3rd of May to the 10th of May

Hello,

So we are nearly coming to the end of my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh volunteering slot. However, I have not completed the challenge yet, so I am going to keep going even if it takes me 6 months to complete.

So I ran/walked 47.74km this time. Which means I made it to Richmond and Danby Wiske.

This is thanks to my practice Bronze award expedition. It was super fun. Before I tell you about where I have been virtually, I just would like to tell you what a great opportunity Bronze is. It is so fun, my group and I got a little lost in a campsite but it not only teaches you navigation skills but the value of teamwork and leadership. Not only do you learn new skills, you also learn what skills you have and are able to develop them. 

Richmond is a beautiful market town in the Yorkshire Dales. It has a Norman castle, Georgian architecture, a large cobbled market place with museums and monuments. It also has the fast flowing river Swale.

Council launches marketing campaign to attract more visitors to  Richmondshire - Richmondshire Today

Welcome to Richmond North Yorkshire | Discover the Jewel in the Heart of  North Yorkshire | Richmond Onlne - The Original Richmond Website

 

Danby Wiske also lies in the Yorkshire Dales. It is predominantly a farming area, with only 300 inhabitants. However, the Coast to Coast walk does attract several thousand walkers per year. We virtually traversed the parish and the village is a fantastic rest point. With several bed and breakfast accommodation as well as a pub.

Village green Danby Wiske, with White Swan on right - Picture of White Swan  Inn, Danby Wiske - Tripadvisor

22nd of April to the 29th of April

Hi everyone,

I have now completed another 21.12km which means I made it to Reeth. 

Reeth can be found in the North of Yorkshire. It is the primary settlement of upper Swaledale. Which one of the northernmost valleys in Yorkshire Dales national Park. It is said that in the Saxon times, Reeth was the only settlement on the edge of the forest. However, when it came to the Norman conquest it had grown a lot. 

Reeth - Wikipedia

Reeth, Yorkshire Dales

Imagine spending some time here. The thought of running through here in the future amazes me. It is so beautiful and tranquil. Another thing I am loving about this is that I am getting to explore some of England’s beautiful countrysides and villages. I am British but I grew up abroad so I am loving this adventure as it allows me to see parts of Britain which I would not usually see when visiting family. Something I discovered recently which amused me was the fact that horses can roam free in the New Forest. In the places I have lived before I came to boarding school in the UK, I had never seen anything like.

9th of April to the 21st of April

Hello everyone,

So I have now made it to Kirby and Keld as I have managed to run/walk 33.63km this time. For anyone new here or who would like a refresher, here is the link to my page where it explains the challenge.

Now this is an exciting post for me as I am a huge fan of Arthurian legends. I have seen Merlin too many times 😉 Kirkby Stephen like Orton is a market town, situated at the head of Eden Valley to the south east. Pre-historic earthworks can be found on the southern edge you can find Croglam castle.

In Mallerstang, Kirkby Stephen, you can find Pendragon Castle.

Pendragon Castle - Wikipedia

Although it is maybe not as impressive as the legendary castle in the TV series, the ruins of this castle are said to be founded by Uther Pendragon. The tales goes that when the Saxon invaders poisoned the well, Uther and a hundred of his men were killed there. Not only this but there are also claims that Romans built at least temporary forts in this area. If you would like to learn more about this amazing heritage and stories follow this link.

After staying at this impressive village we journey on to Keld. While there is not much on the village itself. It is a pretty village noted for its simplicity and medieval chapel. The next stop on our journey is Reeth.

Thank you everyone for your support it means the world to me. Although I am not always completing 25km a week and it may take longer than 3 months, I am determined and thrilled to be completing this challenge.

21st of March to the 8th of April:

Hi,

So I have now run/walked 70.82 km this time. Made it to Grasmere, Patterdale, Shap and Orton. 

Grasmere is Cumbria’s most popular village, it is great for tourists, as it has plenty of places to stay, places to eat and gift shops. Most of the buildings are from either the 19th century or the early 20th century yet the Church dates back to the 13th century.  

Here is some more information about Grasmere. 

Things to do in Grasmere, Lake District - The Forest Side

Patterdale is a small village next to Glenridding which is another popular area for walkers. There are notable tapestries by Ann Macbeth who was an inhabitant of the village from 1921 to 1943, when she died. There is also an architectural piece by the Victorian architect called Anthony Salvin who worked on St Patrick’s Church. Here is where you can read more.

Patterdale - Wikipedia

Shap mainly consists of two long lines of grey stone houses, some dating back to the 18th century. The market hall at the centre of the village dates back to a few years after the village was granted a market cherter in 1687.

As you can see it is a very picturesque place for our virtual adventures.

Shap - Village in Penrith - Visit Lake District

Finally on the adventures of this entry. We also made it to Orton folks! What can I tell you about Orton? Well it is a rather small market village which was established during the reign of Edward the first in the 13th century. It overlooks Orton Scar and Howgills with impressive views. Passing through this village, Wainwrights walk makes Orton a fabulous stop before the longer stretch towards Kirkby Stephen. Castle Folds, is a small fort constructed during the Scottish raids it was designed to hold the cattle.

I would love to reiterate my thank you for the support on this epic adventure. I hope you are enjoying following along as much as I am enjoying this experience. One day, I hope that I can actually do this, it would be such an amazing feeling to look back while running along these beautiful villages.