The history of the Cross Keys Inn is an interesting one with its origins going back to the mid-16th Century when it was owned by a local Quaker. In 1652 a speech given by George Fox from a crag on the nearby Firbank Fell (now known as Fox’s Pulpit) was attended by over 1000 people and many believe that the formation of the Quaker movement arose from this event. It has also been a temperance hotel since 1902 when a drunken local resident who had fallen into the River Rawthey was saved by the landlord who died in the attempt. The family of the survivor bought the inn, relinquished the liquor licence and in 1947 it was left to the National Trust with the proviso that it should never again sell alcohol.

This stage completes the traverse of the Howgill Fells, begun yesterday, passing the magnificent Cautley Spout – England’s highest waterfall above ground – with the broken cascade of falls tumbling 650 feet. After passing the succession of waterfalls the trail arrives at The Calf (2,200 feet – the highest point of the Howgill Fells) from where there is a wonderful panoramic view. Then follows a 2 mile ridge walk to Fell Head before a descent into the Lune Valley, with an improving view of the magnificent Lowgill viaduct on the disused Ingleton-Tebay railway line. The River Lune is met at the very narrow Crook of Lune Bridge which used to mark the county boundary the West Riding of Yorkshire and Westmorland.

Here the trail meets the Dales Way which it follows downstream for nearly 3 miles passing below Firbank Fell and coming close to another magnificent viaduct over the Lune before crossing to Sedbergh where the stage ends at St Andrew’s Church built around 1500.