Day 16 - Kilnwick Percy to Wellburn

Mon 4 April (0755-1510)
Distance: 17 miles (Tot: 274)
Ascent: 3000'!
Weather: frosty start with high cloud, then cloudy, showers from 1pm
Number of hares seen: 7

Hares: Has there been a population explosion or are they just more common in the east of the country? We've seen 7 today and that's been quite typical so far on this walk. Until five or six years ago I'd never seen one at all and just now they seem to be everywhere.

What else of our day, though, apart from hares? Well, it started under fine skies with us once again walking along the western edge of the lumpiness that borders the east side of the Vale of York. Today rather than the sight of rain showers sweeping over the flatness below us it was just a hazy view.

The fine-but-hazy day didn't last as long as we might have hoped. Within an hour of stripping off our layers the sun had been truly smothered and we were having to put everything back on again. Even the climbs out of the steeper sided of the valleys (of which there were quite a few today; it was violently rolling) weren't making us overheat. As Mick asked: how can a southerly wind be this cold?

Countryside and villages took us northwards under increasingly threatening skies and an ominous wind, until eventually, as we were about to lose the shelter of a sunken lane, we gave in to the need for waterproofs.

That was unfortunate timing as the remains of Kirkham Priory deserved a visit and we were getting desperate for lunch, but neither activity was appealing in the rain. In the end we just paused to have a quick look at the Priory from beyond its boundary and hurried on to our night stop.

The rain had passed by the time we arrived, but time was then lost in working out where we needed to be and in finding someone to ask permission to camp ("Are you sure you want to camp? It's miserable weather!" she said), and the skies were once again threatening. By the time we'd selected a pitch (well, we did have an entire empty field to choose from) the rain was just starting again. Up went the tent, and in we dived for a nice cup of tea and some lunch.

So, another pleasant day marred just a bit by the weather. Tomorrow looks pretty good on the map too. Alas, I don't think the weather is forecast to oblige.

(Sorry about the extra dodginess of today's photo. Not wanting to expose the phone to too much rain, it was taken in a bit of a rush.)

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