Deep Dale To High Force

About 14.5 miles

The morning was cool and clear but we soon got very warm making the long climb over the hill from where we could look down on the Baldersdale reservoir. There seemed to be some kind of low flying exercise taking place as we were well entertained by the Air Force.  

 

Once down into Baldersdale we had another climb over the hills and then down again to the reservoirs in Lunedale where we had lunch on the bank above  Grassholme reservoir. This seems quite a popular area for fishing, several people were enjoying the sunshine with their rods extended over the lake. 

Lunch over, we had once again to cross the hills, this time descending to Middleton in Teesdale where we bought provisions and had a good rest on the seat near the ddrinking fountain.

 

 

We now had about five miles to go to the High Force Area where we hoped to camp for the night, but these miles although flat turned out to be arduous as every few hundred yards we had to

 climb High stiles. When carrying a heavy pack this is very tiring. Low Force, and eventually High Force were passed and it was time to look for a camp site.

 
 The surrounding were ideal, but, we were now in a nature reserve. .. . no camping... no fires.., no stoves. We had walked about fourteen miles and did not want to go much further. We walked on another half mile or so into a clump of Juniper and pitched for the night. It was getting late and we thought no one would be along at this time of day. This proved to be the case, a good nights rest was spoilt to some extent by the temperature dropping pretty low, a ground frost formed outside the tents, but it did not bother us too much.
Today we had seen a lone backpacker in Lunedale and had been overtaken by four chaps jogging their way to Kirk Yetholm as we walked along the bank of the Tees, we found later that they were doing about thirty miles a day.  Next    High Force to Dufton