Sometimes all the planning in the world doesn't stop the bad stuff you're trying to avoid from happening anyway. That turned out to be the case today. Our trusty Trailblazer guidebook said " head northeast across Blea Moor for a couple of miles across often saturated ground" and also noted a "> <" symbol at one point on the path (thus indicating a minor down & up will be encountered). We thus experienced one of the perils in having one's guide book compiled by someone whose resume includes more daunting experiences - things like the fact that he makes his living leading people up Mt. Kilimanjaro!
Off we set around 8:30 from Ribblehead, walking down the moderately busy road for a mile & a half back to Far Gearhead, where we turned left off the road, and headed up the first hill. It was raining slightly but not too bad, as we were dressed in our rain gear. We soon passed Winshaw House and a sign that said "You're half way there now"; which we later realized should have been interpreted like the sign reading "I'd go back now, if I were you" in the movie "The Wizard of Oz".
The rain picked up as we climbed the first steep grassy slope. Upon reaching the top, the Dales Way path took us to the brink of a jaw-droppingly steep gulch in our way, with our mud-covered path disappearing into a fan of alternative pathways where slippery steps had been worn into the 100' down-slope. At he bottom was a swollen stream and then it was up in the same manner on other side. This was also about the time that Joan noticed that her previously water-proof Merrill hiking boots were taking on water and I that my new FroggTogg rain jacket seemed to be getting quite damp - on the inside! And yes, we did experience lots & lots of the "often saturated ground" that had been spoken of in the guidebook; in particular, I vividly recall the time I sunk into it up to my knees.
The wind was picking up and it was getting colder too. Joan & Elaine remarked that that they half expected Heathcliff to appear from over the brow of the next hill! There were several more of these gulches on the way and even the groups of young folks we met didn't look too happy (walking towards us, on a DofE program (Duke of Edinburgh Award) camping trip), heavily laden as they were with full camping gear. Incidentally, it is at Blea Moor that the falling rain starts flowing into the Irish Sea to the west, rather than eastward towards the English Channel, as had been the case up to this point. The Dales Way signage also seemed to grow sparser, as if to tell us that there was really one direction to go; we often felt that a good "confidence sign" here & there would have been a really good thing.
When we had finally crossed the open moor and reached Dent Road it was about noon & time to stop for lunch. My new rain gloves that I'd bought in Hawes had proved to be a disaster, since the soft inner lining fingers were not attached to the outer "waterproof" shell and just bunched up inside. In frustration, I finally gave in to my inner devils & just threw them away. We sat on a nearby stone wall to rest a bit and opened our lunches - sandwiches, fruit & an energy bar for us; a hard boiled egg & canned tuna for Elaine. Joan's boots were pretty well soaked and it seemed a good time to find a warm pub and have an afternoon tea. So we headed down the long decline into Stone House and passed under the towering Dent Head Viaduct. This was made of huge marble stone blocks cut from the quarry nearby and rose 100 feet over us as we passed right underneath through one of it's arches.
A few miles later, we found the Station Inn, open and waiting for us. Entering, we stripped off our wet outer gear in the almost empty pub (with a fireplace going nicely) and soon hot tea and scones made everything seem all right again.
It was only a few more miles to Dent, our destination for the night, where we planned to take a rest day. Joan & I were staying at the Sun Inn while Elaine was booked at the nearby Garda View B & B .
Dent gets my vote for being one of the Top Ten Most Picturesque Towns in England, although this is tough list to compile, there being so many lovely little towns in England. Dent has it all though, in one small walk-able package:
A few miles later, we found the Station Inn, open and waiting for us. Entering, we stripped off our wet outer gear in the almost empty pub (with a fireplace going nicely) and soon hot tea and scones made everything seem all right again. 
Dent gets my vote for being one of the Top Ten Most Picturesque Towns in England, although this is tough list to compile, there being so many lovely little towns in England. Dent has it all though, in one small walk-able package:
- cobblestone streets, many too narrow for a lorry to fit through,
- a medieval church with a vampire story and gravestone,
- two great pubs, the Sun Inn as well as the George & Dragon Inn (great name!)
- the River Dee bubbling nearby, under lofting sheep-covered hills
- a little museum of the towns long history and local lore, industry & people.
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