GUNNERSIDE GILL HIKE

GUNNERSIDE BECK

 After a night and early morning of rain we ventured out for a hike. Drove to Gunnerside and did a loop 6 mile up Gunnerside Gill. A windy, cloudy dry start we passed many areas of remains of lead mining. Hard to imagine the lives led by the thousands of miners of the past. Walking to work in the black hours, morning and night, often wet through, tunneling in equally dark and wet conditions.

We enjoyed our lunch at the arches just before the heavens opened and we walked back in cold rain and wind. I tried to think of those poor miners but my fingers were so numb with cold Roy had to hold my poles while I put my hands in my pockets to thaw them out. Talk about sublime to ridiculous – as Roy said as it chucked it down – now this is an English summer!

VIEW THROUGH THE RUINS

LUNCH ALMOST IN THE DRY

THE LONELY HIKER ROY WITH BLUE SKIES BEHIND HIM

BLACK CLOUDS AHEAD AGAIN

GUNNERSIDE IN THE SUN ALMOST

MUKER TO KELD WALK

MUKER CHURCH

 Another hot sunny day, we took the car 9 miles up to Muker and did a lovely circular 7 mile walk to Keld and back. Pretty Swinner Gill and East Force falls along the way, with a climb up to the Corpse Road and along the tops back to Muker. Supposedly used for taking dead bodies in wicker coffins to Grinton to be buried. I don't think I could have carried a coffin up there!

Back in time to watch Tour de France then expected to see the blood full moon but the storm arrived with thunder, lightning and a small amount of rain.

SWINNER GILL

PICNIC BY A WATERFALL

KELD

MUKER

FREMINGTON EDGE AND MARRICK PRIORY WALK

FREMINGTON EDGE IN BACKGROUND FROM CAMPSITE

REETH

 A superb 8 mile walk from the campsite steep climb up Fremington Edge with a glorious stretch along the edge surrounded by heather. Into Marrick then down Steps Wood on the roughly paved Nuns Causey to Marrick Priory, once a Benedictine Nunnery in the 12th century and now an outdoors centre. Back to Reeth across the fields full of sheep and cows. A hot hike!

ON THE WAY UP FREMINGTON EDGE

REETH FROM WAY UP FREMINGTON EDGE

THE TOP ROAD

NUNS CAUSEY TO MARRICK PRIORY

MARRICK PRIORY

LUNCH TIME

THESE GAPS ARE NOT BUILT FOR BIG PEOPLE

SUNSHINE IN SWALEDALE

Time for another trip away, this time to Reeth in Swaledale - one of the prettiest of the Dales with its narrow valley bottom where the River Swale winds amid steep sided fells, green fields and limestone walls.
 Once a lead mining area, now sheep and tourists are the norm.
Reeth is one of the most popular walking areas and our campsite, Orchard Caravan Park is close to the village.
Weather is beautiful 22oC so less humid than York. 
A short 5.5 mile walk first day from Reeth along Arkengarthdale and back to Brunton and along the River Awake back to Reeth over the bouncy suspension bridge.
We had to be back for 2pm to watch Tour de France on a critical stage.
Did this on my phone as no Wi-Fi at site so can only use photos from phone rather than my camera. I'm getting better though with technology!

BURDOCK

GRINTON - CATHEDRAL OF THE DALES

REETH SWING BRIDGE

RIVER SWALE