Last weekend, Clare & I took our new pooch Kyra for a good run up t’Dales, to scale one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks ‘Pen-Y-Ghent’

We parked up at the picturesque village of Horton-In-Ribblesdale, which was bathed in beautiful low spring sunlight

With a ‘pack-up’ on our backs (Clare’s childhood term for a packed lunch) we hit the Pennine Way.

Destination Pen-Y-Ghent!

Erm, blue please.  The easy way.

Kyra popped out of a ditch in a fine beardy wizard disguise

It wasn’t long before the landscape really started to look real Dalesy.  I love the rolling hills, moody sky and windy path stretching into forever

Contrary to landscape shooters f22 rules, I shot this one at f1.4 on my 50mm to add a little blur to the nearby walls.

I spotted an empty old dry stone barn and though that frame’d make a tasty portrait of my bitches.

Later, Clare found a spot to do the same of me & my girl.

As is usually the case, we set off from home in one glorious sunshine & once we’d made it into the Dales, it was generally gloomy with occasional spells.

But there were plenty of walkers out enjoying the peaks

A little snap on the 16-35mm.

Bit of blurry moss that caught my eye

Approaching a moody looking Pen-Y-Ghent

Up & over, with a lovely view of rolling Yorkshire limestone

Kyra seemed to enjoy taking it all in

It were a bit blowey up on’t tops, so we sheltered behind a wall for our packups

Serious; Bobby’s BBQ sauce snacks are the best 35p you’ll ever spend

The view down the other side was equally lovely, cowering beneath churning skies and patchy beams

Kyra bounded around like a complete loon, and probably drank more petey bog water than she should’ve.

I’d tweeted that we were off up Pen-Y-Ghent, and literally, as we set off down the far side, I had a reply from @catfirman saying:

“does it look like a big sleeping dragon? I think we used to go there as kids”

I turned around and totally saw this:

Crazy eh?  It fully does look like the head of a sleeping dragon.  There’s even an eye & scales down its back.

I tweeted: “Quasi-profound thought of the day as we climb Pen-Y-Ghent with the dog: The best views are often behind you”

[BTW: If you’d like to follow my tweets, you can do so here]

Moments later, the sun burst out, lighting the foreground, but leaving the sleeping dragon in darkness.

Pocking the Dales are entrances to potholes.

With it being limestone bedrock, it’s often washed away by underground water, leaving impressive potholes & hidden caverns to explore. 

We left Kyra to see if she could get over this stone wall, and she decided to scramble over the top.

Another skyscape, caught in glass.

Kyra looking a bit like a mental.  Her belly hair’s still growing back post neutering

Back in Horton-on-Ribblesdale we stopped into the Pen-Y-Ghent Cafe

The tea was served in pint mugs!

My kinda place.

Perfectly paired with warm scones with jam & cream

Ahhhh

One tired pooch, cabbaged all the way home.

A lovely day out indeed.

  • 28 April 2011