Sunday 11th May 2008 - Ingleborough Summit
We were greeted by some fine weather for our trek to Ingleborough Summit on 11 May. It was sunny and warm as we set out and quickly turned tropical as we began the assent, as evidenced by all the huffing and puffing and numerous rest stops. Some of us, alas, were a bit overdressed for the part. The going was generally easy with no muddy spots impeding our progress.
The views on the ascent and from the summit were breathtaking but partly obscured by the prevailing haze, with visibility limited to about 1 mile. It was a pleasant diversion watching the paragliders launching from the higher elevations and sailing silently overhead.
After a pleasant lunch on the summit, we began our decent accompanied by some black clouds and ominous rumbling to the west. All went well until the last two miles when the menacing clouds wheeled around and bombarded us with a mix of hail and rain and a wet end to a very dry day. It did, however, provide a cooling respite from the glaring sun and renewed our respect for the umbrella-breaking forces of nature.
All told, it was a fine walk and well worth a return visit. Just remember to bring your waterproofs, buckets of water and sunscreen. As for recovery from the aches and pains incurred, a large infusion of a good grade of crusted port is highly recommended!
