by Fossdale Gill. The sun has just broken the hills behind me and is partially illuminating the Canyon. Rachael’s just on the other side of the hill ahead, climbing up along Hearne Beck. We’re probably not more than a mile from each other.

At Buttertubs Pass. There’s no summit marker but the cattle guard will do. And no one’s here to photograph me so I’ll do it myself.

So what’s the protocol in situations like this? Who’s got the right of way?

Looking down the other side into Swaledale. What an awesome view! The road hugs the course of Cliff Beck all the way to the bottom.

I’m going the right way on this one. The way up only hit 18.

Looking down into Swaledale, carved by the Swale - the same river that passes through Richmond.

Still descending, slowly - with all the stops it’s possibly as slow as the ride up, actually.

In Swaledale, above Thirsk. These stone barns are spectacular - there are dozens of them strewn across these slopes.

I’ve finally bottomed out and am following the Swale for a relaxed mile or two before climbing my way out again.

On the way up now, on Cross Top Road. The fun’s over. I’m not embarrassed to admit I walked in a few spots.

Southern marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa).

The view back down. Oxnop Beck, I think.

A lapwing! The best, longest look I’ve gotten of one as he walked up the hill just ahead of me, slowly enough for me to observe his behavior: bend over eyeing the ground for a few minutes than stand erect for a second or two, looking like he’s listening for something. Predictable behavior, and easy to plan your shot - just wait for him to stand up again and shoot quick. Unfortunately I still couldn’t get a very focused shot, because I couldn’t still my arms. They’re still quivering from the exertion of the climb.

One last little bit to the summit. No problem.

Over the top, I enjoy breathtaking views down into Wesleydale all the way down. That’s the village of Askrigg ahead.

Warning me that I really should stop and walk across the hoof trap.

A dovecot, I think. This one looks startled, like he’s seen something shocking. Oh!

A second chance! We biked past these roadside flowers on our ride in yesterday and I didn’t bother stopping in our haste to arrive.

So that’s it for physical activity for the day. We pass the time until dinner doing our best to stay cool, filling the hours with the usual diversions: examining profiles of upcoming rides, restaurant research, reading books, cursing the news, catching up on blogs, plotting out possible future tours, ice cream, a pale ale.

For dinner we go almost next door to an Indian restaurant, our first of the tour. The meal is excellent - we’ll have to keep an eye out for other Indian restaurants in the weeks ahead - but the company is excellenter. A lone diner, Gary, is seated at the neighboring table and strikes up a chat. We have a great visit for the next half hour or so and are sorry to break it off at the end. Gary is full of surprises. He’s lived in Mammoth, California and in Chile when he was a professional ski instructor for elite clients until a severe accident ended that career for him. Now he lives on the coast north of Whitby, bikes the hills, and plays classic/country rock music in a group back home. His dad was an elite locally renowned road cyclist, so he’s got an impressive pedigree.

After that it’s back to the room. It’s too warm still though, but it’s cooling down quickly and quite pleasant outside so we sit at a table outside the inn for the next few hours until time to call it a day.

The map is a hybrid, so you can see how close our two routes were. Mine’s the loop, hers is the spur on the left.

Heart

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Ride stats today: 20 miles, 2,400’; for the tour: 1,139 miles, 51,600’

Today's ride: 20 miles (32 km)
Total: 1,159 miles (1,865 km)

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Comment on this entry	Comment	6

Graham FinchYou saw some great countryside and the photos are fab.
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2 years ago

Gregory GarceauI loved all of the photos both of you took today. What an amazingly beautiful landscape! The best part--no view blockers on those hills.
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2 years ago

Patrick O'HaraGreat shots Scott. Also, looks like some tough cycling terrain. Nice work.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Patrick O'HaraIt was lucky that the heat pushed us out the door so early in the day. We’ll have to start looking for another excuse to do this, maybe when we get to the Lake District.
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2 years ago

Patrick O'HaraCan't until you get to the Lakes District. I expect it to be stunning in the morning light. You've put another future trip on our list. Maybe back to the British Isles on our next tour. Or. Maybe something a little flatter, like the Netherlands.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Patrick O'HaraTough choice there. You have heard about the Dutch Alps though?
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2 years ago