KELD   TO   DEEPDALE

about 13 miles

As we walked down to the waterfalls in the River Swale below the Village of Keld there was a watery sun in the sky and a cool breeze was blowing from the West. Crossing the footbridge over the Swale it was pleasing to think that we were linking into the Coast To Coast walk that we had done several months earlier. This was really the idea, not so much to complete the Pennine Way, but   to take advantage of the route to increase the network of paths that we had trodden. 

The climb from the Swale up onto the moorland track leading to Tan Hill was quite hard work as we were carrying back packs with all our needs for seven days walking. We hoped to be at Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland by the following Sunday. Between now and then we had to cross some of the most wild and inhospitable landscape in the country, but it was a journey to look foreword to. We took a short rest in a fine little valley (Lad Gill) before pressing on past the highest Inn in England, a little black Kitten was playing outside and came over to greet us. A lucky omen ?.

Frammling beck on Sleightholme moooror

Bog Scar  Sleightholme

On beyond Tan Hill the Moorland was very soft, no real track, its just a case of keeping in the right direction and trying to stay dry shod in the wild wastes of Sleightholme Moor. By now the wind was strong and quite cold and we were glad to find an old sheep fold to shelter in while we had lunch.

Our objective for the day was to find the little footbridge over Deepdale Beck and pitch camp for the night. It turned out to be a good place to camp, we found shelter for the tents from the biting wind behind a high stone wall on a pleasant grassy patch. As I found a recently cast Adder skin near the tents we were watching out for its late owner but it never appeared  

During the night it rained for a while, but the wind dropped and a good nights sleep set us up for the next days walk to High Force.