Leg 13 of the multi-day Roof of England Walk – a journey around the North Pennines. After a wander over track and moor to Keld in Swaledale, a gradual climb up to Nine Standards Rigg and then a final descent to Kirkby Stephen. Linear route – 25.1km.
A dramatic day starting with a gradual descent over track and moorland path to the Yorkshire Dales’ village of Keld. Here you will pick up Wainwright’s Coast to Coast path, heading west. After a gradual climb over Mouldgill Mea, Benty Batts and White Mossy Hill you will reach the Nine Standards – the famous line of tall drystone cairns overlooking the town of Kirkby Stephen.
Leg 13 of the Roof of England Walk initially follows the route of the Pennine Way National Trail (as far as Keld) and then Wainwright’s Coast to Coast route to Kirkby Stephen. Start at Tan Hill Inn (NY 89704 06682 and ///span.active.slant) and finish at Frank’s Bridge, Kirkby Stephen (NY 77651 08732 and ///snatched.tomato.bangle). To follow this leg and the Roof of England Walk you will need to be able to map read/use a compass.
Turn-by-turn directions for this leg (including maps) are available as a pdf download. You can also download a GPX file to use on your own device (phone, watch or handheld).
Rough, boggy moorland tracks and paths. There is a short road section through Keld (1.2km) and then a longer one at the end of the day (2.5km). Field paths and stone step stiles. Long sections of the route up and over Nine Standards are stone flagged.
Starts at 526m with a high point of 661m. Over the day there is 560m of climb. Please make sure you take a paper map with you (at least as a backup). Leg 13 is covered by the following OS Maps: Explorer – OL19; and Landranger – 92 and 91.
Please make sure you follow the Countryside Code (Respect, Protect, Enjoy – www.countryside-code.org.uk) and behave responsibly whist enjoying the Roof of England Walk.
Start of Roof of England Walk Leg 13 – Tan Hill Inn to Kirkby Stephen.
Whilst the majority of the Roof of England Walk is within the North Pennines National Landscape. Leg 13 briefly ventures into the northern dales. When you step out of the front door of the Tan Hill Inn and head south you are in the National Park. The park covers 2,178 sq km and is renowned for its spectacular limestone landscapes, extensive cave systems, hay meadows and broad upland dales.
Here you leave the Pennine Way and join Wainwright’s Coast to Coast path – heading towards Kirkby Stephen. This 302km walk crosses from St. Bees Head on the Cumbrian coast to Robin Hood’s Bay in North Yorkshire. On its journey it crosses three National Parks and briefly visits the North Pennines National Landscape to take in Nine Standards Rigg.
Keld is a small village in Swaledale – its name comes from the Old Norse word ‘Kelda’ which means spring or well. Here you will find the Keld Resource Centre, which includes heritage exhibitions next door in the old school. Local volunteers also run a self-service café in the village hall.
Swaledale is one of the most northerly of the dales with perhaps the wildest, most unspoilt scenery in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The River Swale flows through a patchwork of traditional hay meadows and drystone walls and field barns. Like the North Pennines, Swaledale also supported a thriving lead mining industry until it collapsed in the late 19th century.
The route passes above ‘Oven Mouth’ where the Whitsundale Beck has carved a deep cleft or gully.
Ravenseat Farm is the home of Amanda Owen – known as ‘the Yorkshire Shepherdess’. She is a writer and presenter. The original series on Channel 5 called 'Our Yorkshire Farm' was first broadcast in 2018. It became one of the channels most popular programmes with over 3 million viewers per episode.
Previously the route over White Mossy Hill was hard going over deep, gloopy bog. Work to make the route more sustainable, and to protect the peatlands, is being carried out by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority as part of the work to launch the Coast to Coast path as a National Trail. This will involve the laying of almost 3km of stone-flagged path.
The Nine Standards have stood here, on the historic boundary between Westmorland and the North Riding of Yorkshire, for more than 500 years. It’s quite a spot – with far-reaching views north to Cross Fell, Great and Little Dun Fell and across the Eden Valley to the flat-topped Wild Boar Fell. On a clear day it is a place to pause and consider how far you’ve come on the Roof of England Walk.
Hartley Quarry is a 40-hectare limestone quarry, with a history of operations back to 1860. About 8 million tonnes of mineral has been extracted from the site.
At the end of the leg cross over Frank’s Bridge and make your way up to the centre of Kirkby Stephen. It’s an old market town, with a charter since 1351. There is a range of shops, cafes and other services which might be of interest to walkers. Kirkby Stephen has been a Walkers are Welcome town since 2009 and so you should feel at home here.
Finish of Roof of England Walk Leg 13 – Tan Hill Inn to Kirkby Stephen.