Kirkby Stephen to Keld (21km)

RECAP 

The Coast to Coast walk was devised by great rambler, Alfred Wainwright in the early 1970s and crosses northern England from St Bees on the west coast to Robin Hood’s Bay on the east coast.  Along its almost 200 mile (322km) length, it passes through the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors and is the UK's most popular long distance walk.  Last year our fellowship (me, my dad and Ross) completed the Western section as far as Kirkby Stephen (see blog posts from September 2012).  

Day 1 - Kirkby Stephen to Keld 

I am sad my dad is not with us this year to complete the walk.  It felt decidedly strange being in Kirkby Stephen without him. Since our stay here 11 months ago, it is as if the high street, church grounds and market square have been frozen in time and the empty chair at our dinner table was yet another reminder of his absence. We are certainly poorer for not having his company this time around.  That said I carry an important cargo to the North Sea on his behalf - to be revealed!

Happily a good night’s sleep and some breakfast saw Ross recovered and the other night receded to an unpleasant memory.  We left Kirkby Stephen at 8:30am and crossed Frank’s Bridge where a signpost was a reminder of the task ahead.

The path ahead

On the trek uphill outside Hartley, we caught up with a New Zealand gentleman also on the Coast to Coast route so we journeyed on together for a while until the point where the paths diverge.  The air was heavy and ominous black clouds hung over the Nine Standards.  Although the ‘blue’ route over Nine Standards Rigg is recommended for this time of year, Ross and I opted for the less boggy ‘green’ route which bypasses the Nine Standards.   A later conversation with some walkers suggested we were right to do so.  Monday’s heavy downpour had left vast tracts of muddy water beyond the Nine Standards with no way past but through.  The ‘green’ route itself still had areas of bog to negotiate and while we picked our way through, a light drizzle descended.  Squelch, squelch, squelch.

Back Pac-Man lands in the Yorkshire Dales

Walking through one of the many boggy bits

It was an opportunity to use our wet weather gear anyhow.  I am immensely grateful for (a) gaiters and (b) waterproof socks (definitely worth the trip to the army surplus store in Wellington Street before we left Perth!)

We crossed the county line into North Yorkshire (leaving Cumbria behind) and rejoined the ‘red’ and ‘blue’ routes off the higher ground, crossing paths with a different group of walkers from America/UK.  There was steady tramping across the bleak windswept landscape, dodging the deep mud and sheep poo until the welcome descent to Ravenseat Farm.  It proved a popular stopover point for lunch among walkers however sadly the farm was not serving the well advertised (and hungrily anticipated) cream teas.  It was closed today!

After a brief stop it was time for the last stretch across sheep country and onto the sealed road into Keld, passing by a number of diversions along the way.  There was the pretty Wain Wath Force tumbling down from the limestone cliffs of Cotterby Scar.

Wain Wath Force

 And an unexpected run in with the Sunbeam Society just outside Keld.

Random Sunbeams

Ah Keld – a tiny village but home to the welcoming and comfortable Keld Lodge.   A place to wash and dry soggy socks, have a hot meal and rest aching legs.  Dinner at the lodge was a fabulous end to the day - a hearty and very tasty meal overlooking the sweeping landscape of Swaledale.  A good walk today – we’ve made it safely to Keld, the boggy Pennines are behind us and we are now officially at the halfway point of the Coast to Coast!