Stage 10 of 16 on the Coast to Coast Path (St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay), this is the gentle, green farewell to the Yorkshire Dales. Leaving the broad green of Reeth, the route crosses Arkle Beck and follows lower Swaledale eastwards above the fast-flowing River Swale, often called England's fastest-flowing river, said to rise 3 m (10 ft) in twenty minutes after heavy rain. It passes the riverside ruins of Marrick Priory, a Benedictine nunnery, and climbs the medieval flagged Nuns' Steps through Steps Wood to the hamlet of Marrick. Quiet field and farm paths lead on through sleepy Marske, then up onto the wooded shelf below Applegarth Scar and through Whitcliffe Wood, the day's high ground, before a final descent to Richmond. After days of high fells and bog, this is a short, mostly easy day of about 10.5 miles (16.9 km), though field paths can be muddy and there is no shop, pub or reliable water between Reeth and Richmond, so it pays to carry refreshments. The reward is Richmond itself: the largest town on the whole walk, with its towering Norman castle, vast cobbled marketplace and a full spread of services to resupply and rest.
Highlights
- Marrick Priory
- Swale riverside
- Richmond Castle
Know before you go
- Field paths can be muddy
History
Lower Swaledale carries two threads of history the walker passes through in a single afternoon. The first is monastic: Marrick Priory was founded for Benedictine nuns by Roger de Aske around 1154-1158, in the reign of Henry II, and drew income partly from local lead mines. It was dissolved in 1540, when royal commissioners evicted Prioress Christabel Cowper and her sixteen nuns. The flagged Nuns' Steps climbing through Steps Wood are traditionally linked to the priory, the path the sisters are said to have used towards Marske and Richmond. The second thread is the great market town at the day's end. Richmond grew around its castle, begun about 1071 by the Breton lord Alan Rufus (Alan the Red), a kinsman of William the Conqueror, as one of the earliest stone castles raised after the Norman Conquest, and today the best-preserved early Norman castle in England. Its huge cobbled marketplace, Georgian theatre and Norman, medieval and Georgian streets made it the historic capital of Richmondshire. Just downstream lies a third monastic ruin, Easby Abbey (founded 1152 for the Premonstratensian 'white canons'), a popular short riverside detour.
Nature & Wildlife
Lower Swaledale is famous for its flower-rich upland hay meadows, among the best surviving in England, traditionally cut late so wild plants can seed. In late spring and early June the unimproved limestone meadows blaze with buttercups, wood crane's-bill, globe-flower, melancholy thistle and yellow rattle, and the field-barn-and-meadow landscape is itself a celebrated feature of the National Park. Riverside stretches by the Swale and Steps Wood add woodland and waterside birds, while the open fields towards Marske and the scars above are good for curlew, lapwing and skylark in the breeding season. Look for dipper and grey wagtail on the becks and the Swale, and listen for the bubbling call of curlew over the meadows, an iconic Dales sound.
Geology
The walk descends through classic Yorkshire Dales geology. The valley sides expose the Yoredale Series, alternating Carboniferous bands of limestone, sandstone (gritstone) and shale laid down over 300 million years ago, which weather into the dale's stepped profile of scars and shelves, well seen at Applegarth Scar and Whitcliffe. These Carboniferous rocks are unusually rich in mineral veins of galena (lead ore), together with fluorite, barite (baryte) and calcite, the very deposits that made Swaledale a major lead-mining district. The River Swale, draining off the high Pennines, is reputedly the fastest-flowing river in England and has carved the broad lower dale the route follows. As the trail nears Richmond it leaves the upland limestone country for the gentler, more sheltered farmland of the eastern Dales fringe.
Scenic Highlights
Highlights, roughly in order: the green and bridge at Reeth; Arkle Beck and the riverside path along the Swale; the photogenic ruined tower of Marrick Priory beside a loop of the river; the atmospheric climb of the Nuns' Steps through Steps Wood; the quiet, unspoilt hamlet of Marske with its 12th-century St Edmund's church; the wooded shelf and views from beneath Applegarth Scar; the descent through Whitcliffe Wood with the first sight of Richmond ahead; and the grand arrival at Richmond, its Norman keep rising over the Swale, the cobbled market square and Easby Abbey a short stroll downstream.
Photography
Best stage photographs: Marrick Priory's lone tower framed against the river meadows (early or late light); the worn, mossy Nuns' Steps disappearing uphill through the trees of Steps Wood; wildflower hay meadows near the river in June; the layered crag of Applegarth Scar; the panorama of Richmond and its castle keep from the descent through or below Whitcliffe Wood; and in town, the Norman keep above the Swale and the sweep of the cobbled marketplace. Soft morning light suits the riverside and meadows; late-afternoon sun lights the castle and town from the west.
When to Visit
A good stage in any walking month, April to October. Late May and June are the peak for the hay meadows and the most colourful; the flowers are cut by high summer. After heavy rain the field and riverside paths become genuinely muddy and the Swale can rise very fast, so allow extra time and wear boots in wet spells. This far east the stage is lower and more sheltered than the high-fell days, so it is one of the more forgiving stages in marginal weather. Mind the short daylight outside summer, though at only about 10.5 miles this day is easily completed within winter daylight if you start in good time.
Getting There
Richmond has no railway station; the nearest mainline stop is Darlington on the East Coast Main Line, about 13 miles (21 km) north-east, with frequent buses (Arriva) linking Darlington and Richmond. Reeth and the Swaledale villages are served from Richmond by the year-round Swaledale Shuttle (service 30), run by the community Little White Bus, plus the seasonal Northern DalesBus 831 (Darlington/Middlesbrough to Richmond, Reeth and on through Swaledale), which makes this stage easy to do by public transport. There is parking in Reeth (around the green) and in Richmond. Bail-out: because villages en route are tiny with limited buses, the simplest shortcut is to cut the day at Marske and arrange a lift, or rejoin by road; in poor conditions Richmond's good transport makes it a sensible place to rest a day.
Stay & Eat Nearby
Plan to stay in Richmond, the largest settlement on the entire walk, which has the widest choice of any stage end: hotels, inns, guesthouses and B&Bs, plus self-catering and a youth hostel. Reeth at the start also offers B&Bs, inns and a campsite if splitting the day differently. Book well ahead in peak season (June to September), when beds on the Coast to Coast fill early. Baggage-transfer services (e.g. Sherpa Van, Coast to Coast Packhorse) serve both Reeth and Richmond, the usual way walkers move luggage between stage ends.
Water & Facilities
There is no reliable drinking-water source on the route between the two towns, and Marske has no shop or pub, so fill up before leaving Reeth (which has cafes, a shop and pubs) and carry enough for the day; resupply on arrival in Richmond. Becks (Arkle Beck, Marske Beck) and the Swale are present but should not be drunk untreated.
Safety
This is one of the easiest and least exposed stages of the Coast to Coast, with no high fell or open moor crossing, but normal countryside care applies. The main hazards are muddy, slippery field and woodland paths (the Nuns' Steps and Whitcliffe Wood can be greasy when wet) and the fast-rising River Swale, so keep to paths and never attempt to ford the river. Carry waterproofs and enough food and water, as there are no facilities between Reeth and Richmond. Mobile signal is patchy in the dale bottom and woods. In any emergency dial 999 (or 112) and ask for Police, then Mountain Rescue; for non-emergency medical advice call NHS 111. Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team covers this area.
Accessibility
The walking stage itself is not wheelchair-accessible: it includes the steep flagged Nuns' Steps, muddy field paths, stiles and woodland tracks. Richmond town, the marketplace and the castle approach are far more accessible. Richmond Castle (English Heritage) has visitor facilities including toilets and a tea room and offers some step-free areas, though the medieval keep involves stairs; check English Heritage for current accessibility details. Dogs are welcome on the trail (keep them on a lead through livestock fields and meadows) and at most outdoor sites; confirm dog policies for indoor or paid attractions before relying on them.
Visitor Tips
Treat this as a relaxed half-day and bank time to enjoy Richmond at the end rather than rushing through. Top up water and food before leaving Reeth, as there is nothing en route. Detour slightly to see Marrick Priory and take care on the slippery Nuns' Steps in the wet. In Richmond, leave time for the Norman castle keep, the cobbled marketplace and an easy riverside walk downstream to Easby Abbey (free, English Heritage). Many walkers build in a rest day here, the largest town on the route with the fullest range of shops, cafes and outdoor gear to resupply before the long stage on towards the North York Moors.