What Bog?

Day 9: Kirkby Stephens to Keld

Nine Standards day and it's all about the bogs, about the bogs (no trouble) -- thanks Meghan Trainor😉.  Except, due to a droughty season, there was no bog in the bog.  

The Nine Standards, a bit of an archeological mystery, are nine expertly built and irregularly shaped

cairns along a ridge in the Pennines.  Although the true history of the cairns is undetermined, one supposition (perhaps as good as any) is that the cairns were erected as decoys to worry the army of Bonnie Prince Charles.  Another, less romantic notion is that they stand as county boundaries.  Take a look, you decide.

Coming through the bogless bogs, we saw our first opportunity for a "cream tea" and having been advised never to pass one by, so indulged.  The tea was hot and the biscuit (scone), divine.  The most delightful thing about the cream tea was not the food at all, rather the enterprising family who

orchestrated the whole opportunity at Ravenseat Farm.  Our order was taken by a charming lad of six or seven years, who clearly communicated our wishes to his mum (unseen in the house and recognizable only as a female voice issuing a series of "wa, wa, wa's," much like the teacher from a Peanuts' animation).  When it came time to deliver the cream teas, our waiter became the server and his younger brother (maybe three-years) took care of the financial transaction and his sister (maybe four) took care of the bussing once we enjoyed every bite.

Short post tonight as we chatted long with our fellow hikers at dinner -- and toasted being halfway through our walk!  More from Reeth tomorrow.

In closing, my apologies to everyone who read yesterday's blog.  It was a convoluted and garbled post (not to mention the many typos).  My editor was sleeping before I published.  Regrets!

Notes for walkers:  We clearly hit a major break today by passing through the Nine Standards without the dreaded bog.  We had our gaiters and were prepared to don them (fully expected to do so).  Our thought: err on the side of being prepared as our experience seems to be the exception.  Even without the boot-sucking bog, we were aware of how fully the ground gave with each step -- signaling saturation just below the mostly dry surface.  Without the bog, this is a quick walk from Kirkby Stephen -- take your time as Keld is tiny without much going on.  We're staying the night at the Butt House, where the hospitality and food are (in our opinion) the best in the first half of the walk.  Chris is an extraordinary chef!!