Keld to Gunnerside
On a summer Sunday you can catch the 830 bus up Swaledale and enjoy a linear walk, a few pints, and then catch the bus home. So on a lovely sunny day we did just that and took the bus all the way up to Keld. There is more than one path back down the dale, and this time we chose the lower level one. Walking through the tiny hamlet of Keld, we did not cross the foot bridge but kept straight on through some shady trees.
The footpath goes round the flank of Kisdon with the River Swale just below to the left. There was not much water in the river, but it was a constant companion making happy noises over the stones. The path then went through open pastures at Hartlakes where some suckler cows were chewing the cud amongst the ruined houses of a settlement long since abandoned. A reminder of how perilous it is to make a living in the upper dales. The sun was hot, and the promise of lunch at the Farmers' Arms at Muker made us keep up our pace over the last few meadows and stiles.
Excellent lunch, I can recommend the Giant Yorkshire Pudding with sausage (also giant) and vegetables, Ian had roast of the day, also very good. After a couple of hours sitting outside the pub watching the world go by, and a lot of classic cars on a convoy through the dales, we set off again for the second half of the walk. We had to retrace our steps for about a quarter of a mile through the meadows to cross the river near Rampsholme.
This is the view leaving Rampsholme and setting off down the dale. A most pleasant walk, mostly level, and through lovely meadows until we got to Ivelet Bridge where we sat down for a rest.
The next three pictures below are of Ivelet Bridge. Although at the time everywhere was dry and parched, where there was a spring still running the vibrant greens of vegetation were really vivid. A reminder that deep, deep underground there was still water.
Satron
Swaledale has lots of tiny settlements, this one is Satron. If you are on the road you whizz past without appreciating it, but from the other side of the dale it looks lovely.
And we have barns with attitude.Not just any old barn doors, but ones with architraves above. These were in the meadows just before Gunnerside. It was a pleasant stroll across hay meadows to the back of Gunnerside village, past the school, to find a very good tea shop near the bridge which makes lovely milk shakes.
Gunnerside
With just enough time to spare for a sit down before the 830 bus came to take us back home. A really lovely day out, all this on our doorstep. Aren't we lucky!
