Myself and Wardy met the four Scouts, Tom, Calum, Jack B and Jack H, and set off for Malham. 63 miles and 90(ish) minutes later both cars arrived after taking slightly different routes at Riverside Campsite. Tents were pitched and we got some supper started, hot dogs on some fancy brioche rolls (reduced in Tesco).
When the Scouts at 21:30 were asked to keep the noise down and as there were other people camping, it was probably a good idea for them to disappear to their tents. With rain overnight we weren’t sure what to expect weather wise in the morning, but we were pleasantly surprised to find it was pretty sunny with no rain forecast for the rest of the weekend. Bonus!
After cereal and a sausage butty for breakfast we all made our sandwiches for lunch on bread rolls (also reduced in Tesco!). After getting to grips with the map we head out for the Yorkshire Dales.
First stop was the very impressive Malham Cove, a geological feature created when glaciers melted and the melt water eroded away the limestone bedrock.
After admiring this brilliant natural formation we walked up the side to the top of the cove where we discovered another great limestone rock formation, limestone pavement. The Scouts found that some of pieces wobbled and some of the gaps were big enough to get stuck down.
We then headed towards Malham Tarn. When we hit the road just before the Tarn there was a little ice-cream caravan, so everyone enjoyed a pre-lunch ice-cream. It would have been rude not to! About 10 minutes later we came across Malham Tarn, which to the Scouts disappointment there was ‘No Swimming Allowed!’. So they settled for splashing about on the shore before we stopped for lunch.
After lunch we were ultimately heading for another well known feature in the Yorkshire Dales, Gordale Scar. But first we had a Roman Camp to visit, it was on the map so we had to go and have a look. It turned out to be a really wide slightly raised bit of a field, slightly disappointing to look at but vaguely interesting thanks to the information on a stone about what it was used for. I think the Scouts had more fun playing in Gordale Beck.
Eventually we headed down in to Gordale Scar and came across some impressive waterfalls which had created some mini plunge pools that the Scouts were allowed to “swim” in.
It was then back to site for tea, Macaroni Cheese/Carbonara with Swiss Roll for afters. That evening to escape the midge fest and go through the requirements of the Chief Scout Gold Award we headed to the Buck Inn. After some chips, a couple of lemonades and lots (and I mean LOTS) of water it was time for bed.
Sunday morning was a slightly leisurely affair as we waited for the tents to dry from the dew before we could drop them. Cereal, sausage butties, tents dropped and cars packed, we set of on a short walk that would get us back in time for lunch. Our highlight today was Kirkby Fell and our highest point of the weekend at 500 metres above sea level. It was a simple straight line to the top with some great views of the Cove.
Our route down was slightly longer than anticipated as we took a wrong turning, but it did mean we got another look at Malham Cove, and a footpath rather than walking down a narrow road.
We got back to the campsite and our cars, drove in to Malham and found a patch of grass to sit and eat our picnic. When we’d finished our lunch we only had 20 minutes until we were supposed to be back in Marple! After letting parents know we were running late and that the Scouts would be dropped of at home, we hit the road and were home by 16:30.
A great weekend in with good company in a beautiful part of the country, I can think of worse ways to spend a weekend!
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