Day 5 tuesday 7th

Day 5 Cowling to Malham 18 miles
Not too bad a day, sun was out from the onset as I left Woodland b&b where I have never felt so comfortable in any accommodation ever. That's thanks to Sandy and Susan Black, you couldn't wish to meet a nicer couple.
Most of the days ascent takes place in the first 4 to 5 miles, so to get the business part of the walk done I didn't stop for a rest until I reached the top of Pinhaw Beacon. Before that it was a uphill slog out of Cowling then downhill and through Lothersdale, a quiet little village that was still asleep.

View back down into Cowling

Lothersdale

 

 

 

On top of Pinhaw Beacon

Then it was all uphill to Pinhaw Beacon where I met Daan and Inge taking a rest. They had been there a while and were ready to carry on so went on their way. I stayed around for a short while resting and admiring the 360 degree views. It was then a gradual walk down to Thornton in Craven then a right turn to take me north heading for the end at Malham. Not a great inspiring walk, pleasant but nothing to get your pulse racing, it included a short canal towpath walk coming across a well known double arch bridge at East Marton. This occured when the new road was built, rather than demolish the original, the new bridge was built on top.

I'd caught up with Daan and Inge by now and very soon after we decided to have lunch, and stopped at a nice pub doing food alongside the canal at Williamson Bridge.

I then carried on by myself, they were quite content to sit for longer, I get a bit restless after a while, so I went on my way, soon reaching the town of Cargrave,

Sign in Cargrave for PW walkers, looks like I'm getting somewhere

passed through then just before reaching open countryside again, I had rain for the first time since I'd started the PW back in Edale. I was reluctant to put waterproofs on, the heat and humidity being high. Within 10 minutes I was restless, rain was making it feel cooler so out came my top coat, hood up, head down and I passed field after field until I reached Airton.

Riverside path after Airton

The rain then stopped, so I put my coat away and had a much longer riverside walk than I imagined to Malham, getting there at around 5-45 a long 9 hour walk in hot, humid and rainy weather. Was I tired? yes I was but still in high spirits and ready for a very eventful day to come