Date: Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Day: 8
From: Kirkby Stephen To: Keld
Start Walking: 851am End Walking: 221pm
Distance (Planned): 21km Distance (Garmin): 19.3km
Progress: 145.9/306km
Ascent: 619m Descent: 453m
Weather: Clear and sunny, but cool in the wind. We were ducking for cover when we stopped for a break.
Stayed At: Keld Lodge
General Comments:
• Our accommodation so far on this trip has been really comfortable. We are sharing a twin room (with ensuite) each night and have been surprised at how large the rooms have been. I was thinking that staying in a lot of very old buildings would mean dark and pokey rooms, which would have been a problem for two people with two daypacks, two suitcases and sundry hiking gear. It’s all working really well.
• The food has also been amazing. At the Old Croft House in Kirkby Stephen breakfast yesterday comprised homemade walnut and sour dough breads, pancakes, fruit salad, and you could have chosen a huge range of other delicious items too. Dinner at Keld Lodge last night was beef chilli with rice, fresh garden salad, vegetables, and garlic bread. Plenty of tastiness to fuel a hike.
• Another thing we weren’t expecting is that all our rooms have had a kettle to make our own cuppa. That has been appreciated at the end of the day and first thing the next one.
• Today was a great walking day. We both finished with smiles on our faces having seen yet more beautiful scenery and chatted to nice people.
• We started with a long, slow climb up to Nine Standards Rigg, following small country back roads, then dirt tracks and then the most absolutely outstanding paved paths. Where the well-worn track used to be, they have laid very large slabs of stone. This whole area is one large peat bog and the stone slabs save people sinking up to their knees and also reduce erosion, and damage by all those feet. Well done, Park managers!
• Nine Standards Rigg is a really unusual place and a complete mystery. Basically, it’s 9 stone towers standing on top of a tall hill. Each tower is a different shape and size, and no one knows what they were for.
• They are estimated to be 500-800 years old and once there were 13 of them and the hilltop was enclosed in a rectangular wall.
• Curious and curiouser….
• After pondering that for a while we set off across the high plateau and over the bogs on more slabs of stone. I can only imagine how soul destroying it would have been to walk across this area in the wet, lifting one muddy foot out of the bog only to sink the next one in up to the knee. Not us. We scooted along on the fabulous stones and bridges.
• For our lunch stop, we escaped the wind by hunkering down in a grouse-shooting hide. Now, that was different.
• It was a day of beautiful countryside once again and it’s hard to believe we are nearly half way along the Coast to Coast Path in kilometres as well as days.
Top Tips:
• Routes: If you are using a guidebook, it may show that there are three routes to take near Nine Standards Rigg (low, easterly and high). Please note there is only the high route now and all signs for the alternate routes have been removed. The stone slabs lead the way.
• Weather: If the weather is wet when you are walking here, the conditions under foot could be VERY different. Once the slabs of stone end, you are walking through paddocks (and I imagine some boggy areas) and the going may be quite tough. Take care.
Wishing you all days like we are enjoying!
Life...one big adventure 
I can imagine that icy wind, but probably better than endless hot sun on those exposed moors. I don’t remember the paving, but further along there are monk’s trods- same thing but much older. Happy walking, Mel (and eating!) xx
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Thanks, Jo and we know it is way better to have wind than rain!🌞 Have a good day. Xx
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Looks a wonderful part of your journey. Nine Standards is a wonderful landmark to visit on route. 🙂
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It really was unusual and had a quiet power about the place. I wonder if they just built them to confuse us?😁
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Possibly. 🙂
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😅
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It sounds like the stone track works well. Still, knee-deep through the bog was one of our more “memorable” parts of the walk 🤨 Thanks for another fine recap of your day!
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I seem to remember you guys got rained on consistently! I would much rather our weather to yours.😖
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I love those rural scenes! And yeah, I counted whether there really are nine of those stone towers in your first photo 😂.
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Thanks for keeping me on my toes!😉😅
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Nine Standards is on my list of walks to do. I had heard it was boggy so am pleased to see the stone slabs! Re kettles, we are always really disappointed abroad when we don’t get one. It must just be a British thing (we do like our tea).
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You would love Nine Standards Rigg, Anabel. A really nice walk and so much easier on the stone slabs. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to wade through the mud! Ugh! And Yes, we Aussies love our cuppa too. 😁
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Those stone towers are so odd (but neat). Love the waterfall at the end!
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This trail is delivering a bit of everything!
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Great photos Mel. This actually sounds like quite civilised walking 🙂 Those dry stone walls are amazing! X
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It is definitely civilised! Whenever you can enjoy a beer at the end of the day, then that’s civilised! 😅🤣 And Yes, those dry stone walls dazzle us on a daily basis.
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It’s a good day and Keld is beautiful, no stone slabs when I passed that way and my daughter sunk up to her thigh in bog! All I kept saying was “don’t lose your boot”! You really are enjoying extraordinary good weather Mel 😁
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I just can’t imagine trying to walk in those conditions. It would take the fun out it somewhat! 🤣🤣 And Yes, we are counting our lucky stars every single day!
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You are so lucky with the weather – I have only ever known this section and complete and total bog. I remember having soaking wet feet through this walk, plus driving rain and wind in my face – awful.
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We thank our lucky stars every single day. We know what we have enjoyed weather-wise has been incredibly rare!🌞
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