Reeth

May 26, 2020

Reeth

Getting There Tuesday 27^th August 2019

I was partway through walking the Pennine Way, having done the "Southern" half, but I had booked a 3-day “silver” map reading and compass use course with Mark Reid (who I had taken an introductory course with the previous year) that was in nearby Reeth. So, once I arrived at Thwaite, at 10:30 a.m., I made a right-hand turn and walked across to Muker, where I wanted to get a cup of tea, but the tearoom was not open, so I made do with getting a Pepsi (bluuck!) from the gallery that was open.

Whose finger is that??

It was a warm sunny afternoon, and I was in Reeth by 3 p.m.

I had an ice cream, and then a pint (not from the same establishment though). Then it was to the B&B to check in and grab a shower before heading back out to a pub for dinner and another pint of cider.

Day 1 Wednesday 28^th August 2019

I met up with the other course participants (Hazel, Nicky, Jenn, Helen, Ian, and Narita) and, of course, Mark. As with last year, we had a theory session indoors in the morning followed by a short walk in the afternoon. We all had dinner together in the pub, but it was late as everyone went away and came back later. I didn’t get back to the B&B until after 10.

Day 2 Thursday 29^th August 2019

Today was pretty much a repeat of yesterday but with not getting back to the B&B until after 11.

Day 3 Friday 30^th August 2019

So tired this morning. Today was similar to the past 2 days, but we had to navigate a section of map individually. We were done by 5, so I had drinks with 5 of the participants and then dinner with 2 who stayed a little longer. I went back to the B&B for an earlier night.

Day 4 Saturday 31^st August 2019

Today I had to make my way back to the Pennine Way, but I was not going to go back to Thwaite, where I had left it, but angle to intersect it near Keld.

I tried to join a path I could see on the map, but at first was thwarted by stone walls. Eventually I ended up on a footpath and was following it fine (it even had some footpath signs) but then suddenly blundered into someone’s yard. I had a conversation with the owner, who was a bit snooty, but was okay with my mistake and chatted with me for a bit before giving me some directions. I was still sure there was a footpath through their property though.

Shortly thereafter I stubbornly tried to follow a path marked on the map that obviously was not a path in real life (the undergrowth was real). The drizzly day was atmospheric though. Anyway, eventually I took a more obvious route (actually part of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast) that led me up through ruins and remnants of the local lead mining industry.