After spending Christmas indoors eating and drinking I was looking forward to doing some exercise and having a few alcohol free days. I packed my rucksack and caught the train to Horton in Ribblesdale on Monday evening.
On checking in at the campsite the owner asked me if I would like a drink of whisky and I naturally accepted his offer. That was one of the intended alcohol free days gone already plus it was large shot that I was given.
It was a cold frosty night and the temperature stayed well below freezing level the following day. I set off to climb Pen-y-ghent, follow the watershed onto Plover Hill and then continue north descending to a low level track that returned to Horton in Ribblesdale. The mile or so between Pen-y-ghent and Plover Hill is quite boggy and fortunately it was well frozen otherwise it would have been very difficult to cross. The descent to the north of Plover Hill is quite steep in parts and the rocks were covered in ice. Having no crampons with me I turned round and headed back to Pen-y-ghent summit. On arriving at Pen-y-ghent for the second time I was surprised how busy it was, there were dozens of people arriving and leaving while I took a short rest there.
On descending Pen-y-ghent on the west side it is hard not to notice Hull Pot that is half a mile in front of you, it is however difficult to find when you get close to it.
The following day, Wednesday, I did a short walk around around the eastern flanks of Ingleborough and returned to Horton in Ribblesdale to catch the train back home.