Continued...
Leaving malham tarn quite a hike ahead to cross the valley and climb fountains fell, the next cache was by the tarn near the summit. Dropping down to the minor road in the bottom of the valley i could see the walker that had left malham with me, about a mile ahead, this was the last time i saw him as he climbed up to the farm. When i got to that point i could here shearing taking place in the shed, a freshly shorn sheep came barreling out of the shed and mollydog started barking, i would have loved to stop and watch quietly but with mollydog making so much noise i had to move on.
The climbing began in earnest and i charged on determined not to rest too often. Out above the intake wall onto the moor proper and the gradient became less fierce as the path contoured through a mounded land of landsips from the fell above. Weather was light rain but not enough to put a coat on.
After 2 miles the summit cairns came into view and at that point i was 0.3miles from the forgotten fell cache, so i bit the bullet turned off the path and headed across the heather following the arrow. It was tough going, fell over once when i stumbled and the weight of the pack took me over.the summit tarn came into view, it was a lot larger than expected and with only a low bank around and the cloudy sky beyond it reminded of an infinity pool. The cache forgotten peak was on the shore, a lovely spot to sit and rest. It has now been archived, though the box will still be there.
After a rest we then headed up to the summit cairn and the charlie cache close by, first view of the limestone escarpment of penyghent from the top with a deep valley between and ingelbrough in the distance. What a view!.
Weaved between the old mineshafts on a track back to the pennineway, over the wall and started the steep decent. The 2nd cache in the series cistercian miners was in the cliffs by the path on the decent, i stopped here and had lunch then continued the decent to the valley bottom. And the 3/4 mile trek along the road to start the climb up penyghent. On the way we pasded another farm that was shearing but again the farm dogs made hanging around to watch difficult, so we carried on.
Next cache was stinkhole stash the third in the pway series and it is hidden in a huge crater in the ground. I left my heavy rucksack at the top and clambered down to find it.
Then started the ascent of penyghent's cliffs which loomed overhead, i was tired at this point having already walked 12miles with an unfamiliar weight so toyed with the idea of cutting the climb out and heading straight for horton, but that would mean missing the three caches on the hill, one of which was a pway cache.
I climbed the first step and then sat for 20mins enjoying the view back across the valley and over fountains fell. Very relaxing. But time was getting on so after some muggles climbed past i hefted the rucksack back on my shoulders and headed up the final scramble to the summit.
My legs were burning as i climbed but i made it, grabbed the 2 caches on the summit , one was very precauriously hidden on a steep slope, hopped over the summit wall and started the decent. I had conquered penyghent.
Knees were sore making my way down, stopped to grab the 4th pway cache, hill of the winds, then continued the final 2 miles into horton and the campsite. It seemed to go on forever. And my legs were really sore. So glad to put the tent up and crawl inside to rest.
12 caches
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