Keld to Muker Route

Distance: 6½ miles

Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Grade: Easy/Moderate

Map: OS Explorer OL30 - Yorkshire Dales - Northern & Central Area, Wensleydale & Swaledale

Start Point: Rukin's Tea Room car park in Keld

Grid Reference: NY 894 011

Nearest Post Code: DL11 6LJ

Serial	Distance	Grid Ref	Description
01	0.00 miles	NY 894 011	Leave the car park from the entrance and walk straight ahead to an information board follow the path signed The Swale Trail, Coast to Coast and Public Bridleway.
02	325 yards	NY 895 101	At the finger post continue ahead signed Pennine Way Public Footpath Thwaite/Muker. (The path on the left is the of the return route).
03	720 yards (¹⁄₂ Mile)	NY 898 009	At the fork in the trail there are two options: Straight ahead signed FP Muker 2¹⁄₄ ml, or Turn right signed Pennine Way FP Thwaite/Muker.

Route via the River Swale and valley	Route via the Pennine Way and along Kisdon Side

Serial	Distance	Grid Ref	Description	Distance	Grid Ref	Description
04	720 yards (¹⁄₂ Mile)	NY 898 009	Continue ahead along a rocky path that winds its way through Rukin Wood, to a gate at the end of the wood.	720 yards (¹⁄₂ Mile)	NY 898 009	Turn right to follow the Pennine Way.
05	³⁄₄ miles	NY 903 006	Pass through the gate at the end of the wood, and follow the path through the meadow and sheep grazing pasture. The well define path trails the River Swale along the valley.	1.20 miles	NY 904 003	Ascend the hill, the trail follows a dry stone wall that has fallen into ruin in parts. Continue along the path for about 1¹⁄₂ miles. The pathway is a mixture of rocky path and well trodden grass pathways which eventually meets a metal track farm road with a finger post signed Muker ³⁄₄ ml (to the left) the Pennine Way to the right and back the way Pennine Way FP Keld 2 ml.
06	2.39 miles	SD 908 988	At fingerpost signed Keld at a stone barn: The path to the right ascends the hill with views over the wildflower meadows. The path to the left continues to follow the river and passes through some wicket gates a long a stone laid path through the wildflower meadows. Follow either path, as both arrive at Muker.	2.65 miles	SD 906 982	Turn left at the sign post and follow the winding metal track road in to Muker.

Serial	Distance	Grid Ref	Description
07	3.00 miles	SD 901 979	From Muker follow the stone laid path through the wildflower meadow to the River Swale. At the river turn right to cross the Ramps Holme Bridge.
08	3.50 miles	SD 910 986	Cross over the bridge, at the finger post signed Keld, Muker and Gunnerside. Turn left and follow the trail back to Keld.
09	4.75 miles	NY 909 004	The trail follows the eastern bank of the River Swale for about 1 and a ¹⁄₄ miles before the trail ascends the hillside and passes Swinner Gill falls and the remains of an old mine.
10	4.95 miles	NY 909 005	From the Swinner Gill falls continue along the path for about ¹⁄₄ of a mile there is a track on the right. The track leads to the ruins of Crackpot Hall. After the little excursion, return to the track, turn right, for about 125 yards to a fork in the track, bear left up the hill to a gate. (The right hand broad track leads to the disused Beldi Hill Lead Mines).
11	5.60 miles	NY 903 009	Pass through the gate, follow the trail through a lightly wooded area. Continue along the trail to Kisdon Force waterfalls.
12	5.90 miles	NY 898 011	From the waterfalls, the path bears to the left, crosses the footbridge and then ascends the hill. At the top turn right and back to the start.