Muker Gunnerside Punchard Gill Tan Hill Keld Muker 18th June 2010 Mines, Moorland and a Magic Dale |
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Parking: Just before the bridge as you enter the village from the Reeth direction; its £3.50 per day. There are toilets in the village, a pub and cafe's The Walk Turn left out of the car park and cross over the Swale via the bridge. Follow the road until a road on right leads up the hill into the village. Take the road and follow the signs for the Gunnerside and Keld. Walk down the right hand side of the Old Post Office – there's a red pillar box outside (another village post office closed). From the back of the houses you're into fields and what fields. Follow a path (FP) which crosses the valley bottom through 7 fields along a partly paved path to Ramps Holme Bridge. The view is fabulous espeacially in late spring/early summer when the fields are full of flowers – buttercups, daisies and clover predominate. The view up the valley is breathtaking; walled fields, barns and looking up the U shaped valley with Crackpot Hall dead ahead. As you approach the river you can usually hear the rushing water. Turn right (FP) and walk down the bank to Ramps Holme Bridge. Cross the bridge and on the far side turn right (FP Gunnerside). The path follows the line of a wall (on your right) to a barn from where you cross a field to a wall just to the right of ramps Holme Farm. A good clear path then heads across another field to the river bank. Through a gate the path heads diagonally left and cuts across the meander in the river through three fields until you reach the river bank. The path follows the bank with a fence on your left before crossing the fence via a stile by a 5 bar gate. Carry on down the line of the fence (on your left). As the fence drops away to the left carry on straight along the top of a raised bank crossing a wall and heading for the left hand side of a barn. From the barn the path climbs diagonally left through a field to a wall. Through the wall the path continues to climb to the left of a fence to a further wall. From here you can see the buildings of Calvert House. You cross another wall then head for a stile by a 5 bar gate (which you only see when you are nearly on top of it) between two stone buildings. Carry on straight to a pedestrian gate in a wall (FP). Through the gate head diagonally right and pick up a path that drops down the left hand side of a tree lined wall. The path descends and after crossing 4 walls it heads diagonally left, leaving the wall on the right and passing to the left of a barn to a stile in a wall. Ahead you can see the buildings of Ivelet. The path then heads straight across a number of fields crossing 4 walls and heading straight for Ivelet. Eventually the path hits the road through Ivelet (FP) by a red phone box. Cross the road and head straight down a track through the estate buildings. As the track bends left turn right (FP) down a path which drops to a footbridge that crosses Shore Gill. On the far side of the Gill a good path heads straight across buttercup filled fields crossing 6 walls until it hits the top of a bank 30m or so above the Swale. You then cross 2 further walls before the path descends down the left hand side of a fence to a FP by a stile. Here turn left and head straight for the village of Gunnerside, which you can see in the distance. You cross 4 walls before you reach a gate by some OAP bungalows. Go through a pedestrian gate and walk between the bungalows until you gain access to the feeder road. Walk down the road, past nice stone cottages to the main road through the village. Turn left and immediately right crossing Gunnerside Beck on the road bridge and walk east down the B6270 towards Reeth. After 200m as you leave the village take a road which heads off diagonally left. The road has an electronic barrier with a pedestrian gate to the left. It climbs up steeply to a house on the right. At the back of the building turn right up a walled track which continues to climb. Soon the walls move away from the track. A path goes off left and doubles back along the top wall until you reach a walled track which climbs up to the right. It's a steep climb but keep looking left back up the valley. Everyone should walk in Swaledale at this time of the year and if capable climb out of the valley until you have a high level view of this magnificent dale. Go in May/June when the meadow flowers are out and before the farmers cut for silage. It's a steep climb up the lane but eventually the walls begin to open out. Keep to the right hand wall and climb up to a track. Turn right and walk past a building on your left. Past the building the track bends left and climbs up to the right hand side of a waterfall – marked on the map – to a track running nw/se along the top of a scar. Ahead left are the buildings of Barf End. The track climbs diagonally right to a gate in a wall (it's the second gate to the right of the buildings). Through the gate a good track heads up White Hill, bending left and crossing a stream before bending right and climbing towards a post on the skyline. Here you meet an excellent shooting track . Turn right on the track and walk up a gentle slope to the top of Slade Head. Views open up of the surrounding fells. Continue heading west of north along the top of the moors; ignoring a track that goes off right dropping down into Flincher Gill. You can make good time. Eventually you start to descend and hit the remnants of buildings at Moor House. Continue on the track through Moor House and soon you hit Old Gang Mine workings. Cross a track heading east/west and drop down and cross Doctor Gill. From here you start to climb heading to the right of a couple of small waste heaps before picking up a cairned path which climbs up to the right angled corner of a fence. By the time you reach the fence you've left the mine working behind. The path tracks the left hand side of the fence across heather covered moorland, that is usually wet. In June the moors are covered in cotton grass turning bleak featureless moorland into a feast. The path eventually crosses the fence on your right, and drops down into Little Punchard Gill. Cross the Gill and climb away on a good path heading east of north across Punchard Moor. Eventually the path picks up the line of a grough and starts to drop into Great Punchard Gill. As the gradient starts to increase and just past a single post turn left along a path that largely contours round the top of Great Punchard Gill. The path outturns at the remains of buildings at Punchard Coal Level. Cross the Gill and walk down the shooting track with the Gill below you on your right. Shortly turn left on a track that almost doubles back on yourself and climb up and onto West Moor. Tthe track from the top of Great Punchard Gill across to Tan Hill is generally good and the views across the moors to the Dunn Fells and Cross Fell are stunning. If the cloud is down or its snowing I can imagine it can be a depressing route and a difficult one. From Punchard Gill the track climbs past a coal shaft heading north west on a good track. The track turns to a path and eventually bends heading west and along Annaside Edge. The views were lovely across bleak featureless moors to the A66. Below Annaside Edge is a distinctive cairn. The path then crosses Annaside Beck before bending left and heading due west tracking round the northern side of Great Scollit Hill. Above on your left are the cairns marking the top of Water Crag. The path drops down and crosses William Gill at GR NY 918 055 and climbs to a shooting track on the northern side of the Gill. The OS map indicates that you should turn right and walk north east along the track to GR NY 917 057 where the path to Tan Hill heads off north west. However, we couldn't find a path so took a bearing for Tan Hill and climbed up away from the Gill. Ahead on the near horizon you can see a cairn. This was in the general direction we were headed so we climbed up heather covered moor crossed Lad Gill before reaching the cairn and a good track that had clearly climbed up from William Gill near to where we had crossed it. After climbing to the top of Mirk Fell, the path heads eastwards, dropping down to Mirk Fell Gill. By now you can see a concrete building with some structural steel work on top, ahead left. The path heads to the right of the building and crosses Mirk Fell Gill close to Kings Pit Colliery. It then follows the line of a man made ditch which gently climbs until you reach the end of a grassy track by some fence off old mineshaft's. The route from Mirk Fell Edge will be difficult to follow in poor visibility but if you head west of north you will either hit a good track or the road. Take the grassy track which takes you to a good track where you turn right and drop down to the Reeth/Tan Hill road. As you reach the road (FP) the Tan Hill Inn is in front of you. When you reach the road turn left and walk to the Inn. This is a welcome hostelry that serves drink and food. Outside the Inn are two orange tracked vehicles advertising the Inn. Owning these vehicles is no surprise because of the remoteness of the buildings. Opposite the Inn turn left along a good track (FP Keld 41/4 miles) which heads due south; you are now on the Pennine Way. The views were stunning. To your right you can clearly make out the cairns on Nine Stones Standing. To the south is Great Shunner Fell and opposite it Lovely Seat. The path follows a line above the Keld to Tan Hill road. It's an easy route to follow but you need your wits about you on a couple of occasions when you leave the main track you are on. The first of these occurs 0.6km after leaving the road. As the track bends left you turn right (FP) down a grassy track which drops down off Tan Hill and down the western side of Lad Gill Hill and Stonesdale Moor. After 25mins walking the track bends left (FP). The track continues descending before crossing Lad Gill. Shortly after crossing the Gill the path heads east of south and tracking parallel to the road which is some 400m to your right. The track heads towards two barns at Mould Gill. Cross the Gill (FP) and pass through two five bar gates to the left of the buildings. Continue ahead following the left hand side of a wall to another barn and five bar gate. Through the gate a good track tracks below a wall for 300m. As the track begins to bend left climbing to Frith Lodge continue straight leaving the track and joining (FP) a grassy track on the western slopes of Black Moor. After 1km you are approaching Keld and in front of you is Kisdon and behind it in the far distance Lovely Seat. After crossing a wall the descent begins to steepen. A second wall is crossed and then you pick a wall up on your right. There are lovely views down into upper Swaledale and Keld. At Shot Lathe you pass barn on your right and through a five bar gate descend down a walled lane. At the bottom of the lane go through another five bar gate and continue straight joining a track that descends into a building complex. Keep on the track left and this takes you down to a track (FP) above a waterfall. There was a group having a team building session by the falls; they soon disappeared. There's a seat above the falls. It was a magical place to stop and rest in the early summer sunshine. The cooling sound of the water falling through the falls almost cools you. You have a choice of route here. Either you can continue on the Pennine Way or walk down Upper Swaledale. Todays route takes you down Swaledale. Turn left on the track and cross East Gill Beck. A good track climbs for 600m before switch-backing at some mine working. Shortly afterwards the track begins to descends and a track goes off left to Crackpot Hall. Continue to descend down the track and in a further 0.5km you reach and cross Swinner Gill; there are remnants of mining activity around the Gill. After crossing the Gill you have 2km of the most wonderful riverside walk to Ramps Holme Bridge (FP). Above you on the left is Arn Gill Scar and on your right North Gang Scar. Wildlife and fauna are in abundance. In June on the journey to Keld you are always accompanied by the cheerful noise of oyster catchers. They are magical birds and epitomise the optimism of early summer and young chicks. Cross the river at Ramps Holme Bridge and on the far side turn right (FP) and walk up the bank for 100m before turning left, crossing a wall and retracing your early morning route. On the Bridge look back up the river towards Keld. A perfect picture to remember the day by. The path is paved almost all the way to Keld, crossing 7 fields. You enter the village through a 5 bar gate to the left of the old Post office. Continue ahead on a road that drops down through the village to the main valley road. There's a pub and cafe on your right and a toilet straight ahead. Turn left along the valley road, cross the river and immediately turn right into the car park.
Summary A fabulous walk. Walk it in early summer and the valleys were full on late spring flowers amd the moors were carpeted with cotton grass. The paths were generally good and the route finding is relatively straight forward except to the west of William Gill. It's a walk that should be done in early summer and on a day with good visibility Home Start Point Dales Books Related Sites TextOnly Map&Summary Diary |
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