Day 9: Keld to Reeth

We were sad to leave Keld Lodge - as a former Youth Hostel, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from the building and rooms, but it was lovely.  The rooms were big enough, they had installed ensuite showers (very much appreciated after a long day!) and the staff were friendly and enjoyed a bit of banter. Right up our street.

Keld Village

Good ole Royal Mail

East Gill Force

The weather was glorious for our 9th consecutive day of walking.   It turned out to be another long day, broken by a delightful but ill-advised coffee and cake stop in Gunnerside, approximately our halfway point.  I say 'ill-advised' because we had to climb another 600ft immediately afterwards.  

Ghyllfoot Tearoom and Bistro, Gunnerside

Filling up on coffee and cake

My new friend

It was a tremendous walk. It was meant to be 11 miles, and somehow we walked almost 14, we’re not quite sure how that happened though. I can't blame it on the Ryder men, I was leading! We followed the book, it was slightly confusing in one little hamlet and we found our way quite easily, and the detour was definitely no where near a mile, let alone over 2 miles off track.  Anyway, the super duper GPS watch said 13.97 miles.

The views of Swaledale were magnificent - I have always loved Yorkshire. As the owner of Keld Lodge told us, everything you are looking at is man-made to some extent or other.  The cleared mountain tops are due to man's introduction of sheep, the fields, the barns,  the drystone walls, everything.   Only the ravines and streams are left 'natural'.  It is interesting when you put it like that, but no less beautiful for it, in my opinion.

Reeth Bridge

Megan was struggling with her knee (and blisters) and we suggested once we got to Gunnerside that she should catch the bus instead of walking. Her brother kindly agreed to keep her company which was very chivalrous of him. It was the right decision for her - walking the extra 8 miles on an injury would not have been the most wise thing to do. I am concerned that she shouldn't be walking on it at all. There's a bus to Richmond tomorrow, and I think she'll take that option and rest it. We'll see if she's in any state to continue once she's had a rest day.  Unfortunately the rest day is a Sunday, so the chance to consult a Doctor is probably fairly slim, but I will check it out.

Reeth is the quintessential Yorkshire village – now sited as the Capital of Swaledale, it was the featured in several episodes of James Herriott’s All Creatures Great and Small in the 80s, apparently. I don't recognise it from the TV show, but  it is beautiful.

Reeth

Pubs, of course

How cool is that? (Sorry, random people I don't know, I'm taking about the VW)

Note:

Last night, in Keld, my husband had overheard an American couple talking – he told me confidently ‘She’s from Maine!’.

I eavesdropped myself for a while, and said, ‘There’s lots of similar accents, not sure about that.’  You can see where this is going; of course, she’s from Bethyl, Maine. She said to me, 'What on earth are we doing out here, in the middle of nowhere?!'  I have to admit, I didn't have an answer. 

She said some of the terrain we'd passed through reminded her of Maine - for me, it was mainly the forested areas, as the smell takes me straight back to my home state.  Some of the pastural countryside also bears a passing resemblance.  Both beautiful places, without doubt. 

We met this same couple again in Reeth, (as mentioned before, we keep meeting the same Coast to Coasters) and chatted to them some more.  Anne and Wayne now live in California. They kindly let me take their picture for the blog. 

Ann and Wayne