The Dales Way - Swarthghyll Farm to Station Inn, Ribblehead (6 Miles)

Because of the availability of accommodation within a reasonable distance for a day's walk, we booked a night at The Station Inn at Ribblehead right next to the historic Viaduct carrying the Settle-Carlisle Railway. So today would be a short day.
So, after cooking our breakfast and collecting sandwiches as ordered for lunch, we set of at around 10:00 with a cloudy sky heading towards the neighbouring farm of Cam Houses. It looked like it might rain so I was wearing my Rab Bergen jacket. The ground as a bit soft and boggy in places so I wore my gaiters for the first time on this trip instead of carrying them in my rucksack.
Karen disturbed a Snipe which was in the grass next to the footpath and it took off and flew around. We then spotted two young chicks left on the ground, so we hurried on so as not to disturb them. We also had our first glimpse of Ingleborough, one of the “Three Peaks” in the Yorkshire Dales, in the distance.

 Ingleborough in the Distance

Just as we got to Cam Houses, it started to drizzle. Just as we found a sheltered spot under some trees near the farm, the drizzle turned to light rain and we waited for a short while to see if it would stop.
The rain eased off and we started walking once again. Very soon it started to rain lightly again, so we stopped again and got our waterproof overtrousers on.
We continued onwards, cutting through the corner of a pine wood, across a farm track then up a short steep section to meet the Pennine Way at a set of signposts and a cairn. Karen had received a mobile phone signal and got a text message from Keith saying he and Pete had another breakthrough in Water Icicle Close Cavern and had progressed another 100 metres with easy digging continuing!

 Dales Way and Pennine Way together

We followed a wide track which is on the route of an old Roman road from Ingleton which is also shared with the Pennine Way for a short distance. We realised it was past Noon so stopped at some boulders near where the track joined a minor road. As it had stopped raining, we sat with our backs to a boulder which sheltered us from the bit of wind that was blowing.
Just as we had finished eating, the farmer drove by on a quad bike on the track yelling "Oi, keep to the footpath! That land is private!". We packed up as were on our way anyway.
We walked along the minor road mostly on the open grassy verge heading toward Chapel-le-Dale and Ingleton, passing the continuation of the Dales Way as the Station Inn is a mile and a bit off the route. At the junction with the road to Horton-in-Ribblesdale, we bought an ice cream from the burger van that usually parks there and ate them while sitting on a bridge parapet watching a group of cavers getting ready to have a trip in one of the many caves on Blea Moss.

 Ribblehead Viaduct

After the ice creams, at about 14:00, we entered the Station Inn and dropped our stuff off in our room then went for a short wander around the area by the Viaduct looking at cave openings and limestone features.

 Station Inn, Ribblehead

Weather Forecasting Stone on the Station Inn

Karen and one of the nearby caves

Another view of Ribblehead Viaduct