Day 13 -- Kirkby Stephen to Keld, 14 miles

Elaine, the hostess at Bollam Cottage B&B, recommended a route to the Nine Standards different from that recommended in the Coast to Coast guides. Her route crossed several pastures, and passed through a lovely wood into Ewbank Scar, a striking rock formation through which Ladthwaite Beck cascades. Her recommendation required some time-consuming route finding and careful map-following, but was worth every bit. About the same length of the “official” route, her route substituted about 2 miles of scenic footpath for approximately the same distance of road walking. Thanks for the recommendation, Elaine.

 

Ewbank Scar

Where Elaine’s route joined the “official” route, I met John and Charlotte, who were walking separately, but happened to be at the trail junction at the same time.

 

Charlotte; John

While talking with them, I saw several approaching walkers whom I mistook to be Dennis, Lynne, Dave, and Sara, but who turned out to be a group of ladies from California and Washington. They have been hiking together, on and off, for about 40 years. Unfortunately, one of their friends, Patti, was unable to join them this time, so they carried her image with them. We all (except Flat Patti) chatted as we hiked up to the Nine Standards.

 

Julie, Cheryl, Tricia, Flat Patti, Donna and Maggie

The Nine Standards are 9 large cairns that have adorned the ridge east of Kirkby Stephen since time immemorial. Nobody knows who built them, or when or why they were built.

From the Nine Standards I followed a very boggy ridge approximately 2½ miles, with a cold wind blowing incessantly. A feeling of isolation permeates one’s being atop the high, exposed, featureless moor; to the far horizon in every direction I saw no one else the entire time – not even sheep. Except for the ever-present water, I might as well have been on the moon.

After more than an hour, I reached a crossing path on which Andrew, Normand and Marie-Helene were walking. Andrew and I are kindred spirits: he is an Australian, solo walking 500 miles in England and Scotland this summer. Normand and Marie-Helene are Canadians, living in Montreal. I had briefly met them last night at dinner with the Ullswater steamer group, but hadn’t had a chance to speak with them.

 

Marie-Helene, Normand, and Andrew 

Normand is a meteorologist working for the Canadian government. I asked if he had heard of my brother-in-law, James Holton, who was a professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Washington. As if we had been transported to the scene from Romancing the Stone in which Juan discovers that author Joan Wilder is outside his compound's gate, the following dialogue ensued. I am absolutely not making this up.

“You know James Holton?” he responded.

Marie-Helene joined in, “Holton?? He knows James Holton??”

Normand continued, “I read his book. It’s a classic of meteorological science. I keep it on my desk. I met James Holton some years ago at a lecture he presented to Canadian scientists.”

When I mentioned that Jim had died 12 years ago, Normand said that he still uses the 2^nd edition of Jim’s book to study for competitive exams necessary for promotions. He observed that Jim’s book is somewhat dated, but it’s apparently still the best thing out there for its subject matter.

Jim had walked the Coast to Coast a few years before his death, so we were traveling in his footsteps.

Jim Holton

Andrew, Normand, Marie-Helene and I continued on and met up with Leo and Lynn at Ravenseat farm, where writer Amanda Owen maintains a primitive tea room in an old shed. We stopped for tea and scones as the rain started falling. The sun was shining when we left a half hour later to walk the rest of the way to Keld.



Tea time
Lynn, Leo, Norman, Marie-Helene, and Andrew

Lynn and Leo