Waterfalls trail

A mini boy, a mini walking stick and a mini waterfall

Easter Monday was another sunny day.  We decided to take advantage of the weather, our location, and the fact we get in free to do the famous Ingleton Waterfalls Walk.  I have done half of it previously with Michael and Nicole when Tom was a baby (he was in the rucksack).

Snow Falls

It was a beautiful walk, with a bit of everything: rivers, waterfalls, forest, rocks, pebble beaches, moor land etc.  We all really enjoyed ourselves.  We did the walk back to front - the first half of it was full of waterfalls and beaches, meaning we stopped regularly for the compulsory throwing in of rocks that we have to do when we are near a river.  We then reached the top of the first river and entered into moor land, we were in sunshine, but unfortunately it was very windy and Tom started to cry.  It took quite a while to calm him down - luckily there was a kiosk at the top which sold sweets.  We bought some and every time Tom started to cry because of the wind we would give him a sweet (he can't eat a sweet and cry at the same time!)  Once we were out of the wind it was lovely, the sun was shining and we actually felt warm.

Thornton Force

We reached the second river and soon came across Thornton Force (the main waterfall) and sat down to our picnic in the sun before heading on back towards Ingleton.  It wasn't an easy walk by any stretch of the imagination, lots of ups and downs, rocks to clamber over, tree roots sticking out, snow and ice, mud, steep steps etc, but Tom took it all in his stride and didn't complain (except when a dog not on a lead came into view).  4.5 miles later we reached the entrance to the walk and decided to reward Tom with tea and a bun.  We sat outside - lo and behold there was a little girl there from his pre-school so he went running round the little adventure playground there with her.  He told us quite sincerely that he wasn't at all tired!

We then headed home.  Once we arrived home, he demanded a game of football in the garden!!!!!!  I really need his stamina.  We rounded off the day with dinner at The Wheatsheaf.  Tom went straight to bed and we weren't far behind him - tired and happy, a lovely day out in wonderful scenery.  Can't wait to do it again and can't quite believe our luck that we don't have to pay for the privilege of enjoying it.