Saturday: Struck camp and said good-bye and thanks again to farmer. Strolled down into Kirkby where coaches were halting and a crowd of skinheads walked around carrying bottles of beer. Shopped, posted six cards and was glad to leave the town at 9.30am. Two young men from Birmingham converged on the track. They had come up the night before and were doing the second half of the Coast to Coast having done the first the previous year. They gradually drew ahead and I reaped the benefit, for they had frequently to refer to the book, which saved me the trouble. A long steady climb of 5½miles took us to the trig point near the ?? Standards, and it was I who reached it first. I ate an orange and drank some water. The two men arrived and made a billy full of tea, heating by a converted gas blow lamp in about two minutes. Later, crossing the moors, Coast to Coast walkers were diverted by new waymarks – I suspect more forestry is coming here. I paused at a shooting hut for lunch and the two passed while I was doing so. This was the end of the area of peat bogs. I passed the two again and never saw them after. Ney Gill was easy going and the path along Whitsundale Beck was also pleasant. I paused by a beck and had a wash and washed my brown socks, changing here into my red ones – a day early really, but the peat bog splashes had made a mess of bare legs and socks so I was forced to take action. I stopped at a point while a farmer and a dog separated six ewes and lamps from a flock. He had some difficulties and one ewe rushed up a vertical, 6ft stone wall and over. Eventually he accomplished this extremely difficult task and thanked me for my patience. I came to a road and sign – Keld ¼mile. It proved to be the longest ¼mile I have ever walked. Keld was a tiny lovely hamlet tucked away from the main road and surrounded by ‘forces’-  spectacular waterfalls. The aspect of the village was quite spoiled by tourists and motorcars. From Keld (where the Pennine Way crosses) the walk is along Swaledale with splendid limestone cliffs, lovely meadowland and many beautiful secondary ravines. A hard climb up on to the moor, passing numerous remains of mining , and, at 6.30 rain began, so I camped by a sheepfold and brewed a mug of lovely, bogwater tea, having earned this luxury by doing at least two miles of tomorrow’s stint. Half a mile back I could see two figures following, but they never arrived so I presume that they too camped. This path, at this point, has become what is obviously going to be a forest road, though no trees are planted yet. Have passed the halfway mark today and, when I see all these lambs about I find myself thinking of lamb chops, new potatoes and peas!