3rd July 2021
Ah, t’Yorkshire Dales. Myself and the long suffering Mrs J travelled up to Yorkshire for a long weekend as I was doing the 26 mile Mighty Hike with hiking buddy Ninja Sue, and my wife Becky was doing the 13 mile half marathon hike (keep it under your hat but the half marathon is actually 14.7 miles)!
The day dawned very wet but reasonably warm so all that was required was the waterproof rucksack cover as full waterproofs would have been unbearably hot.
The hike starts off with a shortish but very sharp climb so be prepared for that, however once that is done there is nothing to really get the heart pumping as you hike through rolling countryside and along roads. That is until you hit mile 20 and begin a loooong 2.5 – 3 mile climb up a relentless stony pathway. It is one of those climbs where you think you are getting to the end only for it to twist and you see it carry on up.. Once at the top though you have a few gentle undulations until mile 25 when you beging the descent down to the finish.
This was another enjoyable hike but not a favourite – mainly I think due to the weather and that the conditions seemed to close everything in so although we were probably hiking through amazing countryside, we couldn’t actually see it.
We met up with Sue’s husband Ian and my wife Becky at the finish and the day was compounded by the realisation that we had left the lights on my car so had a very flat battery! Sue used her special Ninja powers to sweet talk a coach driver into giving us a start with jump leads. So Sue and Ian took off home in their car, and Becky and I had a damp drive round the area for an hour or so to charge the battery up before returning to the hotel and a hot shower.
All in all an enjoyable hike but not one I will do again. Very proud of Becky for having completed her first mighty hike solo! The first picture of me below is at the start of that long uphill grind at mile 20.
