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Thursday, July 3, 2014

Bonjour Swaledale!

While much of the world is busy watching the World Cup, a little corner of England is saying " Bonjour " to the Tour de France.  The first  leg of the race is in Yorkshire running from Leeds to Harrowgate.  They will head north into Yorkshire Dales National Park and be running south down the Swaledale.

During my journey on the Coast to Coast Path last year, this leg through Swaledale was one of my favorite.  Starting with a lovely hike up and over Nine Standards Rigg and a stay at the wonderful Keld Lodge.




The hike down the dale was chosen so I could divert to Muker to visit Swaledale Woolens, where I was forced to buy a hand-knit sweater.

http://www.swaledalewoollens.co.uk/

The dale was a lovely and picturesque as you would imagine starting at the ruins of Crackpot Hall


and through fields and across a ton of stiles of all shapes and sizes.  This was the path to Muker.




I ripped my favorite hiking pants on this style, the day-lit gap is not more than 6 inches



Everywhere there were sheep of the most friendly temperament


Here is a map of the course.  I hope it is a lovely day and that I can find a glimpse of the race, simply to relive some of the beauty of what I remember as one of my favorite part of the trail.

http://tdf.roadworks.org/

3 comments:

  1. Great landscape! Put in the future trip schemes.

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  2. It is certainly a two day hike you would love, Dan. Right up your alley, in fact. The peat bog of the Standards Rigg is an interesting transition. This is the "Continental Divide" of England. The High route down Swaledal is filled with mines and relics of mining history in Yorkshire.

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  3. Wonderful photos and a hike to be envied. Really enjoyed the account of your summer peregrinations.

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