From the window of our room, we could see the lush green pastures alongside the River Dee. Of course, everything was green with so much rain! As usual, the day started with the sound of rain, but fortunately, it was beginning to clear after breakfast. Ron and Sandra prepared a substantial breakfast. We had come to appreciate how much energy a full English breakfast provided for hiking.
Thanks to Sandra, we were starting off with dry boots! Almost a miracle, considering the wet conditions of the previous day. Marla felt that she could still walk on her ankle.
We said goodbye to Sandra and Ron, and Robert and Anne Marie. Penny and Denise were also walking to Sedbergh, but they had arranged to stay overnight at other accommodations. We exchanged mobile phone numbers in hopes of meeting later that evening.
Sandra advised us to walk on the road to Dent because the path along the river would be very muddy and tedious. She also suggested that Marla go to the health clinic in Sedbergh for her ankle.
The stroll along the road was very pleasant. Cows and sheep stared at us curiously from behind the pasture walls!
The rain made everything look fresh, and the brightening sky offered plenty of light, albeit no sunshine. Off to the side of the road, Peter spotted the bus stop. The timetable revealed that bus service only operates on Wednesday and Saturday. An example of how our Plan B to ride buses would not have worked!
Again, we marveled at the beautiful flowers and plants we passed. The grounds of St. John’s Church beckoned us to visit before leaving Cowgill.
We were able to walk much more quickly on the road and the flat pavement helped Marla. We reached the picturesque village of Dent, five miles from Cowgill, in less than two hours.
We took time to wander down the village’s roads and lanes, stopping to visit St. Andrew’s Church. There were also pubs and tearooms for a midday break! The friendly young woman at the village store assured us that both tearooms were excellent. We chose Stone Close and learned that it is also a bed and breakfast establishment.
The original plan was to have two coffees and share a dessert. This was before Peter saw blackberry crumble with custard and Molly cake on the blackboard menu. (Molly cake is a fruit cake that contains no refined sugar, fat, eggs or dairy products. One of his grandmothers made it when he was a boy. It was considered a real treat!) Thinking quickly, Peter suggested ordering both desserts. Marla might want to try his Molly cake, and she could share her blackberry crumble with him, too. It all worked out beautifully!
Robert and Anne Marie, from the Sportsman’s Inn, came in while we were enjoying our desserts. They had found the walk to Dent along the river difficult and planned to return via the road. (Marla was grateful for Sandra’s advice to take the road!)
Anne Marie had walked the Dales Way with friends last year and loved the experience! Both of them encouraged us to visit Lincoln and its Minster. While we were talking, Peter saw Penny and Denise reading the tearoom’s menu in the window and invited them to join us, but they were planning to have lunch by the river.
As we left, we passed the Dent Village Heritage Centre. Normally, we would have spent an hour there, viewing the exhibits, but we had to consider Marla’s ankle and how much time it would take to walk the next five miles to Sedbergh. We hope to return to Dent for at least an overnight stay in the future.
At the edge of the village, the Dales Way leaves the road to follow the river. The scenery was exceptionally beautiful, now bathed in sunshine! We stopped often to take photographs and soon overtook Denise and Penny, who had found a lovely spot for lunch.
Leaving the river, the walk took us up and over a ridge through pastures. When we stopped to rest, Penny and Denise passed us! We climbed through a grove of trees on a broad, dry tract, with the green, lush farmland of Dentdale visible to our left.
As we approached Sedbergh, a young woman stopped to talk with us. She was a teacher at Sedbergh Junior School. It was her afternoon off, and she was taking advantage of the sunny weather to do a hike.
Soon we could see Sedbergh in the distance, with the backdrop of the Howgill Fells. The descent into Sedbergh was easy and enjoyable. Several of the cottage gardens were in full bloom. After crossing the River Rawthey, we found Yew Tree Cottage Bed and Breakfast, our accommodations for the night.
Anne Jones is the owner of Yew Tree Cottage. Before moving to Sedbergh, she lived for many years in South Africa and Scotland. She shared wonderful stories as we enjoyed afternoon tea and biscuits in the sitting room. Anne recommended Thai food for dinner, available on Thursday evenings at Duo, a bistro run by two sisters from Dent.
The soft sunlight of dusk reflected on the buildings as we explored some of Sedbergh before dinner. Our meal was exceptional, especially the poached salmon in red curry sauce. We chatted with the couple seated beside us, Dave and Allie Loweth, who were on holiday to visit their son, a student at Leeds University.
As we finished dinner, Peter’s mobile rang. Yes, there was mobile phone service again! It was Penny and Denise; they were sitting in the Red Lion pub, and “would we like to join them?” We had passed the Red Lion on our way to Duo, and it was only fifty yards away. We said goodbye to Dave and Allie and headed off.
It was a joy to share a glass of wine with Denise and Penny on such a beautiful evening – what a contrast to the miserable weather conditions when we met the previous afternoon. We suggested that since they have accomplished the Coast-to-Coast walk, perhaps their next hiking adventure could be at the Grand Canyon! With sadness, we said goodbye, knowing that our paths would not cross again on this walk. But we may plan a walking holiday near Penrith!
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