INTO THE DALES - A Northern Coast to Coast Walk: From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay - page 78

single-arched bridge on the old corpse road from higher valley communities to Grinton,
at one time the only church with hallowed ground to bury the dead.
On the bridge, go left on the minor road leading to the village. At a telephone box
turn right on a footpath to Gunnerside, where a minor road soon leads to a gravel path
with a cottage on the left and a barn on the right. At a waymark, descend right on
a narrow path through trees to a footbridge spanning Shore Gill. An exhilarating view
opens up ahead, of rich green pastureland, walled fields and sturdy barns, as the con-
fines of the gill are left behind.
River Swale, upper Swaledale
Once more the trail of meadows and squeeze-stiles takes over, until finally the path
runs out onto a ledge between a fence and a steep drop to the river, soon to start
descending. At a signposted track, bear half-left across a field for a final flourish of
meadows and stiles before entering Gunnerside through an estate of modern, stone-
built houses known as 'Flatlands'.
Cross the road at Gunnerside, and the bridge opposite, to reach the King's Head
Hotel. Turn right in front of the pub (on a path leading to toilets). Immediately before
the toilet block turn left through a gated stile into meadowland for the now familiar
arrangement of stiles and meadows, to reach the Swale once more just as it loops up
towards the road.
A signpost on the riverbank directs walkers up a broad track to meet the road at a
gate, immediately leaving it again by a step-stile into woodland. For a short distance
follow a narrow path high above the river, to which it soon begins a steep and slip-
pery descent, rejoining the riverbank at a stile. The path now continues along the top
of flood banks flanked by a variety of trees - ash, holly, beech and sycamore - where
projecting tree roots and the occasional remains of old fence posts make passage a
little awkward in wet conditions.
Eventually the path is forced back to the road, which it is then obliged to follow until
it can be left by a gate on the right.
Now follow a broad green track as it swings round to a squeeze-stile, passing outside
a walled enclosure, and by means of a narrow green path following the edge of a field
to cross a fence by a stile. For a while, stay with a field boundary and then head left
across the middle of the meadow, towards a spot known as The Isles, where the path
approaches the riverbank once more, a suitable spot for a brief halt to watch the antics
of oystercatchers, dippers, grey wagtails and sand martins.
A small flight of steps leads up to a stile giving on to Isles Bridge. Go a few paces left
on the road to a footpath (signposted 'Reeth') which passes briefly along the top of a
wall. Follow this round to join more flood banks, and later climb on top of a narrower