Allen looked out of the window. "It's snowing."
Southey and Tetley quickly came to look too.
Tetley said, "This might have a bearing on whether we get to walk with Uncle Eric tomorrow."
"Oh I hope we can go, as we have not had his company so far this year", replied Southey.
Allen said, "I'll just look at the...."
Well he was going to say forecast, but he was distracted by Shaun, Grizzly, and Little Eric arriving with the warming tea and cakes.
"Ooh tea", he cheered going with Southey to get the mugs and plates.
Tetley then lent a paw filling the mugs.
"Ahh", breathed Allen, "just what I needed."
"Grizzly announced, Little Eric has made chocolate coconut and cherry slice, and I have done flapjack."
Tucking in, Shaun said, "the cherry slice is delicious."
"Mmm", agreed Southey, reaching for another slice.
"Love the flapjack", said Allen. "Nice to have it just plain for a change."
By now Allen had drained his mug, and held it out for Shaun to refill. "Tea belly", he said, passing the mug back.
"Now, I was going to look at the forecast", said Allen. A few taps on the iPad, and he smiled. "It is going to be a good day with plenty of sunshine, so hopefully the walk will be on."
"Great", cheered Little Eric, taking his third slice of cake.
"I may be a tea belly, but you are a real cake stuffer", laughed Allen.
A very cold night, but we woke up to a glorious sunny winter day with no wind. Despite the cold this made for pleasant walking conditions.
So we met Uncle Eric at the main car park in High Bentham. It was very full, so we had to park about 50 yards apart.
Dad got ready and then when we joined Uncle Eric, we called out, "good morning, so good to see you."
"And you too lads.
Set off to the main street and then turned left to pass the Auction Mart and on through the single lane section of road and down to pass the other car park. Here a group of about 10 men were getting ready to walk.
"Let's hope they are not following our route", remarked Tetley.
Soon now, Shaun said, "we take the signed footpath right."
Part way along the track it was over the stone step stile on the left to cross the drive to the houses. A waymark pointed us through a gap, to then go right along the grassy track to a stile into a field. Here it was diagonally left downhill and over a stone bridge.
"We should follow the left field edge", instructed Shaun.
This took us to the stile seen below.
"Now it is left up hill to that stile by the gate", called out Shaun.
"Look", said Allen, "this in one of the Bentham Heritage info boards."
Unfortunately we could not read the information as it was covered in frozen snow.
"Oh heck", called out Southey, "that large walking party are closing up behind."
We were able to get more ahead of them as it took a while for them all to climb the stile. Then however, they must have taken the higher path, as thankfully we never saw them again.
"Where the track turns left, we should keep ahead over the stile", instructed Shaun.
Crossing the pasture to a gate at the far side, it was then slightly right down to a gate at the end of the wall.
Pointing, Grizzly called out, "look, deer."
"That's a nice sight", agreed Little Eric.
So contoured round the slope to climb a stone stile in the next boundary and walk on to pass a cattle shed on the right. The track took us to Ridding Lane Farm, where we went through the yard and past the house and through the next gate.
"At the fork we go right", advised Shaun.
This took us past Low Linghaw Farm to our left and through a gate in the next boundary.
"Now we should bear a bit right across this field to a stile, then beyond diagonally right to a gate in the corner" said Shaun
"There are certainly a lot of stiles and gates", said Southey.
"More to come too, no doubt", went on Allen.
So through the gate it was now a bit left to the far corner to cross another stile. Then walk on by the woodland to a gated stile in the corner, into a field containing this large barn.
Keeping ahead we soon joined a field track that led us through a gate. Crossing the field, Tetley said, "I think that tree, bare against the sky, will make a nice picture.
Beyond the next stile in the wall, we drifted right to come to a stile onto the road.
Just before, Tetley said, "I am sure that we have done all these paths before, in the opposite direction. I remember this stone bench."
"A good place to have our picture taken", suggested Grizzly.
It was covered in snow, so Dad kindly let us sit on the map cover.
Snuggled down again in the rucksack, we now walked right to cross Greystonegill Bridge and then the railway bridge.
Coming to a junction, Shaun told us, "it's right to the top of the hill and then right again at the t-junction.
"Wow", called out Tetley. "What a superb view to Ingleborough. A must picture for the story."
Soon, just past New House, we took the footpath right keeping to the right field boundary to climb a stone stile at Gill Brow Wood. Then dropped down the short slope to cross the sturdy footbridge and up the path beyond.
Dad paused to take the hurrying stream.
"Brr", said Grizzly. "Just looking at it makes one shiver."
At the top of the slope we climbed the stile in the wall, and then crossed the field to a gate and over the next field and through the stone V-stile.
Then the path took us past a ruined building and along the field edge to a gated stile and right to come by the woodland, following this to the next boundary.
"Look", pointed Tetley, "there's another of the stone seats on the Bentham Heritage Trial."
"What is the bird?", asked Southey.
"A curlew", replied Tetley.
Beyond the stile we followed the grass track towards the buildings of Staggarth. We looked up the meaning of 'garth'. It is an open courtyard. So it follows that in the buildings is our courtyard!
Just before the end of the last building it was through the field entrance and across the caravan field to a metal kissing gate, and along by the river.
Then at the next gate kept on ahead across the middle of the field to a gap stile and so on a track leading to a stile onto the road.
Turned right here to Thickrash Brow, where again went right to cross the river, and railway line up Station Road, passing the now defunct High Bentham church.
A lovely walk in very lonely countryside.
As the day went on it clouded over and the temperature dropped. Still we were fortunate with the weather as the next day it rained all the time.
We settled in the car to have our picnic. Shaun had made delicious tomato soup to have with our sandwiches and cakes. Warmed us up nicely.
Dad and Uncle Eric went to the Culture Cafe for warming broccoli and stilton soup. Dad had also had a ham sandwich and pot of tea.
Good day in good company.
