Benwick Rambler

• Preparation
• Day Zero
• Day One
• Day Two
• Day Three
• Day Four
• Day Five
• Day Six
• Day Seven
• Day Eight
• Day Nine
• Day Ten
• Day Eleven
• Day Twelve
• Day Thirteen
• Day Fourteen
• Day Fifteen
• Day Sixteen
• Day Seventeen
• Reflections

coast to coast - day 9

Keld Lodge, Keld to Cambridge House B&B, Reeth

11.27 miles 2,219 feet.
Start: 09:00 Finish: 15:30 Elapsed time: 6:30 Cumulative time: 58:00

I delayed my start today as Tiffany & Susanne who were staying just across the road from me in Keld and were unsure as to whether they were going to take the high or low level route to Reeth. When I called on them, Susanne was “faffing about” and wasn’t ready so I decided to set off on my own. I bumped into 6 “Duke of Edinburgh Award” walkers on my way out of Keld and asked them where they were going? It turned out that they had planned to take the same route as me to Reeth but were heading in the opposite and totally wrong direction. Luckily, I was able to point out their navigational error and they then followed me for part of the way. The following waterfall picture was taken shortly after leaving Keld and before climbing up to Crackpot Hall.

I’d previously walked the first half of today’s route and was familiar with it until Gunnerside Gill. It was here that I stopped for a mid-morning break and was then joined by Eric & Sherry and Tiffany & Susanne. We then made the climb out of Gunnerside as a group and walked together until Old Gang Smelting Mills. By this time I wanted another break and it allowed me to finish on my own - there is only so much company that I need when out walking!

 

I passed Eric & Sherry having lunch near Surrender Bridge and they quickly caught me up again as I was looking for a crossing of the little stream that feeds from the north into Barney Beck at SD995999. Although the stream was only 10ft or so wide, it was in spate and I walked about 300yds upstream before I could find a safe crossing point and even then I ended up with a left boot full of water. At this point I should have followed Eric & Sherry on the higher level path at Cringley Bottom but instead I took a lower level route into Healuagh and then followed the field paths into Reeth. I bumped into Eric & Sherry, yet again, in the Buck at Reeth. We were both staying at the same B&B as were the 4 Americans. It had been a fine day until now but just as I was knocking on the B&B door, the heavens opened and I luckily avoided a good soaking. Eric & Sherry were less fortunate as they checked-in about 20 minutes later.

Cambridge House in Reeth, run by Les & Sandra, was the best B&B of the trip. Les (a fellow Yorkshireman) was most welcoming; the accommodation was first class, including a drying room. Breakfast was of an exceptionally high standard. I rate it 8 or 9 out of 10 and would definitely stay there again. The evening meal in the Buck was very busy as it seemed that all of the Coast to Coasters and other holiday makers were eating there at the same time.

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