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Tuesday 29th May 2012 Keld to Clove Lodge, Baldersdale It was a fine day today but cooler with a light wind and a few non-threatening cumulus clouds floating about. Maybe the golden period of weather I'd been having since the start of the walk was coming to an end but nonetheless it was nice to have it a bit cooler for walking.
When I went down for breakfast at 8.00 I saw James walking down the road outside and was able to give him a wave as he passed. He'd told me earlier that his route was leaving the Pennine Way around here and that was the last I saw of him. After a good breakfast I left Butt House and was on the road myself by 9.00. I walked the half mile back to the Pennine Way then dropped down to the River Swale, crossed over the footbridge and slogged my way up the opposite hillside. Nicely warmed up then I was rewarded with an extensive level walk across moor and heathland, naturally besprinkled with sheep. Today I tried not to talk to them - sorry about all that yesterday.
After four miles I came to the famous Tan Hill Inn, the highest pub in England, and had a Danish pastry and a cup of tea there. More level moorland followed and then at Trough Heads, a farm where the Pennine Way splits into two alternative routes, I took the left fork and dropped down a gradual incline to God's Bridge, a natural limestone bridge over the River Greta. There was a pool beneath this bridge, enough to make it look like a bridge, but otherwise nine consecutive days of sunshine seemed to have dried the river up completely, leaving just the rocky streambed.
I climbed the hillside to the A66 and went through the underpass to continue upwards a short way, then on over a bleak, deserted moorland, getting half-heartedly mobbed by a lapwing at one point - not as scary as a bonxie though for he tended to pull out of the attack fairly early. Lots of curlews about too. It was then just a long, slightly monotonous walk over Cotherstone Moor to the B&B at Clove Lodge, a farm near Blackton Reservoir.
Nobody was there when I arrived, at about 4.20, so I sat on a garden chair and the landlady, Caroline, turned up five minutes later. Her husband was around later, his name being Chris. Once settled in I sorted out the following night's accommodation by booking myself into the Belvedere guest house in Middleton-in-Teesdale (£35). Distance: 15 miles Average speed: 2.4 mph Total ascent: 2283 feet Total Distance: 143.84 miles | |||||||||
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