Coast to Coast Part 3 - Orton to Richmond

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Sunday 9 August - from Orton we had a fairly uneventful 21 km walk to Kirkby Stephen, through some nice farmland and past streams and a viaduct. Got into KS in time to get the washing done, a bonus. Decided to opt for a curry for dinner for a change from pub grub. Our accommodation was a hostel in a former Methodist Church, very atmospheric.

Monday 10 August - headed off from Kirkby Stephen, a route that took us through the small hamlet of Hartley (not sure of the connection to Keith and Jac!), then a slow climb skywards to the Nine Standards on the top of the hill, which are a collection of 9 cairns, no one seems to know exactly how they got there. Got a couple of nasty showers of rain that felt almost like hail, but the afternoon cleared to fine, and we trudged through bog after bog down to Ravenseat farm. Couldn't resist stopping for a cream tea here, served by Raven. No sign of Amanda, the farmers wife who is now famous after appearing on both Julia Bradbury's DVD of the walk, and the TV programme "The Dales" which we watched regularly at home. Think she now has 8 children! Our day finished at Keld where we had booked a Yurt for the night, they are surprisingly large and comfortable. And you could order dinner and drinks Served in your Yurt! Joy braved a swim in the river behind the camp and declared it to be very refreshing! Quite a tough 21 km today with the rain and the boggy ground.

Tuesday 11 August - today we took the low route to Reeth through the lovely Swaledale Valley in the Yorkshire dales. Took us longer than we thought, as although it was only 18km today, Blu and I took a wrong turn and got lost fo half an hour, then we sidetracked to visit the lovely village of Muker, where we had morning tea at the pub, after giving up on the local cafe where service was non existent and the garden seat Jac and Keith tried to sit on collapsed! Walked along with David, a sprightly 71 year old from Manchester, who showed us a good route along the riverside, and after a pub lunch at Gunnerside, we meandered along the river to Reeth. it did seem a long day and worth a celebratory pint at the pub in Reeth with the gang before Joy, Blu and I trudged up the steep hill to Grinton YHA, another 1.5 miles on! So tired when we got there, but relieved to find we were in time for dinner!

Wednesday 12 August - today we headed for Richmond and our rest day tomorrow. We were all looking forward to some down time, this walking is pretty full on! Had the pleasure of walking with Ana and Hank as company today, through more lovely Yorkshire Dales countryside, and some great views over Swaledale, sadly we are leaving the Swale river behind after Richmond.

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Photos

John and his flock
At Kirkby Stephen

Our hostel at Kirkby S
An old Methodist church

Cream tea at Ravenseat
Well deserved after a boggy trudge

Lovely countryside near Keld
Yorkshire Dales

Inside the yurt
Ana and Blu deep in conversation