C2C and Ireland Coasts

A beautiful meal last night in the little village of Natesby staying at The Black Bull. Light showers to start the day hiking along narrow public walkways with high rock fences to then follow a fast flowing brook through the fields. We then began the climb up to the Nine Standards, 9 large rock cairns thought to be a border of over 500 years, in some cold headwind over wet boggy peat. Reaching the top we fuelled up with our standard lunch packs to retrace our steps back down the valley. Some difficulty navigating and negotiating the wet bogs and tuffs we eventually came to the road to Keld. All down the valley from the mountain tops were stone houses or barns dotted on the hillsides and along the peat coloured beck (stream), each with their own fold fenced with the large rock fences with not a tree in sight. Black and white lambs and long shaggy sheep bleating along the way. The Grose moors rolling on and on, mountains after mountain.
A big day hiking to reach our half way mark of about 150km, 9 days to go with one rest day.Read more