Keld is a tiny, remote stone hamlet at the head of Swaledale whose name is simply the Old Norse word for a spring — and it sits at a quietly momentous spot on the Coast to Coast: roughly the halfway point of the whole walk, and the only place the route crosses the Pennine Way. The two great long-distance paths meet at East Gill Force, a lovely set of falls that steps down into the River Swale just east of the village. Within a mile of Keld the young Swale, fresh off the high moors, pours over a remarkable string of waterfalls as it carves a wooded gorge through Carboniferous limestone between the steep hill of Kisdon and the moorland mass of Rogan's Seat: upstream lie Wain Wath Force and the four-step Catrake Force, and 500 m downstream the finest of them, Kisdon Force, drops about 10 m over two cascades within a protected ancient woodland. After the bleak, boggy crossing from Kirkby Stephen, this sudden green world of tumbling water is one of the loveliest stretches of the route.
Highlights
- East Gill Force — the exact point where the Coast to Coast meets the Pennine Way, a stepped fall dropping into the River Swale 300 m east of Keld
- Kisdon Force, the finest of the falls: about 10 m over two cascades in a limestone gorge, set in the Kisdon Force Woods SSSI
- Catrake Force, a series of four stepped falls (the biggest drop about 6 m) just upstream of Keld
- Wain Wath Force, a broad curtain of water beneath the crags of Cotterby Scar, about a mile up-river
- Keld itself — a remote Norse-named hamlet roughly at the halfway point of the whole Coast to Coast
- The sudden contrast of a green, wooded river gorge after the bleak moorland crossing from Kirkby Stephen
At a glance
| Period | Natural landmark; Norse settlement |
|---|---|
| Stage | 9 — Keld to Reeth |
Take care
- Riverbanks and the rocks around the falls are slippery and can be steep — keep back from wet, mossy edges and never get between the river and a drop in spate
- The Swale rises fast and powerfully after rain on the moors; the falls are spectacular but the river is dangerous in flood — do not attempt to cross or wade
- Keld is remote with very limited facilities — no large shop, and onward transport is sparse
- Some falls (e.g. Wain Wath, Catrake) require short detours off the direct C2C line — plan the time
History
Keld is an ancient Norse settlement — its name, from 'kelda', means a spring or well, one of many Old Norse place-names left across Swaledale by Viking-age Scandinavian settlers. For centuries it was a community of hill farmers and, in the 18th and 19th centuries, lead miners, with the smelt mills and 'hushes' of the Swaledale lead industry scarring the moors all around. The little United Reformed (formerly Congregational) chapel and the cluster of stone farms and barns are typical of the dale. The waterfalls have long drawn visitors: the term 'force' comes from the Old Norse 'fors'/'foss' for a waterfall, and Kisdon Force in particular has been a noted beauty spot for generations, while East Gill Force became a landmark of two of Britain's most famous long-distance walks, the Pennine Way (1965) and the Coast to Coast (devised 1973).
Myth & legend
From Keld the medieval Corpse Way began its sixteen-mile journey over Kisdon Hill to the church at Grinton: for centuries upper Swaledale's departed were borne the whole way in light wicker coffins, and the flat 'coffin stones' where bearers rested their burden still lie beside the old path.
Geology
Here the River Swale, draining off the high Pennine moors, cuts down through the gently-tilted Carboniferous limestones, sandstones and shales of the Yoredale Series — alternating hard and soft beds that the river exploits to produce its waterfalls and gorges. Where the Swale crosses a band of harder limestone it drops over it as a force; the soft beds beneath are scoured into plunge pools and the resistant ledges left standing. The falls lie between the steep-sided, ice-shaped hill of Kisdon and the broad moorland of Rogan's Seat, in a deep, wooded limestone gorge — classic Yorkshire Dales scenery on a small, intimate scale.
Wildlife & nature
The gorge is a green oasis. Kisdon Force is wrapped in the Kisdon Force Woods, a 38-hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest of mixed broadleaved woodland — ash, wych elm, rowan and hazel — clinging to the steep limestone, rich in mosses, ferns and ancient-woodland flowers. Dippers bob on the rocks in midstream, grey wagtails flit along the banks, and kingfishers and the occasional otter use the river; the woods hold woodland birds and roe deer. Out on the surrounding moors, red grouse, curlew, golden plover and lapwing breed, and the limestone meadows of upper Swaledale are famous for their flowers in early summer.
The view
After the open, peaty miles from Kirkby Stephen, the descent to Keld and the Swale is a revelation: white water, green woods and grey crags packed into a short, steep gorge. East Gill Force, just above the river, is the most-visited and most photographed, framing the meeting of the two great trails. Kisdon Force, deeper in its wooded ravine, feels secret and dramatic, while Wain Wath Force spreads beneath the pale cliff of Cotterby Scar. The whole reach, with the river hurrying between mossy boulders, is one of the prettiest on the entire Coast to Coast.
Photography
East Gill Force is the signature shot — the stepped falls with the C2C/Pennine Way path and the Swale beyond. Kisdon Force, in its wooded gorge 500 m downstream of Keld, is the most dramatic but needs care on slippery ground; a slow shutter softens the water beautifully. Wain Wath Force works well with Cotterby Scar behind it. Overcast days and after-rain spate give the fullest flow and even light; dawn light filters finely through the gorge woods. Watch for dippers on midstream rocks.
When to visit
The falls are at their most powerful after wet spells and in spring snowmelt, and at their prettiest with the gorge woods in fresh green (late April–June) or autumn colour (October). Upper Swaledale's hay meadows are gloriously flowery in June. High summer can reduce the flow in a dry spell. Winter brings ice-fringed falls and a stark beauty, but slippery, dangerous banks and short daylight. Whatever the season, the river can rise fast after moorland rain — both spectacular and hazardous.
Getting there
Keld is genuinely remote, with very limited public transport — the Little White Bus community service links Swaledale villages (including, on some days, Keld) with Richmond and the Settle–Carlisle railway at Kirkby Stephen, but check timetables carefully, and many walkers pre-book a taxi or rely on baggage-transfer operators. There is a small car park in the village. The nearest railheads are Kirkby Stephen (Settle–Carlisle line) to the west and Richmond's connections to the east.
Where to stay
Keld's options are limited and should be booked well ahead in peak season: Keld Lodge (a former shooting lodge and youth hostel, reopened in 2007 as a small hotel with a bar and restaurant open to non-residents), plus farmhouse B&Bs, a bunk-barn and camping in and around the hamlet. Note that the once-popular tea room at nearby Ravenseat has closed. Muker, a little down-dale, offers more choice. The Tan Hill Inn (England's highest pub) lies several miles north off-route. Baggage-transfer services serve this stage.
Food & water
There is safe drinking water and refreshment at Keld Lodge and the village when open, but no large shop — and crucially there is no reliable safe water between Kirkby Stephen and Keld, so arrive with enough. The River Swale and its becks run off peat moorland and should not be drunk untreated, however clean they look. Fill up in Keld before continuing toward Reeth.
Safety
The waterfalls are beautiful but the wet rocks, mossy ledges and steep banks around them are genuinely slippery — keep well back from edges, especially above drops and plunge pools, and supervise children and dogs closely. The Swale can rise with frightening speed and force after rain on the moors; never try to cross or wade it in spate. Keld is remote with patchy mobile signal. In an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue (Swaledale Mountain Rescue) or, for water incidents, the Fire & Rescue Service; for non-urgent medical advice call NHS 111.
Accessibility
Keld village and the short path to East Gill Force are reached by relatively easy tracks, but the river gorge and the routes to Kisdon, Catrake and Wain Wath Forces involve steep, rough, slippery ground with rocks and roots, and are not wheelchair- or buggy-accessible. The falls are best appreciated on foot with care. Dogs are welcome on leads; keep them out of the river near the falls and under close control around grazing stock and ground-nesting birds on the surrounding moors.
Visitor tips
Pause at East Gill Force — you are at the only crossing of the Pennine Way and roughly halfway across England, a real milestone worth marking. If you have time and energy, the short detour to Kisdon Force (500 m downstream of Keld) is the most spectacular of the falls, but take care on the slippery descent. Fill up with water and food at Keld, as the moor behind you had none. Don't try to cross the Swale anywhere if it is high and brown after rain — wait or find a bridge.
Listen: the audio guide
The full narration of this stop's audio guide, in text.
You drop down off the moor into a huddle of grey stone cottages, and suddenly the air is full of the sound of falling water. This is Keld — a name that simply means "spring" in the old Norse tongue — and it sits, remarkably, at the very heart of your journey. You are roughly halfway between the two seas. And here, at this one lonely spot, the Coast to Coast crosses the great Pennine Way. Keld is a tiny place, a knot of stone houses at the head of Swaledale, wrapped in some of the finest waterfall country in England. Its Norse name is a clue to its age: Vikings settled and farmed these dales more than a thousand years ago, and the word for a spring stuck to the village and never left. For the walker, Keld is a landmark of pure geography — roughly the midpoint of the whole route, and the single point where the two great long-distance paths of northern England touch and cross. Just east of the village, where the Coast to Coast meets the Pennine Way, East Gill Force tumbles in bright steps into the young River Swale. And within a short walk the river throws itself over one waterfall after another — Wain Wath Force, Catrake Force, and the fine two-tiered Kisdon Force — as it carves a deep, wooded limestone gorge between the great whaleback hills of Kisdon and Rogan's Seat. Few short stretches of any river in England hold so many falls, and after heavy rain they run brown and thunderous, filling the whole dale with sound. Look, first, at East Gill Force, right beside the path where the two trails meet — a lovely stepped fall dropping into the Swale, the classic Keld picture. Second, walk up to Wain Wath Force, a broad white curtain of water below the pale limestone cliff of Cotterby Scar. Third, seek out Catrake Force, tucked just below the village, half hidden in its wooded cleft. Fourth, find Kisdon Force, the grandest of them all — two tiers of water crashing through a rocky gorge, thunderous after rain. And fifth, lift your eyes to the hills that frame it all: Kisdon, the strange isolated dome that the river must curve around, and the broad dark mass of Rogan's Seat rising to the north, with the old stone barns and drystone walls of Swaledale patterning the valley below. Think of the Norse folk who named this place. When they came up these dales, they found a cold, clear spring — a keld — and made it the centre of their small world, building, farming, enduring the hard winters at the head of the valley. A thousand years on, their word is still the name on the map, and the spring still rises, and the Swale still runs its ancient course over the falls. Few places on the whole walk feel so timeless: a handful of grey roofs, a chapel, the encircling hills, and always, day and night, the steady sound of falling water in the dale. This is river country, and the rocks beside the falls can be wet and slippery — so admire them from the path and the safe viewpoints, and keep well back from the edge above rushing water, especially when the river is high. From Keld the Coast to Coast turns east once more and follows the Swale down the dale, through Reeth and on towards Marrick, where an ancient flight of worn stone steps climbs through the woods to a medieval nunnery. Take one last look up the green head of Swaledale, listen a moment longer to the falls, and walk on into the second half of your journey. Walk safe.
Common questions
How old is Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls?
Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls dates from the Natural landmark; Norse settlement period.
How do I get to Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls?
Keld is genuinely remote, with very limited public transport — the Little White Bus community service links Swaledale villages (including, on some days, Keld) with Richmond and the Settle–Carlisle railway at Kirkby Stephen, but check timetables carefully, and many walkers pre-book a taxi or rely on baggage-transfer operators. There is a small car park in the village. The nearest railheads are Kirkby Stephen (Settle–Carlisle line) to the west and Richmond's connections to the east.
Is Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls accessible?
Keld village and the short path to East Gill Force are reached by relatively easy tracks, but the river gorge and the routes to Kisdon, Catrake and Wain Wath Forces involve steep, rough, slippery ground with rocks and roots, and are not wheelchair- or buggy-accessible. The falls are best appreciated on foot with care. Dogs are welcome on leads; keep them out of the river near the falls and under close control around grazing stock and ground-nesting birds on the surrounding moors.
When is the best time to visit Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls?
The falls are at their most powerful after wet spells and in spring snowmelt, and at their prettiest with the gorge woods in fresh green (late April–June) or autumn colour (October). Upper Swaledale's hay meadows are gloriously flowery in June. High summer can reduce the flow in a dry spell. Winter brings ice-fringed falls and a stark beauty, but slippery, dangerous banks and short daylight. Whatever the season, the river can rise fast after moorland rain — both spectacular and hazardous.
Is there food and water at Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls?
There is safe drinking water and refreshment at Keld Lodge and the village when open, but no large shop — and crucially there is no reliable safe water between Kirkby Stephen and Keld, so arrive with enough. The River Swale and its becks run off peat moorland and should not be drunk untreated, however clean they look. Fill up in Keld before continuing toward Reeth.
Where can I stay near Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls?
Keld's options are limited and should be booked well ahead in peak season: Keld Lodge (a former shooting lodge and youth hostel, reopened in 2007 as a small hotel with a bar and restaurant open to non-residents), plus farmhouse B&Bs, a bunk-barn and camping in and around the hamlet. Note that the once-popular tea room at nearby Ravenseat has closed. Muker, a little down-dale, offers more choice. The Tan Hill Inn (England's highest pub) lies several miles north off-route. Baggage-transfer services serve this stage.
What should I know before visiting Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls?
Pause at East Gill Force — you are at the only crossing of the Pennine Way and roughly halfway across England, a real milestone worth marking. If you have time and energy, the short detour to Kisdon Force (500 m downstream of Keld) is the most spectacular of the falls, but take care on the slippery descent. Fill up with water and food at Keld, as the moor behind you had none. Don't try to cross the Swale anywhere if it is high and brown after rain — wait or find a bridge.
Is Keld & the Swaledale Waterfalls safe to visit?
The waterfalls are beautiful but the wet rocks, mossy ledges and steep banks around them are genuinely slippery — keep well back from edges, especially above drops and plunge pools, and supervise children and dogs closely. The Swale can rise with frightening speed and force after rain on the moors; never try to cross or wade it in spate. Keld is remote with patchy mobile signal. In an emergency dial 999 or 112 and ask for the Police, then Mountain Rescue (Swaledale Mountain Rescue) or, for water incidents, the Fire & Rescue Service; for non-urgent medical advice call NHS 111.
Nearby on the route
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