15: OK, this is more like it!

We've just had two great days walking - from Keld to Reeth, then Reeth to Richmond, through the typical picture book English Countryside.  Even better - the weather has cleared, the wind and rain have stopped and the sun has even shone!  For the first time since we have started walking I have gone down to one layer - incredibly today I walked in shorts - and Phoebe got sunburnt!!  Lots of 'nature' about to photographs - toadstools, rivers, grouse, pheasants and very cute sheep & cows (must remember to tell you the Phoebe cow story later)

This area was the lead mining capital of the world apparently, and there are lots of mine entrances still visible (the shafts have been blocked) and the land near some of them is still denuded of vegetation years later from the poisons released during the mining process.

We started off walking yesterday as a complete group, then Pete, Narelle & Mandy took the high road up to the top of the moors to check out the old lead mines, & Joe, Phoebe and I took the low road which followed the River Swale throught the loveliest meadows and fields, and through little towns farms.  We loved Gunnerside where we stopped for a cup of tea at the pub (tea house was closed) and met the very friendly Sid the Cat who had a serious milk addiction and who was almost drinking out of our milk jug! 

Those of you who know Phoebe may know of her Cow phobia (similar to her spider phobia!), anyway just after she has braved several largish examples along the road, I did a very impressive impression of an enraged cow thundering along the road - poor Pheebs nearly had a heart attack - and so did I from laughing!!

Pheebs, Joe and I arrived at Reeth about 3pm and various other walkers wandered in over the next couple of hours.  Reeth seems a bit more touristy than some of the places we have been through (& is a bit larger) and has a few cute shops.  One had a great range of stuff made locally - soaps, art, jewellery, jams etc - all nice quality - Pheebs bought a couple of pictures of typical Yorkshire countryside which she posted back home.

We had a great dinner at the Black Bull with all the walkers we have been meeting up with over the past week.  The poor staff at the pub had to call in extra help to cope with us all. 

Thursday 15th Day 10 walking
Another sunny day - wow - two in a row!!
Off we set over some great typical english countryside, till we saw a sign for Elaines - so in we go for the best raspberry jam on fruit scones!  Much ooing and ahhing about the excellence of this jam - plus the generally lovely surroundings. 
 

Then we spotted Elaines hubby with the weirdest animal possible - body of a pig, wool like a sheep, head like a cow - its a Texel (sp?) sheep and this one is a prizewinner - kind of so ugly he was handsome and had quite an attitude.

More walking through lovely fields and bits of forrest till our next meal break - bikkies, cheese and tomato overlooking the river.  Joe improvised with three walking poles & my 'gorilla' to make a tripod for a group photo - is there nothing this man cannot build?



Made it into Richmond mid afternoon - we're staying at the Pottergate Guest House with the lovely Barbara as our host (who has a very nice window box display).  Had a wander around town, then Joe left me at one of the pubs (with free wifi) while he checked out the rest of the town and who else he could find to chat to (I'm being a bit boring just sitting here blogging).  Dinner at the 'best thai in town', but rather ordinary and expensive by Marrickville standards. A nice change from pub food though.



Raspberry jam + Scone + tea = 2 happy girls

Oh, and Peter may have had a tantrum this arvo when the pub they went to wouldn't serve him a beer outside because it was after 5pm!  Then the restaurant wouldn't take his Visa card - Richmond is now officially on his s*$# list !!!