DAY 8 : ENGLAND : Kirkby Stephen to Keld (Yorkshire Dales) – the half-way point

Distance walked to date: 171 kms

We have arrived in the tiny hamlet of Keld in the Yorkshire Dales (6 hours). We were warned before we left Kirkby Stephen this morning that we should consider disguising the fact that we are Australian in Yorkshire to avoid ridicule – as it is a widely-recognised fact that more gold medals have been won by Yorkshire athletes than by the Australian Olympic Team.

Setting off from Kirkby Stephen

Julie wants me to clarify that we are strictly not walking on the flat, as I said yesterday. She said that it is more accurate to say that we are walking in undulating hills and some steep ascents. In fact, we received quite a shock today as we left Kirkby Stephen – first along the Eden River and then suddenly we took a steep turn up the road which led to a track up Hartley Fell.

Walking up Hartley Fell

On the way, we walked up the escarpment of Wild Boar Fell, marking the spot that Sir Richard Musgrave killed the last wild boar in the 1400s. (How would they know it was the last?)

The spot where Sir Richard Musgrave kills the last wild boar

It was a hot and humid morning as we climbed towards the Nine Standards, which are man-made stone mounds, which can be seen for miles around. There is a theory that they were a decoy to worry the army of Bonny Prince Charlie.

The Nine Standards

Having ascended 500m, we thought the hardest part of the day was over. Little did we know that in the space of 5 minutes as walked over the crest of the hill that we would be entering a new world which could have been a cross between Survivor, an obstacle course and the trenches of WW1.

Alfred Wainwright, the originator of the Coast to Coast walk, wrote ‘The way ahead is a very different matter. This is the border between the Eden Valley and ‘God’s own country’, Yorkshire. On the face of it, God got the worst deal. Dark moorland, hags of peat bog, topped with heather – black and scratchy for much of the year – and tired-looking, long dung-coloured grass stretch away, seemingly forever. Rain divides here, going west to the Atlantic or East to the North Sea, but a great deal of it doesn’t seem to want to go anywhere.”

Negotiating the bog

For the next 2 hours we negotiated our way in kilometres of peat bog. Fortunately it was a sunny day – I can’t imagine trudging through there in the rain. You may never be seen again. Boots and walking poles were regularly swallowed up by the acres of mud and bog.

Descending down towards Whitsundale Beck

We then began descending alongside Whitsundale Beck, a small river – dark brown from the leaching of the peat, which we followed until we came to Ravenseat Farm. On the road there was a sign to cars to SLOW DOWN – FREE RANGE CHILDREN. That set the scene for meeting the amazing Amanda. A farmer’s wife in her 30s, Amanda, has 6 children, has a gypsy caravan B&B, feeds farm-workers, drives the tractor, goes to auctions etc. and provides exceptional tea and scones and cold drinks for passing travellers at all hours with the greatest aplomb and good humour. It was a magic afternoon tea as we sat with other walkers exhausted from the boggy walk.

The amazing Amanda

We are spending tonight at a beautifully appointed pub and B&B, Keld Lodge. We were welcomed with carrot cake and tea and a huge drying room, which will dry our sodden clothes and boots overnight.

The little hamlet of Keld

Meg and Mark

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