Negotiating the Pavement

Tricky stuff limestone pavement.  Those clints and grykes are just waiting to catch the ankles of the unwary.  

We had a good, long walk today.  We parked up at Clapham and paid our £1 each to walk the trail through the private woodland of Clapdale, passing the Ingleborough cave en route.  I was rather surprised to see it was open, I don't know how you ensure social distancing down there.  There was only one guy donning his safety helmet though so I guessed it wouldn't be a problem.

Emerging from Trow Gill on to the moor below Ingleborough, we paused awhile at Gaping Gill, mercifully quiet today with just us and a mother and daughter peering down the very deep hole.  On Bank Holidays, the Craven Pothole Club set up a winch and lower folks in to the 98 metre spectacular hole which forms part of an extensive cave network running through the limestone area.  Usually the Fell Beck tips over the edge in to Gaping Gill but, due to the prolonged dry period, there was no sign of it today.

We ascended Little Ingleborough and then on to Ingleborough itself, touching the trig point and then eating lunch with a view down the valley to the magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct.

Bags repacked and walking poles out for the downhill (the worst bit for my knees), we descended on a different path below Simon Fell towards the limestone pavements of the valley below.  Tony located a minor path on the map which was much appreciated as it was short grass and easy on those achy knees and sore feet.

Back at Clapham there were no open cafes to be found but we did very well to come across a well stocked village store which had a drinks machine and a pleasant seating area.  All in all an excellent day out.

In other news, we have spotted the hedgehog at the back of the house five nights running, yay!