The last weekend in January can often bring unpleasant wintry conditions, but it looked like the weather might hold as 47 hardy Aycliffe Fell Walkers departed the town by luxury coach, aiming to explore the extensive lead-mining country above Swaledale; Surrender, Old Gang, Gunnerside and Swinner Gill.
Many alighted at Healaugh, ascending via well-maintained tracks alongside Barney Beck towards Surrender Bridge and the opencast mines above. Stronger walkers climbed up to Great Pinseat over rough ground; the extensive views from its summit over much of Arkengarthdale provided ample reward for the energy expended.
One happy throng made straight for the Punch Bowl Inn looking for a warming cuppa before heading ‘onwards and upwards’. Others, keen to visit the lead mines in the area, alighted in Gunnerside and raced up the gill to gleefully explore as many mines as they could find before the weather broke.
Another section elected to climb mighty Kisdon above Kisdon Gorge, tackling the steep climb at speed – which certainly impressed the watching coach driver, warm and comfortable in his coach, which was now parked up near the pub in Muker.
Later, the now ruinous Crackpot Hall was visited and provided a sheltered lunch stop for some. The skies were looking quite ominous now – cloudy and quite dark, and it wasn’t long before the wind picked up bringing stinging hail, sleet and snow along with it. It didn’t seem to matter which way our walkers faced. The hail found a way of stinging and biting exposed unprotected skin.
All groups eventually arrived at Swinner Gill, descending thence to lower ground and crossing Kisdon Gorge and the river Swale via Rampsholme Bridge, for an easy stroll to the finish at Muker. All arrived back safely to the cosy hospitality of the Farmer’s Arms with its excellent choice of food and real ales, where the locals declared that our walkers were “almost as hardy as Swaledale sheep!”
Hardy or not, if you would like to join us on our well-organised monthly outings (the next being to the Northumberland Coast), simply contact our Secretary, Alan on 01325 488225 or visit our website: afwc.org.uk