The route map from our walk. Click here to download the GPX file from this walk

The height profile of the walk

Muker village from the road bridge across Straw Beck

The Farmers Arms in Muker, ideal for post walk refreshments

Heading out across the meadows towards Rampsholme Bridge to cross the river

The local farmers were just starting to cut the grass in the meadows

The paved paths through the meadows help reduce erosion, on a very popular section of the footpath

Looking north , we would come down the hill at the head of the valley later in the day

It was a lovely warm summers morning with just a light breeze, ideal for walking through the meadows

A group photo high above the river, as we headed for Gunnerside village

A view from the same spot, but this time looking west along the valley, towards the distant Great Shunner Fell

Walking through the freshly cut hay as we reached Gunnerside village

The whole of Gunnerside Gill is dotted with old lead mining ruins, this is the Sir Francis mine, one of the first that you come to

The largest area of lead mining was around the Bunton mine

Looking across the gill at the Lownathwaite mine from what remains of the water wheel at Bunton mine

The entrance to Bunton level, lead ore used to be taken underground through this to the Old Gang smelt mill in the next valley

Lunchtime at Bunton mine

After our lunch stop we walked along the river towards Blakethwaite smelt mill

The remains of the old peat store at Blakethwaite smelt mill

The footbridge across Gunnerside Beck beside the peat store

Looking back down onto the remains of the old peat store and the smelt mill at Blakethwaite, the mines are further along the valley

This view back towards Bunton mine should give some idea of how extensive the mining in the gill was

Jenny, Lindsay and Paddy at the highest point of the walk, on Ivelet Moor

The visibility was excellent as we crossed the moors, the distant Lakeland fells can just be seen on the right of the photo

East Grain, which we had just descended to reach Swinner Gill

A view back into Swinner Gill, East Grain is the valley heading off to the right

The Swale gorge from the remains of Crackpot Hall, one of my all time favourite views

A similar view from the path back to Muker, which can just be made out heading along the far side of the valley

Waterfalls in Swinner Gill

Looking back towards Beldi lead mine, high on the fellside, this one of the last to be worked in the valley

Heading back across the meadows towards Muker, after another lovely walk

The village hall and the church tower in Muker

Heading back past the Literary Institute towards the car park