12th May 2002... Reeth to Barnard Castle
	We knew this walk would be a bit long for the time available. Fortunately we had a good run up and we were walking shortly after 11am. A good turnout, with a full coach and 32 on the B walk.
	The weather was excellent, with lots of sunshine, but also a nice cool breeze. The first hour of the walk was the hardest with a unrelenting climb from Reeth up onto Fremlington Edge (via High Fremington) . However, this was via a pleasant lane with lots of wild flowers to distract us. The views over Swaledale from the top were well worth it.
	We stopped for lunch at the top, it was a little early, but after all the hard work climbing it would have been a crime to stop somewhere without that view!   We kept walking on the old drove road to Hurst, an old mining village which now only consists of a handful of houses.
	We continued through the hamlet of Washfold ,where the old lead mine spoil heaps were covered with wild pansies. then towards Holgate. A feature of this section of the walk was banks with vast numbers of vivid yellow primroses on them. When we approached Holgate there was a sign leading to Schoolmaster pasture- It is reputed that in the mining days the schoolmaster was paid with whatever could be grown on that particular piece of land- (don't know what the N.U.T. would have thought of that!) 2 pm with nearly ten miles still to walk... the next few miles we stuck to the tarmac in order get some distance covered. Then to Carter House and a quick bite to eat, before descending to the village of Barningham, having made up for lost time.
	The party split at Barningham, the faster walkers went ahead whilst the rest took a slower pace, stopped to look round the churchyard in Barningham and also the pub at Greta Bridge with its excellent "Taylor's" and a large stuffed bear for company! The riverside paths on the banks of the Brignall and Tees were beautifully floral, as were many paths on this walk. The valley was characterised by huge stone arch bridges built to withstand the excessive flooding of the rivers. We crossed a bridge at Egglestone Abbey to take a slightly higher route into Barnard Castle, affording good views of the Abbey and also the Bowes Museum.
	We arrived at the walk's end with 20 minutes to spare. Yes, another job well done... Click here to see where we are now.