Richmond Area Walks - Walk 2 - Kisdon Gorge

Walk 2 KISDON GORGE - KELD TO GUNNERSIDE

Upper Swaledale contains some of the most hauntingly beautiful countryside of the Yorkshire Dales. Kisdon Hill and the narrow gorge of the Upper Swale dominates the start of this spectacular walk, which, below Muker, follows the river through some typical herb rich ancient meadows, to the old Viking and later lead mining settlement of Gunnerside. Please walk in single file through these meadows to minimise damage.

Distance: 6 miles – 9 kilometres

Time: Allow 3-3½ hours

Maps: OS Explorer Map OL30 or Harvey Dales North.

Refreshments: Café in Keld; Café, Pub in Muker (800 metres from route), Café, pub in Gunnerside

Toilets: Keld, Muker, Gunnerside

Getting there:

Take the service 30 bus from Richmond Market Place to Keld which leaves at 0900 on Mondays to Saturdays. Travel time to Keld is approx. 1 hour.
On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays Northern Dalesman service 830 also runs to Keld.

Coming back:

Buses leave Gunnerside Bridge for Richmond on Mondays to Saturdays at 1342 (during winter months book with driver on outward journey) and 1652.
On Summer Sundays and Bank Holidays Northern Dalesman service 830 also runs from Gunnerside.

Emergency taxi back-up: Phone 01748 825 112 or 822 269

NB for stronger walkers – suggest combining Walks 2 and 3 to create a 19km (12 mile) walk with well timed later bus back from Reeth – see Walk 3.

Drivers: Park in Gunnerside (Bridge parking area) no later than 40 minutes after the above times to catch the bus to Keld/Thwaite returning to your parked vehicle at the end of the walk.

Directions:

From the bus stop on the main road walk to the centre of the village, taking the path which starts at a gate in the bottom right hand corner. Keep ahead at the first junction of paths.

After some 200 metres beyond this junction, a narrow path signed Upper Falls is reached. This is an extraordinarily beautiful path, but steep and only suitable for the agile – with the occasional fallen tree. It leads down the steep hillside to cliffs above the Upper and Middle Fall, a magnificent viewpoint, dominated by woods waterfalls and limestone scars, but requiring the greatest care. Unless you are scrambling down to the falls, the path (not a right of way), continues along and up the hillside to rejoin the main path. If you are nervous or not especially agile, and choose to stay on the main path, keep left at the junction with the Pennine Way some 100 metres further along the path, soon rejoining the narrow path from the Falls.

This is now a particularly lovely way along Kisdon Side, along a lovely hillside, with fine views across the valley towards Crackpot Hall and Swinner Gill, the remains of lead mining and working across along hillside opposite. At one point the path is a narrow, ancient way enclosed by trees, passing old barns, gradually descending the hillside to become a path through meadows. At a junction of paths, take the path left, marked by gated stiles, which eventually crosses to the riverside and the footbridge.

If you wish to visit the delightful village of Muker, take the stile on the right before the bridge approach, which leads to a path across lush meadows – about 800 metres or 15 minutes walk. Return the same way to the footbridge.

Cross the bridge, itself a good viewpoint up the Dale, with the massive shape of Kisdon hill dominating the view to the left, a glacially carved hill isolated between old and new river valleys. Turn sharp right along the well waymarked path through the edge of the wood, which soon crosses meadows and stiles below Ramps Holme Farm. Follow the main path, fairly clear on the ground, across fields, gradually edging towards the riverside, and a lovely riverside path, including a recently built section around a badly eroded slops below a woodland, before eventually emerging at Ivelet Bridge, a beautifully arched Dales packhorse bridge. This was on the old Corpse Road from Upper Swaledale to where, in medieval times, there was the only piece of consecrated ground at Grinton Church. There is still a stone by the bridge on which coffin bearers rested the heavy coffin-baskets. The river here is reputedly a good place to see kingfishers.

Follow the lane to Ivelet hamlet, turning right by the Estate office to locate a well signposted path across the little gill behind the hamlet. This leads to a lovely path across sloping meadows, past old barns, with magnificent views both up and down the valley. Where the paths fork above the river, take the path, clearly visible on the left, which crosses a series of fields, to emerge at Gunnerside with its welcoming pub and café. The bus stop back to Richmond is just before the bridge.

Back to Walk Introduction