It was a social weekend really – a chance to get away and meet up with some friends and enjoy beautiful countryside, a walk or two, with good beer and food. We stayed at the delightful Keld Bunkhouse, which a friend had happened across on his Coast-to-Coast route last year. We booked the entire bunkhouse (sleeps 10-11) though there are also three yurts and space for a few tents. There’s also a bookable hot-tub if you are feeling luxurious. Directly on the river Swale by Catrake Force waterfall, it’s a lovely spot and highly recommended with good facilities. The current owners took over three years ago after giving up jobs in IT and are making a real go of it.
I’d been struggling with a chest infection so was grateful for a leisurely meander down Swaledale on a glorious autumn day. We headed up Swimmer Gill onto the moor, heading east before dropping down into Gunnerside and making our way back along the Swale for much needed beer and food at the pub in Muker.It was my first time up in that area of the Dales. I’m naturally more drawn to rugged mountainous terrain but there is no doubt it is a stunning landscape, from the deep-sided valleys, the stream-hewn clefts and waterfalls to the rolling high moors it’s ‘big-country’ in all its glory and wondrously quiet backpacking country that begs to be explored more.
The ‘trophies’ hanging at the end of the video were from Ravenseat Farm where we popped on Sunday. The wife, known as the Yorkshire Shepherdess @AmandaOwen8 was busy preening/preparing a ‘tup’ – a male ram – for market that week, while one of their sons delighted in showing us his mole-catching skills!
I really enjoyed that video
And I have no idea why but I had missed you off my blogroll – Now corrected, Sir!
🙂