Day 7: Kirkby Stephen to Keld

Today we walked 19km to Keld, a village on the Yorkshire (eastern) side of the Pennines (a group of mountains known as the spine of England (they run down the middle). It was a beautiful day, sunshine with a brisk breeze, and we walked for around six hours. 

In the middle of the Pennine Way is an extended stretch of black and sticky bog. Stick to the grass and you may survive. If you miss the grass and land on the bright green moss, you may never be seen again. Some people, like Butterscotch Keeper, took the safer route over the bog, carefully feeling their way over the difficult terrain. Others, like The Water Tank, took the calculated risk (mud up to his thighs) alternative route. Sherbet Lemon simply followed a woman wearing Crocs. He had no hope of keeping up. She was fast and furious, a veritable Queen of the Bog. 

The Pennine Way, the moors between the Lake lands, and Yorkshire

Indecipherable yellow dot sign post

And now a few postscripts to yesterday's blog post.

Signs

I've included examples of signage for the Coast to Coast route. Sometimes the signs are (relatively) frequent and appear every mile or two. At other times there are 10 mile gaps between signs (or are we lost?) 

Coast to Coast sign post

 

Footpath sign post

 

Toilets

Forget it. Men wander slightly off track and show particular interest in the grey slate walls. Or limestone walls. Or sandstone walls. Or any walls at all. They return with a bounce in their steps. Women scamper into forests, potential victims of a) other walkers b) thistles c) grass ticks d) all of the above. Note women have to squat (not easy after many hours walking) and then, pulling up their trousers, return to their party. All of said party are either drinking gallons of fluids without fear of future complications, exclaiming loudly that "the hour is late and we'd better hurry up before the sun goes down,' or (for better or worse) tiny specks in the distance. 

Pharmaceuticals

Essential.

Just to wind up, it is lovely to be in the Yorkshire Dales, and we're looking forward to our walk to Reeth tomorrow. It is only seventeen kilometres so not too strenuous, and we'll see beautiful scenery along the way. We had a taster today as we walked into Keld..