Ravenseat & Tan Hill - Thursday 16 September 2021
Route
Keld - Park Bridge - Cotterby Scar - Smithy Holme - Oven Mouth - Ravenseat - Robert's Seat Band - Thomas Gill Rigg - Stonesdale Beck - Tan Hill - Pennine Way - Stonesdale Moor - Frith Lodge - East Stonesdale - East Gill Force - Keld
Parking
Park Lodge Farm (Rukins Campsite) in Keld (as of 2022 the charge was £3 all day) - nearest postcode is DL11 6LN
Mileage
11.1 miles
Terrain
A mixture of field paths, stony tracks and grassy moorland. There is some road walking at the start along the B6270 for half a mile however the road is not normally busy.
Weather
Sunny with light breezes
Time Taken
5hrs 45mins
Total Ascent
2713ft (827m)
Map
OL30 - Yorkshire Dales (Northern & Central Areas)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge
Keld - Park Bridge - Cotterby Scar - Smithy Holme - Oven Mouth - Ravenseat - Robert's Seat Band - Thomas Gill Rigg - Stonesdale Beck - Tan Hill - Pennine Way - Stonesdale Moor - Frith Lodge - East Stonesdale - East Gill Force - Keld
Parking
Park Lodge Farm (Rukins Campsite) in Keld (as of 2022 the charge was £3 all day) - nearest postcode is DL11 6LN
Mileage
11.1 miles
Terrain
A mixture of field paths, stony tracks and grassy moorland. There is some road walking at the start along the B6270 for half a mile however the road is not normally busy.
Weather
Sunny with light breezes
Time Taken
5hrs 45mins
Total Ascent
2713ft (827m)
Map
OL30 - Yorkshire Dales (Northern & Central Areas)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge
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GPX File
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Route Map
The Car Park at Park Lodge Farm (Rukins Campsite)
As can be seen from the sign, parking charges are extremely good value for money
Heading out of Keld the route passes the lovely Butt House. The property is an excellent B&B and was formerly owned by "Mrs Coast to Coast", Doreen Whitehead. It is now run by Jacqui & Chris who we have got to know quite well over the years. It is a superb place to stay and they also offer evening meals and keep an excellent Black Sheep Bitter. A link to their website is here.
A good use for old boots - planters
The War Memorial in Keld
Leaving the village, the route passes Keld Lodge. Originally built as a shooting lodge in 1860, Keld Lodge has been open as a hotel and restaurant since 2007. I have stayed here many times whilst guiding on the Coast to Coast - rooms, food & beer are great.
A beautiful farmland scene as we head along the B6270 out of Keld
Looking across to West Stonesdale
Further along the B6270 just past the Keld Bunk Barn, a sign is reached pointing to the right in the direction of Tan Hill along Stonesdale Lane. We turned right here and headed over the River Swale via Park Bridge.
Looking west along the River Swale from Park Bridge
From Park Bridge the route heads steeply up Stonesdale Lane to reach a footpath sign for Tan Hill. Opposite this sign is a gate which gives access to the footpath to Ravenseat. Frith Lodge is a B&B used often by walkers on either the Coast to Coast or Pennine Way.
The gate opposite the sign giving access to the path to Ravenseat
Low Bridge and the River Swale from below Cottersby Scar
Looking back at our path from Stonesdale Lane. We had come in from the left - the right hand path comes in from Low Bridge.
Smithy Holme - also known as "Anty Johns"
Another view of Smithy Holme - as of 2022 this was owned by the Owen family from nearby Ravenseat Farm
The reconstructed path to Ravenseat supported by money from the HF Holidays Pathways Fund. The path receives heavy footfall as it is on the route of the Coast to Coast and is also used by people visiting the farm at Ravenseat.
The small gorge of Oven Mouth with Whitsundale Beck below
Whitsun Dale and Ravenseat ahead with Round Hill to the rear
We were welcomed at Ravenseat by a myriad of animals however the cutest was this little chap
Chalky of Ravenseat with Fudge's water bowl
The refreshment enterprise at Ravenseat has grown over the years due to the popularity of "Our Yorkshire Farm" on television. The series is a fly on the wall serial documentary of the day to day lives of the Owen family who live and farm at Ravenseat.
The entrance to the farm buildings at Ravenseat and an extremely weary Jack Russell
From Ravenseat, the route heads above the farm buildings past The Shepherd's Hut
A farm track from Ravenseat heads up towards Robert's Seat
The cairn near Robert's Seat. The summit of the fell is a little further on to the north and is marked by an Ordnance Survey Concrete Ring.
The ruined hut of Robert's Seat House
Crossing the fence to head along Robert's Seat Band
From the stile begins miles of solitude and grassy swathes all the way to Tan Hill - this first section is along Robert's Seat Band
Heading along Thomas Gill Rigg with Thomas Gill to the left
Descending Thomas Gill which flows into Stonesdale Beck below
Crossing Stonesdale Beck
The footbridge over Stonesdale Beck
From Stonesdale Beck the route heads north east along Tan Gill to reach Stonesdale Lane. The Tan Hill Inn is now in sight.
Arriving at The Tan Hill Inn
As the sign states, the Tan Hill is Britain's highest Inn. Whilst it is a popular stop off for people visiting by either four or two wheels or indeed on foot it has changed over the years in my opinion - a quick look at the menu confirmed to us that the food is ridiculously overpriced.
After a glaringly expensive Diet Coke each we headed back to Keld along The Pennine Way. At this point I noticed how light Angie's rucksack looked - after all her purse had just been emptied.
With the Tan Hill behind me I stride purposefully back to Keld
The gate and bridge over Lad Gill
Keld comes into view as we approach Frith Lodge which is over to our left out of shot
Frith Lodge
It was turning into a beautiful evening as we approached Keld
Dropping down to East Gill Force from East Stonesdale
The path junction at East Gill Force. The Coast to Coast path heads to the left with The Pennine Way heading to the right towards Keld.
The memorial seat at East Gill Force provided by The Pennine Journey Supporters Club. The seat was placed here in 2013 to celebrate Alfred Wainwright's Pennine Journey which he completed in 1938. We walked the Pennine Journey in 2019 and a report of our walk can be found here.
East Gill Force
The footbridge to Keld which passes over the River Swale
The River Swale from the footbridge to Keld
The final few hundred yards into Keld are uphill
The United Reformed Church in Keld complete with a state of the art method of displaying the time. Wainwright said of Keld "a sundial records the hours but time is measured in centuries.”. The building to the left of the church entrance is the former Minister's Residence, Keld Manse and is now a holiday cottage.
Keld Literary Institute
The Institute was the vision of the Reverend James Wilkinson, Vicar of the parish between 1838 - 1866 and provided a reading room and self-improvement educational facilities for the miners of Keld. The Institute finally closed in 1970 but has been resurrected by a local community charity in partnership with the church The Keld Resource Centre aims to preserve and explain the unique heritage and environment of Upper Swaledale for the benefit of the local community, visitors and the rural economy.
The Institute was the vision of the Reverend James Wilkinson, Vicar of the parish between 1838 - 1866 and provided a reading room and self-improvement educational facilities for the miners of Keld. The Institute finally closed in 1970 but has been resurrected by a local community charity in partnership with the church The Keld Resource Centre aims to preserve and explain the unique heritage and environment of Upper Swaledale for the benefit of the local community, visitors and the rural economy.
Back at our Caravan, Fudge, once fed then decided to bash out some well earned zeds