Stage 8 of 16 lifts the Coast to Coast Path out of the Eden Valley and onto the spine of England. From Kirkby Stephen the route crosses the beck at Hartley, climbs Hartley Fell past the steep pull of Faraday Gill, and reaches the Nine Standards — nine great cairns ranged along the true watershed of England, where streams to the west drain via the Eden to the Irish Sea and those to the east via the Swale to the North Sea. The cairns stand at about 650 m on a subsidiary top, with the trig point marking the true summit of Hartley Fell at 662 m (2,172 ft) a little further south. This is the crux navigational day: a vast, notoriously boggy blanket-peat moor that is genuinely hard to follow in mist. To let the peat recover, the crossing is split into three season-specific routes — the Red (this page, May–Jul), the Blue (Aug–Nov), and the low-level Green (Dec–Apr). All three drop into beautiful upper Swaledale and finish at Keld, where the path crosses the Pennine Way at the walk's almost-exact halfway point, ringed by waterfalls.
Nine Standards Rigg — three seasonal routes
Early-summer route over the summit of Nine Standards Rigg and its ancient cairns, then south over White Mossy Hill before dropping to Keld in Swaledale.
Late-summer and autumn route over Nine Standards Rigg, descending east of the summit by Whitsundale to Keld.
Winter and spring route that avoids the fragile summit bogs, following lower ground via the Coast to Coast road and Ravenseat to Keld.
Highlights
- Nine Standards Rigg — nine ancient cairns (at roughly 650 m) on the watershed of England
- The summit of Hartley Fell with its trig point and toposcope (views to Cross Fell, the Howgills and distant Lakeland)
- Faraday Gill climb and the wild blanket-bog moorland of Hartley Fell
- Descent over White Mossy Hill into upper Swaledale (Red route)
- Keld: head of Swaledale, Pennine Way crossing, and the highest concentration of waterfalls in England (Wain Wath, Catrake, Currack, East Gill, Kisdon Force)
Know before you go
- Designated route for AUGUST–NOVEMBER
- Boggy ground
History
The Nine Standards carry one of the genuine mysteries of the walk: nine large drystone cairns, some once over four metres tall, that have stood on Hartley Fell for at least 800 years (survey work suggests there may once have been around thirteen). Their purpose is unknown — theories range from a boundary marker between Westmorland and Swaledale, to dummy sentinels raised to fool Scottish raiders into thinking an army was camped on the skyline, to Wainwright's wry suggestion that bored locals simply built them. Keld, your destination, takes its name from the Norse word for a spring; several of its listed buildings date from the 19th century when Swaledale lead mining was at its height, and the village sits where the Coast to Coast meets the Pennine Way. The Coast to Coast itself was devised by Alfred Wainwright in his 1973 guide and, after decades as an unofficial route, was officially opened as a National Trail in March 2026, now waymarked with the National Trail acorn.
Nature & Wildlife
The high ground is open blanket bog and acid moorland — heather, cotton-grass, sphagnum and peat haggs, grazed by hardy Swaledale sheep. Look and listen for red grouse, golden plover, curlew, lapwing, skylark and meadow pipit on the tops, with ring ouzel and wheatear on rockier ground; the moor is a stronghold of upland breeding waders. As the route drops into Swaledale the habitat shifts to in-bye hay meadows (botanically rich in early summer), drystone walls and field barns, and the wooded becks around Keld where dipper and grey wagtail work the water. Stoats, weasels and brown hares are present throughout.
Geology
Hartley Fell is built of Carboniferous Yoredale rocks — alternating limestones, sandstones and shales — overlain by deep, water-holding blanket peat that is the source of the moor's infamous boggy ground. The same Yoredale layering creates the stepped beds over which the Keld waterfalls (Catrake, Kisdon, East Gill Force) tumble. The Nine Standards stand on the main west–east watershed of northern England, which here also follows the historic Westmorland/Yorkshire — now Cumbria/North Yorkshire — county boundary.
Scenic Highlights
From the cairns and trig point on a clear day the view runs to Cross Fell and the high Pennines, the Howgill Fells, Mallerstang and Wild Boar Fell, and back towards the Lakeland skyline you left two days before — a near-360-degree sweep, with the cairns themselves giving an especially wide vantage. The reward for the bleak moorland miles is the drop into upper Swaledale — one of England's most beautiful dales — with its barns, walls and the white ribbon of waterfalls around Keld.
Photography
Best shots: the nine cairns silhouetted on the skyline (early or late light, ideally with cloud drama); the trig point and toposcope; the long view west over the Eden Valley from the climb; and, at the end of the day, Catrake Force, Wain Wath Force and East Gill Force around Keld. The moor is most photogenic in late summer when the heather is in bloom. In flat mist the cairns become eerie, abstract subjects — but only attempt the high crossing in poor visibility if you are confident with map and compass.
When to Visit
The route over the moor is dictated by the calendar to protect the peat: Red route (this page) May–Jul; Blue route Aug–Nov; and the lower-level Green route Dec–Apr, which avoids the fragile summit bogs. Whatever the official colour, the moor is wet year-round and the high crossing should not be attempted in poor visibility without navigation skills. Late spring to early autumn gives the longest daylight for this long, slow-going day; in winter the short days plus snow or ice on the tops make the Green route and an early start essential.
Getting There
Start: Kirkby Stephen is on the scenic Settle–Carlisle railway, though the station is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south-west of the town centre (taxi or walk in). End: Keld is remote — bus links are limited and largely seasonal or community-run (the Little White Bus operates Swaledale services including Keld–Richmond and a Richmond–Reeth–Keld run, and the Sunday summer DalesBus 830 reaches Swaledale). Plan onward transport in advance and don't rely on turning up. Parking is available in Kirkby Stephen.
Stay & Eat Nearby
Keld is small, so book well ahead in peak season (Jun–Sep). Options in and around Keld include Keld Lodge (a former shooting lodge, now a hotel with a licensed bar and restaurant), plus several B&Bs and farmhouse/bunkhouse beds and camping. Many walkers split the day or push on. Baggage-transfer services (e.g. Sherpa Van, Brigantes) serve the Coast to Coast and will move bags between stage ends — a defining feature of how the trail is usually walked.
Water & Facilities
Carry enough for the high crossing — there are no reliable safe water sources between Hartley and the descent into Swaledale, and the moorland becks are peat-stained. Fill up in Kirkby Stephen before leaving, and treat any moorland water if taken. Refreshments and water are available at the end in Keld.
Safety
This is the most serious day for navigation and weather on the trail — overall moderate-to-strenuous, and the navigational crux of the route. Stamina is the main demand: roughly 11.5 miles (18.5 km) for the Red route (the Blue route via Whitsundale is longer) with several hundred metres of ascent — sources vary from about 400 m to 650 m depending on the line taken — and slow, energy-sapping bog underfoot. Conditions are pathless peat haggs, gutters and rills, partly eased by a ~390 m stretch of stone flagging (laid 2017) at the worst boggy section. Navigation and exposure are the real hazards: Hartley Fell is open, featureless and notoriously hard to follow in mist, with no shelter and patchy-to-absent mobile signal, so competence with map (OS Explorer OL19) and compass — taking and following a bearing — is essential; in bad visibility take the lower Green route regardless of season. Carry full waterproofs, spare warm layers, food and water, and consider gaiters for the bog. In an emergency dial 999 (or 112) and ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue (Kirkby Stephen / Swaledale & Wensleydale teams); for non-emergency medical advice use NHS 111. Do not rely on phone-only navigation.
Accessibility
Not accessible: this is a strenuous, pathless, boggy mountain crossing with steep climbs, no surfaced paths beyond the short flagged sections, and serious navigation. It is unsuitable for wheelchairs, buggies or those with limited mobility, and is not advised for inexperienced walkers in poor weather.
Visitor Tips
Use the season-correct route — it is both the right thing for the moor and usually the better-marked line. Set out early: the bog makes this day slower than the mileage suggests, so plan on a 6–7.5 hour day rather than a single optimistic figure. Wear boots, not trail shoes, and pack gaiters. Pause at the summit toposcope to read off the surrounding fells. The route passes near Ravenseat farm, made famous by Amanda Owen's 'Our Yorkshire Farm' — it has historically served cream teas (around May–Oct) but check first, as it has at times been closed to visitors. Keld has no shop, so carry what you need; the waterfalls around the village are worth the short detour.