Back on the paths north

7th June at Earby, near Skipton -620 miles!

On Saturday morning, it was time to set off again, starting from our house in Littleborough with Jane keeping me company for these first three days of the 'second half' of the journey. It was a beatiful morning and we were joined by ten friends for a very pleasant walk across to Hebden Bridge. The skylarks sang and the curlews called, but perhaps the highlight was the early afternoon refreshment stop. We had planned to call at the pub at Lumbutts but, as we got near, we found we'd arrived on one of the sumer afternoons when Mankinholes Methodists provide afternoon tea in their lovely chapel facing the moor. The sun shone and we feasted on tea, salmon sandwiches and a whole cakestand of home made cakes, warm in the sun and with the tea pots balanced on the gravestones! The Methodist ancestors would have been pleased we were drinking tea instead of beer! It was a most sociable day and I think the whole group - Clare and Lawrence, Philip and Patricia, John, Roy, Maggie and Pat and (our first Cape to Cape 'returners') Pete and Linda - all enjoyed the day and the tea party. On Sunday, the route continued on the old pack horse road from Hebden Bridge to Haworth, joined by Hilary and Mike. They seemd undaunted by the rain and we warmed up with tea and raisin toast in the refreshment coach at Oxenhope station. We spent SUnday night at the Old Silent Inn at Stanbury - an historic moorland pub and what a name! Maggie brought Pat across to join Jane and me on a hilly day over Ickonshaw Moor and Penhaw Beacon to Earby - a spectacular day for the curlews and lapwings and a great curry in the evening at the Chilli Pepper in Earby (we can't recommend too highly!).
So I'm heading north again! If you're still thinking of dropping in, click on 'where I am today' on the top of this page and you can then click on 'walk milestones' and see where I am. Friends always welcome. And there's still time for more sponsorship promises - the total is edging up from £1500 towards £2000 - just email your promise and I'll collect in August!