The walk starts at the North East corner of the village, look for the Pennine Way finger post and pass through a stone wall squeeze stile to the right side of the farm yard. After a second stile take the path across the meadows through a metal gate and make toward a line of trees. Cross Skeb Skeugh Beck and keep the stone wall to your right, from this point you start to climb the hillside and you will see a small stone barn, make for the top corner of the field and pass through the stile. Take a minute to catch your breath and a superb view of the upper dale.

From here a rough path traverses bilberry and heather covered  fell passing above Doctor Wood and onto Kisdon House. Reached by a track from Muker, this large former farmhouse and stone barn, fed by hillside springs is still occupied. Through two field gates take the short narrow track bordered by high stone walls. three routes converge at this point and it is here that you leave the Pennine Way to join the Old Corpse Road, a bridleway that takes you across the top of Kisdon. So called this is an ancient route that residents of the upper dale carried their deceased to be buried in the nearest consecrated ground at Grinton Church twelve miles away.

Keeping  a stone wall to your left your route climbs steeply to a ladder stile. Beyond this is a faint path across grass moorland cropped close by Swaledale sheep and then onto rough heather and cotton grass moorland inhabited by Grouse, Skylarks, Plovers and Curlew. In spring and early summer this high ground is covered with yellow and mauve wild pansies and heartsease, and a patch of thistle close to the path near the summit is an irresistible attraction to Peacock and Painted Lady butterflies too numerous to count. Before descending the track toward Keld take a break, sit awhile above Hooker Mill Scar and watch the world go by below you at the many farmsteads and houses dotted along the valley bottom. Listen to the quiet and be surprised at how sound travels, particularly if a farmer and his (not so obedient) dog is working the fell side. To continue your walk descend the rough track across Skeb Skuegh Beck water splash and to a small section of the road, right toward Keld. A large imposing stone house with a forecourt and a redundant petrol pump was also once the 'Cat Hole Inn'. Keld is now a 'dry' village, so refreshment at Park Lodge is the order of the day.

There are two routes to choose for your return, my preference is the path to the West that follows the course of the river Swale to Muker. The path on the opposite bank will catch the late afternoon sun but is nowhere near as interesting. Leave Keld by the track at the East end of the village and in approximately 50 metres another path drops away to your left, you need to keep to the top path but a short detour down to the foot bridge and East Gill falls is a worthy diversion. it is a very picturesque spot and easily accessible so it does get a little busy. Kisdon Force is hidden in the narrow and wooded ravine of the river Swale and has two spectacular falls so on returning to the top path in approximately 300 metres you need to look out for a small gap in the stone wall to your left, a path descends steeply into the  ravine so take care and you will be rewarded with a spectacular set of waterfalls that will impress you, especially following heavy rain. Retrace your steps and continue on the path through this damp sylvan woodland, take your time and consider the contrasting environs of wildlife, woodland birds and lush green ferns to those earlier on your walk. The woodland is left behind through a small wooden gate in a stone wall where the footpath descends toward rich, river silt green pastures passing many derelict stone barns and cottages with the familiar yellow way marks painted on them. the path follows the river closely and the shingle and boulder banks that is home to a couple of pairs of very noisy nesting Oystercatchers.

Before reaching Ramps Holme footbridge take the gated stiles and stone flagged footpath across the enclosed meadows to Muker. This isn't a dry village so a beer at the Farmers Arms is an attractive prospect before completing your walk. The path to Thwaite is directly behind the inn through a squeeze stile to the side of a wood field gate, again there are stone flags but only short stretches are now visible. Crossing several fields and stiles the path swings left toward the farm buildings at Usha Gap Farm, through a steel gate and the fold yard in front of the farm houses to the road. Proceed along the road in the direction of Thwaite for approximately 100 metres. Leave by a gated stile at the side of the bridge and onto the path along the beck passing a couple of old wood chicken sheds and very narrow squeeze stiles back to the point where your walk started.