So yesterday made a break for it in the sunshine......................fed the cat, sprayed some fleaspray on carpet, shoved cast out back window, shut window, legged it for bus. Made it to Buckden via the dalesbus. Above is some meadow near Buckden.
I soon had to overtake a troop of about 20 old codgers, groups like that shouldnt be allowed when I am about
Wood cranesbill
little blue milkwort
there were some more codgers later, one of em was bent down taking a pic.............turned out they found (Greater?) Butterfly orchid, new one on me
heres a more common orchid,
rock rose
the white one in middle is eyebright, a limestone specialist. Yellow rattle to left, an orchid behind a bit
kept having to re overtake te smaller group of codgers, one of em said their leader was their old biology teacher from school, taking them on a flower spotting expedition! He looked at least 75......................they invited me to join em, but I had distance to cover.
marsh marigold
finally some scenery, I had been walking the dales way by the river going West, this was as far as I went, just beyond Yockenthwaite, which is just ! farm, with a post box!
it really is idyllic here.
turned back, went East on the "higher" path, toward Cray.
Some time later, the view looking South down t valley from the heights
Buckden Pike in the distance, I've never been up there
I had just re overtaken the biology spotters, they went to the White Lion at the hamlet of Cray for a drink, I was holding out for the Buck inn at Buckden (ha!)
Stepping stones to cross
went along Buckden rake a bit, heres the view looking back NW towards Yockenthwaite way
path leading down to Buckden
got back to Buckden wi good half hour before bus...................maybe 6 miles or so walk (?) took me 4.75 hours. Went to Buck inn for pint in beer garden before bus, been once before 2 or 3 years ago, its inthe good beer guide 2017 that I just bought......pub was closed with a to let sign up. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
There oughta be a law against this when I want to visit!!!
Back in grassington, got talking to shopkeeper who sold me my cappucino ice cream
he said the brewery wanted too much rent, n forced em out the Buck, ironically twas a lovely day, they could have done plenty o trade if they had been open!!!
An utterly superb walk for scenery n nature, as good as I remembered it