Swaledale - Easter Saturday 22 March 2008

Up at breakfast after a much warmer night to find a decent covering of snow and while Boyd went walking, Pete Wag and others, including Mick Hogg who had arrived for a couple of days, arranged for a trip with Pete Roe in Devis Mine Cave while Karen and I went for a walk starting in Muker and up the Swinner Gill valley. Again the day had short snow showers as we walked from Muker across the fields with snow on the ground until we headed up diagonally to the start of Swinner Gill. This was an excellent walk with some slightly trick bits on a narrow path with very steep ground dropping a fair way to the river below. We followed the path on the East side which then dropped down to cross the river just above a small waterfall and continue on the West side.
Eventually after more snow showers and sunny periods, less wind than yesterday, we arrived at the old mine workings near the head of the valley next to a side branch with a small waterfall (Beldi Hill Mines. Here we had lunch and after perusing the map, decided to return via the West side of the valley following a path at higher level and after passing the ruins of Crackpot Hall and the lovely, if small, Kisdon Force near the point where the Coast-to-Coast Path crosses the Pennine Way. we followed the Pennine Way route back to Muker.
After a trip to the Teashop, where we found no room as it was small but full, we popped into the adjoining and also small Shop/Post Office only to find the same girl from the Teashop serving behind the counter!
We returned to the Bunkhouse and had another meal which was quick to prepare with less fun with the electrics - perhaps they had dried out after the steady heat from the boiler?