A morning up Drumaldrace

[trederdog 100]

After a nice weekend away In Hawes and the Dales, I had a few hours free before the drive down south to fit in my first Hewitt, Drumaldrace. Starting from Hawes I took a leisurely pace along the Pennine way to Gayle, a nice wee village on a picturesque river.

Gayle

After a few years walking in mostly in Scotland it was good to see the Dales and their distinctive landscape. Living in southern England for the last two years has given me the urge for some hill walking, which Drumaldrace was satisfying. I walked though some interesting little field systems with each one having a stone built barn and small footpath gates through the lovely stone walls.

Looking back at fields outside Hawes and Gayle

Further up I encountered steeper slopes and plenty more sheep and lambs. The path tracks a small stream with some Ash and Larch growing next to it before cutting diagonally south-east up steep slopes, again through field walls to more open moorland. Passing plenty of 'shake holes' as I learnt from the map, (with some trepidation as I kept on remembering that 999 lifesavers programme where a boy falls into a cavernous pit in the Dales or somewhere near), I got round to the north of Drumaldrace before spotting a good place to go over the heather towards the summit.

Drumaldrace moorland

A quick look around at the summit and then I was off to find the old Roman road just near the cairn. It soon leads down to a bridleway that skirts the eastern side of Drumaldrace and back to the Wendsleydale side and the original path. I took the same way down, stopping for lamb 'cute-ratings' and stomped back to the car in no time.

Hawes from Pennine way

This was a great short walk through lovely and interesting scenery. A good choice when I didn't have too much time, (my girlfriend didn't particularly like the suggestion of a hill walk the day before...), and I managed to get down the M6 and home for the snooker final...!