Day 9 to Keld (7th day hiking - 20 K)

Hurrah! We hit the halfway point this morning and crossed the watershed of England. And although a significantly shorter distance it still takes a long time to navigate over moors and bogs, through streams, avoiding dead bunnies and as much mud as possible. We choose to walk a lower route today because we were warned about slipping into thigh high bogs on the high route (strange that the high ground is not dry). Locals say they only go the high route in winter when the ground is frozen. We saw the Nine Standards (object of the high route) in the distance. Yesterday a woman was rescued by the Mountain Rescue team on the high route with a broken ankle from getting stuck in the bog. Two other hikers spent the day getting her help as there is no cell phone service. The C2C is vastly different from the paved trails and vineyards of the Camino. The Yorkshire Dales are empty, wild hills of grass and heather, and ever present sheep. There is a bleakness here that is hard to describe. It could be the setting for Wuthering Heights. The Yorkshire Dales add the dynamic of 'shooters' to the mix of hikers. We did not see any 'shooters', we did flush a grouse and we walked past many grouse butts (blinds). Tonight we went to the local pub for a fabulous poached salmon dinner, potatoes, cauliflower, beans, asparagus and salad, followed by dessert - because we earned it! We are staying at the Park House Bunk Barn - better than it sounds. We have a bunk bed in a small room and all the regular amenities, including a drying room, which gives this stop an extra star, on our rating guide. Outside our window the Swale river roars over the rocks.