Sunday May 7 Hawes to Keld
Breakfast was a delight, a great selection of
cereals, yoghurt, fruit, eggs, quality sausage and
good coffee, all in a sunny dining room looking out
to the garden. Best B&B by far!
I left town by the Railroad Station Museum, a steam
train on display, and crossed the River Ure. Across
fields to the village of Hardraw, home of the George
& Dragon Pub and Hardraw Force. Hearing of the
unfriendly welcome at this place, I didn’t linger
but followed an old drover’s track uphill. I will
ascend steadily for six miles to the summit of Great
Shunner Fell at 2350 ft. The sky is cloudy, but I
see Hawes receding in back of me, Dodd Fell shrouded
in clouds beyond Hawes and Little Shunner Fell off
to my left. Pastures give way to moors as the track
becomes a slightly discernible path and the moors
become really boggy moors with lots of hags (peaty,
muddy sculptures brooding over the landscape).
Finally, I’m walking on slabbing over the otherwise
virtually impassable bogs, following cairns that
show the way.
I see someone way off to my left. Lost, or just a
wanderer? I worry about him, but he is too far to
communicate. The sky is getting darker as I near the
summit. Rain begins to fall, the wind picks up and
it gets colder. Visibility is poor. As I pass cairn
after cairn, the next one peeks out of the fog in
the distance. A cross plan stone monument with
benches marks the summit, but wind, rain and sleet
push me ahead. I stop only to put on my gloves and
earflap cap. This is a terrible storm and amazingly
cold at this elevation. It’s a four mile descent to
Thwaite through some of the worst bogs I’ve seen.
The soles of my feet are much better with the
Compeed, but my right ankle is hurting so I walk
gingerly.
Outside of Thwaite, I try to take a photo with my
digital camera but it is acting up like the rain
affected it. Finally, it works, but I’m worried
about the moisture affecting the photos. Later, I’ll
find that my worst fears are realized. The familiar
sight of the Kearton Tea Room is a joy to behold. I
was here at the hotel 1 1/2 years ago when walking
the C2C and loved it. I order a pot of hot tea and
savor it for an hour, breaking out my sausage,
cheese and cookies. It’s nice to dry out, warm up
and relax.
At 2:30, I finally leave for Keld, a long 2 1/2
miles. The climb around Kisdon Hill gives great
views of Thwaite and Swaledale. The rain has
stopped, but the sky is water and cloud laden. This
route is a simply beautiful walk, high up above the
River Swale, crossing stone walls which trace
downhill to the river. The path is actually quite
tiring because of the many stones to negotiate. Now
both my ankles are hurting. I am relying more on my
trekking poles, both for balance and to take weight
off my feet. They are certainly proving their worth!
I’ve been seeing many waterfalls as the Swale gets
narrower and wilder. At 4 pm Keld appears around the
corner, but its another 15 min before I reach the
center of the village and East View B&B. Margaret
and Keith are very welcoming. A couple from Alaska,
walking the C2C, arrived just before me and we all
sit around chatting with coffee and cake. My room is
small but comfortable, toilet across the hall,
shower downstairs. Allowances are made for a rustic
miner’s cottage. Dinner, meat and potatoes, is
mandatory since there is no pub in Keld.
I relate my dilemma of not finding an internet on
the PW, so Alaska Liz offers the use of her
telephone card, which she bought at the Post Office,
to call my wife. This made my day and Cathryn’s
also. She was getting worried.