The Handbag Walkers reunited (or, this is where it gets serious)

It’s been a long time since all three of us have gone walking, unless you count round the shops. I think the last time was early July! But this week was half term for the other two*, so we planned to walk mid week.

Wednesday dawned dull and drizzly. In the past this would have put us off, but not now. As always, despite our best intentions, it was nearly lunch time by the time we neared our destination, at the top of Nidderdale.

J, our driver, announced ‘I’m hungry’. Only one thing for it, a detour off the road to an idyllic little pub. As we sat down in front of the roaring fire, and realised it was our sort of place, it was tempting to linger.
‘We still have to walk, you know!’

After lunch, we drove a few more miles to the village of Lofthouse. It was still drizzling, but we’re much better prepared than we used to be. In fact, J didn’t look much like a handbag walker at all, she even had a rucksack, and she and V both had walking poles.

‘I think Val needs a pole next’
‘We’ll be buying gaiters next’
J: *softly* ‘actually, I already have some’

As it turned out, both would have been useful, as the first half mile or so was pretty much pure mud, churned up by cattle, so stinky mud too. Not the sort to fall over in! Without gaiters, or tucking my trousers into my (proper) walking socks, I was soon up to my knees in it.

Once past a farm, and climbing out of the valley, it improved however. Still wet, but less muddy. The next obstacle was all the ‘squeeze styles’. You can’t afford to be too fat, otherwise you’d not get through them

Reaching the village of Middlesmoor, we were promised both a tea room and a pub, however, the tea room seemed to have vanished, and the pub was closed! So we had to admire the wonderful view down the valley instead. It was impressive even on such a murky day, and must be glorious in summer.

Onwards, and down to How Stean Gorge, which had a tea room, with lovely home made cakes. Just what we needed. With a spring in our step, we completed the walk, and arrived back at the car.

‘Right, now it’s time for the rest of the essential elements. Shopping, and a high quality butchers. So it was off to Pateley Bridge, where, a few months ago, I’d bought a ring. This was one of the reasons for the trip, as one of the stones had fallen out. What I hadn’t bargained for was V trying to persuade me to buy another one. This time, I managed to resist, and she bought one instead.

A final stop at the butchers, and the oldest sweet shop in England, and it was time to head home (well, the shops were closing, anyway)

‘We do have fun, don’t we?’

*Don’t you just love how many holidays teachers get? And no, I still wouldn't do the job in a million years!