Day 42: Kirkby Stephen to Hawes
📍 Distance: 16.47 miles (26.51 km)
☀️ Weather: Sunny and hot all day, with a refreshing breeze
🕣 Start Time: 08:23 | 🕒 Finish Time: 15:20
We had a great start straight from the campsite this morning, and I was delighted to have company again—Jacky joined me for the day after five days solo hiking. Much of the morning was spent beside the River Eden, winding our way through the Eden Valley while following part of the Pennine Journey route. The river was noticeably low—barely a trickle in places—but the landscape remained as beautiful as ever.
We passed some fascinating historic sites:
Wharton Hall, originally built in the 13th century
Lammerside Castle, a 12th-century structure built to guard against Scottish raiders
Pendragon Castle, also dating back to the 12th century.
After the peaceful valley walk came the hill! It was a steady climb, but the reward at the top was well worth it. We came across a striking stone structure that turned out to be one of the Eden Benchmarks sculptures—a series of ten pieces installed along or overlooking the River Eden. This particular one was The Water Cut by Mary Bourne
From there, it was down the fell and into beautiful Wensleydale, arriving finally in Hawes.
There was a small hiccup at the end of the day—our campsite was full when we arrived. Fortunately, Matt, the site manager, was incredibly kind. He allowed Adam to park in front of one of the unlet cottages and generously donated our site fees, even giving us full access to the facilities. A massive thank you to Matt—your kindness is very much appreciated.
We also enjoyed an excellent Indian meal at the Prachin Spice restaurant in Hawes, well worth a visit
Tomorrow I’m heading to Horton-in-Ribblesdale, followed by a well-earned rest day.
