Day Nine - Keld to Reeth - 2 May

Time Departed: 9.10am Time Arrived: 4:30pm Distance: 22.1 kms Cumulative Distance: 173.9 kms Percentage Completed: 53% Weather: Fog, Mist all day Accommodation: Walpardo B&B We decided to walk along the lower path to Reeth rather than take the high path as Chris’s guide book and mine said we’d appreciate the rushing Swale through the valley. We found all the ingredients for our breakfast in the kitchen. I made porridge and we had toast. Ian, our host, organised our packed lunch.

When we left the Bunkhouse the fog was quite low with poor visibility and we were pleased we were going to walk along the lower path. Neil was waiting for us outside The Lodge and we walked together through the very tiny village of Keld. It’s the third time I have come through the village, firstly with Carol on the Coast to Coast in 2000, then with Henk going south to north on the Pennine Way in 2009 and now with our team of five.

The path took us towards some beautiful waterfalls just below Keld and then we were on our way following alongside the fast flowing River Swale for the entire walk. It was an easy walking day which we appreciated after yesterday’s strong winds. We felt we weren’t in a hurry. Apart from the sound of flowing water and the bleating of lambs the valley was particularly quiet. We thought we might have morning tea at Muker but we missed the turn and moved onto Gunnerside arriving at noon.

Ron and Chris headed for the pub to try the local beer, Black Sheep, and Neil, Henk and I headed for the tea room over the road. Both facilities were filled with walkers. At the tea room we compared walking stories. We spent an hour having a break before moving on. From Gunnerside we saw the damage caused by last January’s floods.

In some parts the path had been washed away and sometimes we had to walk higher, sometimes we walked along the levee banks and at one stage the path forced us onto a minor road for approximately a kilometre. We had another break sitting on a stone levee bank at about two o’clock and then walked non-stop until we arrived at Reeth. Chris, Ron and Neil are staying together at a Hackney House B&B at the bottom of the village green. Today was the day we arranged to meet with Cliff and Mylo. Carol and I met Cliff and his daughter Carla, on the Coast to Coast at Keld in 2000 and we have been in contact ever since. We met at one of the pubs and it was lovely to catch up again. We moved to The Buck and the rest of the team joined us for an enjoyable evening. Cliff and Mylo will join us for the walk to Richmond tomorrow and then return to Guiseley. They will meet us at Robin Hood’s Bay next week to celebrate the completion of the walk.