The Coast to Coast Walk

Between Gunnerside and Reeth, the low-level alternative that ran alongside the River Swale has been modified by moving it to a new line that keeps to higher ground on the north side of the Swale, re-joining the original riverside route at Healaugh.

The new variant avoids a short stretch of road walking, along with issues of flooding or muddy progress after prolonged wet weather that occasionally affected the riverside route.

The new variant will become part of the Coast-to-Coast Path National Trail and will be detailed in the next edition of the Cicerone guide.

Keld accommodation:

Mark and Jude Waterton
Greenlands B&B Keld
Angram Lane, Keld, Richmond, North Yorkshire, DL11 6DY
Tel: 01748 886532
Email:greenlandskeld@swale.life
Web site: www.greenlandskeld.co.uk
O.S. Map Ref: 54.395348, -2.173482

July 2019

p95 and 96

DELETE from ‘Do not cross Rosgill Bridge…’ to the info panel about Shap Abbey.

SUBSTITUTE with the following:

Do not cross Rosgill Bridge, but turn right onto a broad farm track, with the River Lowther off to the left. A short way on, turn onto the track leading up to farm buildings, but immediately go left (do not climb the farm track) on a narrow path beside a wall to a stepped and gated stile in a wall corner. Moving on, roughly parallel to a continuing wall and then a fence across a pasture to pass an area of low crags known as Fairy Crags. Keeping ahead, a few more minutes brings the route to a gate and a delectable corner where Parish Crag Bridge spans Swindale Beck, a tributary of the River Lowther.

Climb steps above the bridge, and then strike directly across the ensuing field to a group of ruined farm buildings on the skyline. Pass through the enclosure there, and after a gate bear right to meet a minor road at a bend.

Head up the road for about 200m, and turn left through a gate at a signpost. Cross boggy ground to a gate, and through this cross an ancient earthwork in the form of a water-filled ditch and mound. Now take to an indistinct green path towards a wall. As the wall bears right, follow it briefly, but then pull half-left, crossing the shoulder of a sloping pasture dotted with several small granite erratic boulders. On the brow of the pasture, Shap Abbey appears to the right, not immediately obvious among its ring of trees. Drop to cross a stream and keep on to reach and pass through a wall gap high above the River Lowther.

Through the gap, bear right and soon strike across a sloping pasture, aiming for the abbey. On approaching the abbey, take to a narrow path (not easily located) that crosses a slight hollow above the river, and climb to a gate in a wall. Through the gate, the route bears left, away from the abbey, to cross Abbey Bridge into a small car park, and then goes forward along an access road to climb out of the river valley.

p174
DELETE para beginning ‘As the lane bends right…’, and SUBSTITUTE:

As the lane bends right, go forward on the village lane, and continue to a signpost (on the right) indicating a turning (left) at The Barn. Keep ahead to a field gate. Go along the edge of a pasture but leave it before a fence at the end of the second pasture by bearing left and shortly right towards St Giles Farm.

Penultimate para. DELETE from ‘On reaching the farm…’ to the bottom of the page.

SUBSTITUTE:

On reaching the farm, pass through a gate and go forward past the farm buildings onto a gravel track. As this swings to the right, leave it and descend very steeply, left, beside a fence to the banks of the Swale. Pass beneath the A1(M), and from a kissing-gate on the other side go forward towards a defunct railway bridge. Pass beneath this too, and on the other side circle right at the edge of the racecourse overflow parking area and use steps to climb up to the railway trackbed. Cross the bridge, and then descend steeps to gain a surfaced track that leads forward to the A6055, joining it at Catterick Bridge.

p175
DELETE last two paras.

SUBSTITUTE:
Cross the road with care to a gated squeeze stile giving access to a meadow. Follow the Swale until after passing through an elongated pasture the route is diverted up to meet the B6271. Turn right beside it, walking for about 40m, and then entering a car park for the Scorton Walk. Immediately, turn left through a gate onto a permissive path that parallels the B-road until it joins a right-of-way path at a pair of gates. Now keep forward to arrive at a surfaced track. Follow this southward and take the first turning on the left (Flat Lane), which leads you out to the B6271 at Bolton-on-Swale.

p226
DELETE from para beginning ‘On reaching May Beck Bridge…to (2 paras later) 700m to a stile on the left (signposted ‘C-to-C’).

SUBSTITUTE
On reaching May Beck Bridge, go immediately left on the road, doubling back and following the rising road to, and beyond, a bend at New May Beck farm. As the road straightens, leave it, right, at a broad footpath that heads out onto Sneaton Low Moor. Ignore the prominent path bearing left onto the moor. Instead, from a signpost, head initially half-right through rushes onto a path that leads to a mid-moor signpost, and then on farther to a gate in a wall, close by a scattered stand of pine. Through the gate, turn left for Hawsker (note the interesting milestone nearby, right), and parallel the wall on a path at times board-walked.
At a field corner near the B1416, turn right to a gate access onto the B-road. Cross the road to a stile opposite.

July 2017

Page 66

Stage 2

'The ongoing route from Black Sail hostel to the foot of Loft Beck can be confusing in mist. Avoid the more pronounced path that descends to the bridge spanning Liza Beck, and, instead, look for a higher path striking east that leads to the foot of Loft Beck.' Correct Map route see Map booklet 926 for detailed route.