Variant Route Descriptions - A Northern Coast to Coast Walk: From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay - page 171

Flincher Gill is crossed by a stone bridge, beyond which the track contin-
ues as roughly as ever, through a gate and onto the Old Gang Smelt Mill,
built about 1770 and conspicuous by its tall chimney, and now undergoing
restoration work.

LEAD-MINING FLUES

The remains of lead-mining activity here are particularly extensive, and include furnace
houses, arches of ore hearths and a system of flues - one flue leads up to a chimney
on Healaugh Crag. The flues were constructed to create a draught for the furnaces.
Much of the lead fume was condensed in the flues and could be recovered, which also
prevented the poisoning of animals.

Easy walking now leads on to Surrender Bridge, where the beck is crossed
by an unenclosed moorland road along which some of the television series
'All Creatures Great and Small' was filmed.
Stay on the north side of the beck and follow a signposted path above
the Surrender Smelt Mill, then on through heather to the edge of steep-
sided Cringley Bottom, a narrow ravine.
Cross the ravine, climb to a stile at the wall above, and go onto an
improving path above enclosure walls. With no difficulty the path runs
on to Thirns Farm, where it branches left, ignoring a descending path to
Healaugh. It climbs steeply to Moorcock Cottage, before once more skirt-
ing above enclosure walls, and below Calver Hill, a shapely if modest hill.
Above the farm of Riddings keep ahead on a path across the moor to
meet a wall corner, just beyond which a gate gives access to a hidden, and
enclosed, green track, known as Skelgate. With unerring ease and superb
onward views across Arkle Beck to the shattered wall of Fremington Edge,
Skelgate will deliver you on to the B6270 a short way west of the centre
of Reeth. Go left along the road to enter Reeth.

Reeth to Keld (high-level route)

Distance 17km (10½ miles)

Height Gain 625m (2050 feet)

Leave Reeth on the B6270 for about 250m to a signposted track, Skelgate
Lane, on the right. Follow the track upwards and round to emerge at the