A Pennine Journey: Day 16

Kirkby Stephen to Garsdale Head
12 1/4 miles
Weather - overcast but warm and breezy. Perfect for walking

A good night's sleep and breakfast, made by Denise, at 8 o'clock. As with the old school YHA hostels - we did our own washing up. Then a trip to the good old Co-op and we were off on our adventures starting back at Frank's Bridge where we followed the Coast to Coast path for a short time. (Kirkby Stephen was sadly lacking in parrots on this trip).

We started with a lovely walk with our old friend, the River Eden. David Pitt (editor of The Pennine Journey guidebook) calls this, 'One of the most delightful stages of this journey' And it was. We met two black horses near to Wharton Hall and they were very pleased to see us and chat for a while. Wharton Hall is a fourteenth century fortified manor house and a working farm so we could not have a look round and explore. Romantic ruins were piling up now - Lammerside Castle stood in isolated splendour in the middle of a cow field. It was full of cow muck but still gothic and romantic. Then we passed Pendragon Castle overlooking the River Eden which was another of Lady Ann Clifford's properties. Near here we stopped for lunch in a beautiful green, mossy woodland by the river and congratulated ourselves on spotting a red squirrel in a cottage garden at Shoregill.

Mallerstang was next on our map. We joined the High Way which was used by Lady Ann Clifford when she was travelling between her numerous castles and houses. We climbed the hillside just below Mallerstang Edge with Wild Boar Fell huge and brooding across valley. The Settle - Carlisle Railway snaked along the fell side. Then, a lovely sound followed by a magnificent sight - a steam train chugging through. Absolutely brilliant. This was followed by spotting two stoats charging around a stone wall. They stopped and looked at us, decided we were too big to tackle and they disappeared into the wall. As we climbed the fellside we could see the 'Water Cut' sculpture on the skyline. When we reached it we rested for a while and enjoyed the views which opened up all around whilst two US Air Force trainer planes flew down the valley.

The path was grassy and we made good progress as we followed the contours of the fell and soon we arrived at Hell Gill Bridge. This is a deep, hidden gorge. We could hear the water crashing down the falls but all was hidden by the trees and shrubs lining the chasm. We peered over the parapets but could only catch tantalising glimpses of nature's fury below. We passed abandoned barns and farms. At High Dyke, a ruined farm, we explored the property with its crumbling, leaning stone walls and collapsing stone roofs.

We were now following the Pennine Bridleway, one of the newer national trails with nice shiny signs and new gates. We left the fellside and descended to Garsdale Head and our B&B for the night Garsdale Bed and Breakfast. Next door was the Moorcock Inn and the thought of beer quickened our step but, alas, the door was locked when we arrived. The B&B was immaculate and full of little luxuries - bathrobes, slippers and a sitting room. We sat with our host and enjoyed a refreshing cup of tea. We had dinner at the Moorcock Inn and the food was delicious. Our waitress was very young and inexperienced but sweet. However, the landladies could do with attending a charm course as they sadly lacked it in their dealings with some of the customers in the pub that evening.