C2C day 9 - Muker to Reeth
Over breakfast John told us about the farming history of the area. Swale Farm has been in his family since 1922.
'Farewelling John and Joyce at Swale Farm'
After breakfast John drove us back to Keld (Muker is not on the C2C route) to resume our walk. We walked the same section of path above the Swale gorge, but then climbed away from the Swale to the long abandoned lead mines and smelt mills of Swinner Gill, Lownathwaite, Blakethwaite, and Surrender.
'View down the Swale towards Muker'
Initially the landscape appeared relatively unaffected by mining. The Swinner Gill mine sat at the junction of the lovely valleys of Swinner Gill and East Grain, with many waterfalls and heather still in bloom. The expanse of Gunnerside Moor was broken only by grouse shooting butts. A local walker who accompanied us across the Moor told us that grouse shooting costs £20,000 per day for 9 guns – a pastime to impress rather than to enjoy!
'Climbing along East Grain from Swinner Gill mine ruins'
Once we had turned off the main track across the Moor, the devastating impact of lead mining on the landscape was apparent. The fells on both sides of Gunnerside Gill had been torn apart in the search for lead. Gullies running down the fell sides were dammed then, when the dams were full, explosives were used to destroy the dam releasing large volumes of water to scour away the surface layers to expose any veins of lead and leaving a severely eroded area called a 'hush'. We had lunch at the picturesque ruins of Blakethwaite smelt mill deep in the valley, out of sight of much of the devastation.
'North Hush and Bunton Hush across the valley'
'Blakethwaite smelt mill on Gunnerside Gill'
After lunch we trudged steeply up across Bunton Hush to the desolate spoil heaps of Melbecks Moor. Amid the desolation, protected in a damp gully, we saw a miniature garden of moss and tiny white flowers. Although the mining remains may have been interesting, the desolation continued for miles making this the least attractive stretch of the C2C.
'Desolation on Melbecks Moor'
'Moss garden'
After Cringley Bottom, an intriguingly named section of Bleaberry Gill forded by stepping stones, the C2C resumed its more familiar surroundings of moorland overlooking green, stone-walled fields by the Swale. We diverted through the village of Healaugh to finish the days walk along the banks of the Swale. Although the walk along the Swale was pleasant, the highlights of the diversion were the well-tended gardens of the Healaugh cottages, and a chat with one of the gardeners, and a hedgehog in a riverside field.
'Familiar C2C scenery – moors and farms of Swaledale'
'Healaugh cottages, gardens and gardener'
'Hedgehog by the Swale'
We made our way up to Cambridge House at about 6pm where the weight of our cases was complained about and the prominent list of house rules was impressive. After a welcome shower, we walked the half mile back into Reeth to find lots of familiar C2C faces on the village green. We eventually adjourned to the Buck Hotel for a very pleasant dinner of Barnsley chops in front of the fire while watching locals playing darts.