Across the valley separating the Lake District from the north-south Pennines range, we hike to Kirkby Stephen, home of the Faraday family and location of a large marketplace. This marks the eastern edge of Cumbria.
1 SHAP TO KIRKBY STEPHEN
Luggage ready at Shap for transfer to the next stop.
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3 Our breakfast table at Shap
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6 Near the start we cross a rail line and a freeway. No, this train has not been graffitoed.
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8 Active operations at Hardendale Quarry
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10 We encounter a new style stile: all stone
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14 Heading toward Sunbiggin Tarn
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16 Intermittent downpours today
17 Geologists call this exposed rock "limestone pavement." Locally, the blocks are 'clints' and the fissures between them are 'grikes'.
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34 The Smardale Valley
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37 Smardale Bridge, crosing Smardale Gill, a classic packhorse bridge. The Neolithic pillow mounds to the left of the bridge are locally called Giants' Graves.
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40 Clearing weather as we cross the side of Smardale Fell
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44 Descending into the valley of Kirkby Stephen. The second K is silent.
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48 The town of Kirkby Stephen lies ahead
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53 Splitting up into our night's lodgings
54 This very old road sign still lists furlong distances!
55 Checking in at the Black Bull
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59 Kirkby Stephen is a substantial town, whose market was founded in 1352.
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61 The market square. The old market building itself is the red sandstone structure to the left.
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67 This plaque commemmorating Afred Wainwright is in front of the old market building
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70 Behind the market, the Kirkby Stephen Parish Church
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82 This church a\has been converted into shops
83 ...while this one is now a hostel
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85 Parallel to the main street, a row of old buildings
