Sunday 10th October. Bus to Leeds train station, train to Kirkby Stephen, 14.21 miles, 4 hours 50 mins 13. 741 m ascent
We caught the 8:02 bus from The Marsh to Leeds city centre. We then had 30 minutes to wait for our train however the 8:59 to Carlisle was delayed by 40 minutes because there was no train driver. The train then took us through the dales to Kirkby Stephen. We arrived at 11:35 which was still a better option than the next train that would arrive just before 1 pm. It was a good path down into Kirkby Stephen.
We missed the path initially but were soon crossing the river in the sunshine and following the road for several miles gently up hill to Nine Standards Rigg. There was a slight breeze and less sunshine which meant it got cooler as we summited. Thin ice covered the track but it was easy to avoid. We met a few groups and as we left the standing cairns a guy who mistakenly had stood on a non frozen section and ended up quite muddy. Along the ridge line for a short way following smaller cairns and a section of slabs we reached a crossroads that gave us the choice of routes. We wanted to follow the race route but that said May to July. We dutifully followed the August to November path, I remember earlier seeing a sign about path erosion but that was well before the summit so I presume that was the junction for the green December to May route.
The slabs didn’t last long then it was one bog after another. Luckily Kipper was off the lead most of the time. Just the occasional sheep not always still alive! Post marked the way as the path wasn’t always clear. It was only a few miles then we were back on the main track and heading to the bridge and the Yorkshire Shepherdess’ farm at Ravenseat, the sign said closed. I remember she’d just started serving tea etc in 2008 when I was last here.
Andy’s knee was bothering him but ankles we’re mostly feeling fine. So we jogged when he could and took it easy the rest of the time. We crossed the bridge then it was a clear but muddy path through the fields down to Keld. Instead of following the road straight into Keld we went past the village to join the Pennine Way then over the stream and back towards it and up to the old YHA which is now Keld Lodge.
Kelly the chef was the only person on duty so it was just us and another couple as guests. We’d already washed kipper in a stream but she gave us a dog towel for the rest of the mud. 14 miles in 5 hours or so. Large bedroom but shower rather than a bath. WiFi was only in the lounge we went down at 5:;30. I joined Andy in a pint of Black sheep. I had vegetable balti and Andy fish pie. No chocolate pudding on the menu but she found some watered down hot chocolate and brought that in a teapot.
We watched His Dark Materials then the final World on Fire in bed.
Monday 11th. Keld to Richmond. 22 miles 6.5 hours. Stayed at the Buck Inn
A good breakfast at 8 but heavy rain outside which luckily slowed to drizzle as we left at 9:05. The owner, Matt, has run the Spine challenger this year so we’d got caught chatting. The colours around us were deepened by the damp and sunlit as the rain stopped when we left. Back over the river and down the valley but after climbing up a little. We knew the first 6 miles or so were up hill but down to a few stream crossings. Kipper ran after a rabbit after one stream crossing and we spotted a runner coming towards us as we waited for Kipper to return. Mark Collinson recognised us from the Spine race and was full of compliments. He was staying at Keld and doing the same route and will be on the race with us in April.
I remembered crossing Gunnerside Gill with Gill on a holiday especially the sign for Surrender Bridge as she posed with Duncan. We paused here but followed Mark up the steep gully. We missed a path off to the right and hoped our route would join it. We had to cross a fair way over once we reached the top of the gully and were initially on a good path but then off route if we’d continued on that following the cairns. The gpx route seemed a little off, we followed it and soon realised we could have stayed on the main track. The GPX seemed to be lot of straight lines joined up or if taken from someones route they didn’t have it picking up many data points hence the straight sections linking points. This main track took us down to the river again and Surrender bridge.
Andy’s knee was sore mostly but he was delighted by how good his ankles were. He tried running a few times and was moving well. We picked up the pace as we headed into Richmond. Seems like the physio is right and he needs to get moving it got sorer as the day went on.
There was ‘Sunshine on Reeth’ as we approached but we missed the turn and followed a rocky path to the town, it felt right to me from when I’ve down this route before. The cafes and bakeries were shut, just open for winter opening hours now. Luckily the post office sold sandwiches which we ate as we walked downhill and out of town. Despite the sun the breeze made it too cold to sit.
We were on a side road from leaving the town towards Marrick Priory now residential activity place. It was a sharp up hill then through woods for awhile. We came down to another town and almost went wrong before heading over fields and up to an escarpment that led us on towards Richmond. Route finding in general was fine all day often a few well signed diversions round buildings but mostly no signs at all. We relied on our gps routes plus Andy checking the route on his mapping system in his phone.
We met Toby, a reporter out having a walk as he’d arrived in town early. He’d missed his turn so Andy redirected him after checking the map in his phone and we walked back towards Richmond with him. It was wonderful to point out the North York Moors in the distance including the white horse, can’t believe I didn’t take a photo! We ran off after finding his turn and into Richmond to the Buck Inn. The lady gave us a bowl of warm water and 2 white towel to wash Kipper off. We signed in and requested our breakfast, they don’t do evening meals but recommended a pub nearby. Our bedroom was on the 2nd floor, away from the noise of the bar. Sadly no bath!
The Black Lion was very dog friendly and had a good menu and generous portions. Andy nipped out to get lunch for tomorrow plus some dog treats for Kipper. 3 ladies came up to say hello and offer him treats! We had really good portions Andy had fish and chips and I had sweet and sour tempura vegetables. After an hour or so I asked for pudding but said chocolate brownie instead of fudge cake and they told me they only had it on Sunday.
Michelle and Si arrived just before 8 so we chatted for an hour or so.
Tuesday 12th October. Richmond to Northallerton, diversion at the end to get to the train station. 22 miles in 6 hours. Train home via Leeds 15:25
We had a cooked breakfast and left just before 9. Kipper didn’t eat his breakfast but then had a runny poo so we wondered if he had an upset stomach although he accepted Andy’s breakfast black pudding.
Through town was straight forward then we followed the river Swale. We were lucky that there weren’t many sheep in fields so Kipper was off lead a lot. Navigation at times was tricky one part we thought the path continued through a field as a sign by a gate seemed to indicate but it meant to say go through the gate and not follow everyone elses misguided foot steps. Another time at Catterick signs pointed on but we needed to go over the bridge above us. I don’t think I spotted any problems with the A1 as I believe last time they had to do a diversion there.
There was a lot of road sections to link to paths along the sides of fields, the section to Danby Wiske was meant to be along the road but the coast to coast path went through fields a few miles before the village so we followed that, it was very water logged. This whole section is very flat and twists and turns round fields with few signs, we’ll be keeping an eye on our watches if we do this a night.
The plan then was to turn off the route and head to Northallerton to get the train, Andy had worked out a few suggestions for us, we were happy with the longest route and Kipper seemed very happy except when getting his feet dirty. When we came to the turn there was no footpath sign or an easy gate to get through, we looked for another option but that was even harder to get to. We went through the original gate and found a barbed wire fence and a very overgrown wooded area at the end of the field. We climbed the fence and walked along the edge of the adjacent field which was accessible, we knew we couldn’t get into to trouble as there are clear footpath symbols on the map! From there on the paths were well marked and we easily got to Northallerton, we walked in from the back of a garden centre and found a hose to clean Kipper of with and he proudly marched us to the station. At the station he advised us it was cheaper for us to miss the next train which would have meant a change in York and Leeds and to got the next train, we managed to get a table seat so Kipper slept beneath it. I spotted a connection to an earlier train to Pudsey but we only had 3 minutes in Leeds, we made it but mostly as the train was packed and took awhile to fill. We were in Pudsey in just over an hour from Northallerton.
A good recce and time on our feet as good preparation for the Hardmoors 80 next week. Andy knee hurt less over the 3 days but he had pain at night.
Making lifes adventures - Sarah Norman 