Forty-three members of Aycliffe Fell Walking Club enjoyed an amazing day out in the “Three Peaks” area of the Yorkshire Dales on Saturday 20th April.
Bathed in warming spring sunshine, walkers alighted at various points along the coach route – most choosing to ascend Ingleborough from Ingleton Village whilst others started from near Ribblehead viaduct.
A third group chose a lower-level but no less spectacular walk along Moughton Scars and down into Crummack Dale, whilst yet others elected to start from Horton-in-Ribblesdale. Some peered into Gaping Gill as they descended the lower slopes of Ingleborough; several enjoyed scrambling over another of the Three Peaks, Pen-Y-Ghent; others watched the skies above Long Scar as a raven, intent on defending its nesting site, attacked, tumbled with and eventually chased off a buzzard, an impressive and fascinating spectacle for the gallery of onlookers.
All enjoyed a wonderful day out, wandering across limestone ‘pavements’ playing hopscotch with the “clints” whilst avoiding those nasty “grikes” (gaps in between)! Afternoon tea was enjoyed in the cafe at Feizor and the walk finished with a relaxing drink in the sun-drenched beer garden of the Harts Head Inn, Giggleswick, before walkers headed homeward on the coach – weary, but extremely happy after a “grand day out” in the dales!
(www.afwc.org.uk Aycliffe Fell Walking Club is currently being supported by the Great Aycliffe and Middridge Partnership)
