Keld - The place of the springs

Keld. Finally I've found out what inspired Skyrim. (An elder scrolls computer game for the unlearned). The rivers, waterfalls, stonewalls and little stone houses. It was uncanny.

We drove through the snow covered hills on little one lane roads until we reached the "Manse", basically a ministers house attached to a little church. The house has been renovated for tourists and is very pleasant and modern inside.

There is a little grouping of houses, farming and cottages. You can hear a waterfall further down the hill.

Apparently the place was settled by Viking sheep herders - so sheep and humans have been running around the place for some time. At it's height in the late 19th century there was about 6000 people living in the area when they were mining for lead. There is a lot less now... apart from farming, tourists and trampers seem to be the mainstay of the local economy.

They take their tramping quite seriously over here...heaps of people dressed in outdoors gear can be seen marching over hill and dale all around the place and let me say it's a tad cold outside.

Apparently you can tramp across the dales from b&b to b&b which does sound attractive, although I think I would prefer summer time.

Saturday night we walked through the flurries of sleet into a cosy pub for dinner.. the main was OK, but the sticky toffee pudding I had for dessert was awesome. The waiter told me that it was made from the original sticky toffee pudding recipe the chef was trained by the person who designed it. So there!  

Sunday morning we had our usual morning activities before heading to Hawes for lunch. Adelle was keen to check out the cheese shop - Wesleydale cheese maker. You eat the stuff with tea and fruit cake apparently. 

I had an excellent Sunday roast - Yorkshire pudding, beef and veggies - seriously good Sunday roast that put a lining on your stomach. Then back home as the clouds seemed to descend on us.

We're doing the snow dance and hoping that we get more than sleet tonight.

York tomorrow.