Day 16

Day 16:  Egton Bridge to Robin Hood's Bay. About 27 km. 575m up and 540m down. 

Don't know where in cyberspace my Day 15 blog went to. It said it published but I can't seem to find it anywhere. There's an hour or so I'll never get back, and a day of the walk I won't remember :(

Today was a fine way to finish the walk.  The sun was shining all day and there was very little wind.  One of the best weather days of the trip.  It was definitely a full day.  We left our B&B about 9:15 and dipped out boots in the North Sea about 7PM.  It seemed we had lots of reminders of other days of the walk - moors, dales, dlimbs, bogs, mud, forests, kissing gates, sheep, cows, stone walls, and of course the ocean at the end.  Our route today also took us in every direction at some point in time. 

Marilyn said goodbye to the ghost at the Horsehoe Hotel and we looked around Egton Bridge a bit before heading off towards the Hogwarts Express at Grosmont. Egton Bridge is tiny but is known as a hamlet of grand houses. And grand they were - in contrast to several communities we've been through that were largely old row houses. The row houses were usually built originally as labourers' housing. The workers were usually miners or factory workers.  I guess the upper crust were the settlers of Egton Bridge. A quick visit to St. Hedda's Catholic Chuch and an easy walk along an old toll road into Grosmont. Grosmont is known for the North York Moors Railway. We saw a steam train pull in as we approached the town centre.  Apparently one of these steam trains was featured as the Hogwarts Express in the Harry Potter movie. 

And then we started to wear off our breakfast!  A bit of a climb - up to 33% grade for at least a mile - yikes!  It was a walk on the road and we were in awe as about eight cyclists struggled by, sweating but smiling.  Once at the crest we were on top of Sleights Moor just long enough to reminisce about moor walking, then down the other side, cross-country, to the village of Littlebeck. After a quick snack stop we headed uphill yet again through the beautiful Little Beck Wood (aka forest). We found a nice little cafe beside the pretty Falling Foss waterfall.  A few more calories into our bodies and up, down, south, north, forest, road, field and bog. Then one last navigational challenge across some featureless and, at times, boggy and muddy terrain. 

By about 5:30 we made it to within close proximity of the North Sea. Then a scenic cliff-top walk for about an hour before we sighted the community of Robin Hoods Bay and "the end" of our walk.  RHB is a lovely little resort town. Our guesthouse was at the top end of town. We stopped in there on the way by and then proceeded down the steep (30%) hill to the sea. Of course the tide was out so we put on an extra km just to reach the edge of the water to dip our boots. No one else was near by, so I had to take my first-ever "selfie" to capture the moment. We went up to the Bay Hotel bar, signed the register, received our free pint of Wainwright ale, and tucked into a huge helping of fish & chips.  Back to our comfy and spacious lodging at the Lee-Side Guesthouse, and the final removal of hiking boots and backpacks. What a great trip!

Day 14

Day 14:  Chop Gate to Rosedale.  About 13km.  225m up. 85m down.  Moors, moors and more moors.  

We had our earliest start and earliest finish today.  Since we were reliant on the B&B owner to return us by car to the trail this morning, we were subject to his schedule.  We left the B&B before 8:30 and were on the trail about 15 minutes later.  The day again started a bit damp - just a bit of drizzle; not really enough to qualify as "rain".  Oh well - pack covers and raincoats on for a short while.  All of our elevation was gained right away, once again on lovely large flat stones on the Cleveland Way.  The mist lifted as we climbed, which means the views improved as we went.  For a while, in the distance, we could see an obelisk on a Easby Moor commemorating locally born Captain James Cook.  About 10 to 15 years ago I kept running into his statues wherever I went - Alaska, New Zealand, Victoria, Hawaii, etc. and became quite fascinated with his travels.  And now - his birthplace.  

We spent the day on the moors.  Interesting, but not stunning.  Lots of heather and ferns, with quite a few grazing sheep.  We kept high on the moors all day and often had views down into beautiful agricultural valleys or dales. Still some wild valleys as well.

At Bloworth Crossing we left the Cleveland Way and started walking on a long ago abandoned rail line that has been turned into a walking trail.  Very gentle grade - little bit up, little bit down.  Not quite as hard as tarmac, but I really do prefer more varied terrain features.  We met lots of fellow walkers on the route today, many of whom we had met on previous days.  It's nice to see familiar faces.  We say lots of grouse as well as some grouse butts which are used for grouse hunting.  Since it was windy on top again today, we sought out a bit of a sheltered area for our lunch stop.  That done, we then spotted the Lion Inn in the distance within about a half hour.  The Lion Inn was our destination.  We are stayng in Rosedale, about 6 milles away but off the C2C so our B&B host would be coming to the Lion Inn to retrieve us.  Just as we arrived at the pub, the sun came out for good.  We settled in with our refreshments at a picnic table. Pretty soon, our thirsts quenched, we were all snoozing either on the grass or the picnic table.  Then it was time to think about eating yet again.  Of course, we had to chat with all the walkers and locals, so it was about 4 by the time we ordered.  Great pub food again.  We were picked up by the B&B owner at 5:30, driven to Rosedale and promptly served tea and biscuits in the garden.  The owners are a very funny retired couple and very gracious hosts.  I'm sure going to miss this lifestyle when this trip is over!

Day 13

Day 13:  Osmotherley to Chop Gate.  About 18km.  750m up.  765m down.

What a great day!  Once again the forecast was for minimal chance of rain, but there was some wet stuff coming from the sky as we left our lodging this morning.  But, I suppose it might depend on your definition of rain since it was just a light drizzle/mist and really didn't warrant putting on rain gear.  We bought some food at the "Top Shop" on the way out of town and with Marilyn once again being our navigator, we joined the Cleveland Way for the whole day.  The Cleveland Way, another long distance walking path, is well signed and our chances of getting lost were really minimal. 

Our guidebook described today as a roller coaster and that really was the case.  We are now in North York Moors National Park and we traversed about 5 different moors/hills.  Up, down, up, down, repeat a few times.  Beautiful views, though, and it was worth every step.  And.... after way too many miles on tarmac yesterday our surface was pure bliss today.  Some paths through open forest and fields early in the day and then the remainder on giant flat stones placed perfectly for a near effortless saunter up the hills.  The stones are there to protect the moor from damage from hikers.  

We encountered a fair amount of wind on the moors, but found a nice calm lunch spot just down from the top of Live Moor.  We weren't in a rush today, so took time to admire the views.  We passed lots of paragliders and a solitary hang-glider who came really close to us.  We then came upon a lovely little cafe seemingly in the middle of nowhere, although judging by the number of patrons it was pretty accessible by road.  There were a lot of fellow walkers on the trail today; probably the most we've seen in one day since the beginning.  We stopped in the cafe and I had a lovely curry vegetable soup - yum!  Off again.... up and over Wainstone, a rocky outcrop at the top of our last moor.  Then a steep descent to a car park area where we were able to phone our B&B for tonight.  Since the B&B is a few miles off the route we were driven there and will be returned to the trail in the morning.  A lovely sole dinner tonight.  All in all one of the best days yet!

Day 11

Day 11:  Richmond to Danby-Wiske.  About 23km.  Total climbing for the day:  20m - whew!

Today was one of our easier and less scenic days, although still an enjoyable walk.  The forecast called for 0% chance of showers today, but it was raining a bit when we got up this morning.  It had stopped by the time we left, though, and spit a few times during the day but never enough to call it rain.  We all agree that, for walking, this weather is much preferred to blazing sunshine.  Being Sunday, we had the accompaniment of church bells as we departed from Richmond - very beautiful to hear, especially in the landscape we are walking through.  We were still walking by the River Swale for the early part of today's walk.  The old stones homes that we pass are beautiful and the gardens are amazing.  I am particularly enthralled with the size and colour variety of the roses.  

When I signed up this walk I didn't know a lot about it.  Almost everyday I am surprised with some element or other.  When I was given the choice of a 13-day or 16-day walk I chose the 16-day version thinking it would be a nice leisurely stroll.  It is days like today that I am especially happy to have chosen the longer version.  People on the shorter version have to do about 36km today.  I know it's pretty flat, but I'm pretty sure no one has fun with that kind of mileage! As we were sitting in the pub before dinner tonight we say two young men, probably in their early 20s, collapse on the lawn outside the building.  After rolling around, hugging their legs and dangling them upside down in the air for a while, they layed motionless on the ground for about 10 minutes.  It turns out they are doing the route about twice as fast as we are; I can't imagine.....

We had fewer sheep on the path today.  More cattle and the introduction of agricultural lands - looked like various types of grains.  Sheep have been our constant companions since day 1, and we missed hearing & seeing them when they weren't there.  We passed through one field of steers who didn't seem to like us going through their territory.  We gave them a wide berth and they only feigned wanting to chase us, although others on the trail reported being pursued.  We passed through a field of horses at one point and several were not shy at all about coming right up to us, perhaps hoping for apples or other handouts.  

We had lots of cross-country travel early in the day, a bit of a detour around road construction in the middle and about 4 miles of road walking towards the end.  The field walking of the last few days has been very gentle on our feet and we really appreciate that.  The road walking, while easy to navigate and free of mud & bogs, can be tiring and painful on the tender tootsies.  Every surface has its pros and cons, and it is nice to have the diversity.  

At the hamlet of Bolton-on-Swale we stopped by St. Marys Church where there is a monument to Henry Jenkins, "a local man who lived an unremarkable life except for its length.  He claimed he was 169 when he died."  The church itself dates back to the 14th century.  

Our home for the night is the tiny village of Danby-Wiske.  So tiny, in fact, that we're in two B&B's just down the road from each other.  Both are nice.  Marilyn & I are in the one with the pub; Trudy and Nony have a very luxurious bathroom (and internet that works).  A hearty English pub dinner and we go to bed with full tummies again.......

Day 12

Day 12:  Danby-Wiske to Osmotherley.  About 15km.  165m up, 50m down.  Way too much "tarmac" walking.

We opted for the shorter "Sherpa" route today.  This meant that we bypassed the village of Ingleby Cross (and a purportedly excellent pub) on our way to Osmotherley, which is slightly off the recognized C2C route.  It did mean, however, that we went directly by the Mount Grace Priory (see pictures below) with its spectacular gardens and beautifully maintained buildings.  The original priory was built in 1398.  We didn't go in the buildings, but enjoyed our picnic lunches on the lawn and even took the time for a little nap just as the sun came out.  

Our route today took us mostly on quiet country roads.  At one point, after ascending "an annoying steep hill" our map indicated that we might be able to see an old castle.  I asked a young man who was working on a farm at the top of the hill.  He was happy to drop what he was doing and take us around to the back of the family home.  There, connected to the current buildings, were the remnants of a castle built in the 13th century.  It was used today to house some of the animals.  While walking on tarmac for a short period of time can be a nice break from negotiating uneven terrain, it's hard on the old joints and feet for long stretches.  After our lunch stop we were grateful for the return to a beautiful uphill forest pathway and then a field walk for most of the rest of the way.  

Once again we travelled through a largely agricultural area.  Lots of large farm operations with just a few fields of sheep and cows.  The sheep flocks seem to be a bit denser here than on the larger fields up high.  The cows today were funny.  Every time we passed a field of cows they would all run over to us and just stare at us with their big brown eyes.  As we started to move away, they would follow us until another fence impeded their progress.  The landscape improved as the day went on.  We started to get back into sight of some rolling hills with some larger hills silhouetted in the background.  We knew we were still in civilization, though, as telelphone and power poles often were visible in our photos.  We passed by and over several railway lines as well as a 4-line highway.  I'm sure we provided entertainment to several motorists as we coaxed our stiff and aching bodies into something resembling a running motion to "sprint" across the highway.  Thank goodness there was a "central reservation" (aka median) strip for us to gather ourselves before attempting the final 2 lanes.  

Osmotherley is a cute little village.  All the "locals" we talked to in the last 24 hours quickly pointed out that there were 3 pubs in Osmotherley.  We were early today - in town by 3PM - so we stopped at one on the way in.  We went for dinner at another.  We have all been really pleasantly surprised by the quality of food we have found in all of the pubs and restaurants in these little villages.  There are signs in town indicating "west end", "south end" and "north end".  You know it's a small village when any two of those signs are within 30 metres of each other!  We're in a nice little B&B called Vane House.  Tomorrow is a day with a bit of climbing and the views should be good.  They say we can't get lost; hope that's not the kiss of death.......

Day 10

Day 10:  Reeth to Richmond.  About 18km.  A new arrival record - in town by about 4 and to the hotel by about 4:30.

We were living on the edge early this morning.  Three of us broke with the tradition of the "full English breakfast" and went for the omelette.  Huge - there must have been at least 4 eggs in each one.  Once out of the hotel we took about another hour before we actually left town.  Reeth was a very happening little burg today - both a cycle race and a running race.  Not sure exactly where they were going, but one local told us the running race was a 24-mile fell race up and through the boggy section that we traversed a few days ago.  We all had trouble believing that.  Who would enter??  And - way too much damage to the land.  Speaking of the bog....  forgot to mention that that was about the only section of our walk so far that we were sheep-free for a short period of time.  Guess they don't like the stuff either!  We did a bit of shopping for Tour de France swag (I bought a postcard and a magazine - woohoo!), a stop at the bakery, a visit to the tourist info/national park/library/municipal/etc. office and had a lovely chat with the lady there.  By the time we were ready to hit the road, we could see the runners way up on the hillside, so we had to stare at them in disbelief for a bit.  Many times this trip we have had to comment on how tough they make them in this region!  Apparently Reeth markets itself as a "green gym".

At long last - on the trail.  The day was warm and humid, verging on mist/drizzle.  The rain never did materialize, though, so the weather gods were with us again today.  We followed the River Swale again for a bit in the morning and then on the road as far as the old Marrick Priory, which is now a residential outdoor education centre.  Lots of kids milling about getting ready for an outing.  We went up the Nun's Steps - 375 steps of huge flat rocks said to have been placed there by nuns several centuries ago.  I can't imagine the amount of work required for that!  To me, it seemed clear that they were not built by men.  The vertical rise between steps was quite small and not tiring on the legs at all.  

Today's scenery was pleasant.  Not particularly stunning, but nice and gentle.  Rolling hills and perhaps a few more trees than we've seen for a while.  Still some lovely paddocks to travel through.  We stopped at a bench in the village of Marske to eat our lunch.   The skies cleared a bit in the afternoon and we even saw the sun a few times.  It was an uneventful trip into Richmond - a beautiful little town established around a castle built in the 11th century.  We didn't take the time to see the castle on the way in to town; maybe tomorrow.  Happy hour was calling, so we stopped for a bottle of wine and some nibblies and proceeded to find our lodging.  It's a lovely old building with a little balcony off one of the rooms - perfect for our purposes.  Richmond is the largest settlement on the C2C trail.  We had a great Italian dinner, but we're just not used to the noise and bustle of a busy restaurant.  We were happy to return to our quarters at the Old Brewery Guesthouse.  

Day 9

Day 9:  Keld to Reeth.  About 25 km.  155m up and 265m down.  Hundreds of stone barns and dozens of gap stiles.  

What a difference a day makes!  A really beautiful walk today and, more importantly, a very dry walk today.  We are firmly in the Yorkshire Dales now, and while I really can't tell you exactly what a "dale" is, I quite like them.  Apparently this is James Herriott country.  

The weather was wonderful for walking today.  Warm, but not hot.  Overcast but just a spot of rain.  We took a detour off the Coast to Coast path for the first 5km or so of our walk.  We joined the Pennine Way trail between Keld and Thwaite, gained a little elevation, and had fantastic views over the river valley and the low-level trail that most walkers were taking today.  They all looked like little ants down there.  We had lots of "gap stiles" to go through today - breaks in the stone walls, usually elevated, with spring-hinged picket gates on them.  Even the skinniest of us found some of them a tight squeeze.  It would have been interesting to see a really large person try to get through one.  And as well as we've been eating, I'm surprised I didn't get stuck in one!  Buttercups (I'm guessing) throughout the fields made for stunning views down over the lands below.  

Thwaite was a quaint little village, but we didn't spend much time there before heading east towards Muker.  We saw some yellow bikes (or more often bikes painted all yellow) in every town we stopped at today - Thwaite, Muker, Gunnerside and Reeth.  Turns out the Tour de France is going through here on July 5th and the locals are very excited about that.  We may have to see if any shops selling swag are open before we leave town in the morning.  Muker was a lovely little village - tea shop, village store and woollens shop.  We sat on a park bench for quite a while, having a snack and watching dozens of cyclists spin by.  Apparently there is some kind of charity ride today which following the Tour route.  Then off by the Swale River to the next town - Gunnerside - where we stopped for lunch at a tea shop there.  We (more or less) followed the river right into Reeth.  Along the way we passed through field after field full of buttercups, sheep and some cows, always with stone barns or homes in the background.  Just a really pretty day.  Particularly on the second half of the walk there were many, many bunny rabbits running around and diving down their holes as we approached.  You can certainly see where Beatrix Potter got her Peter Cottontail prototype from.  

Well, that was supposed one of our shorter days.  With our detour onto the Pennine Way, watching cyclists, stopping for tea and lunch, etc. etc., it was around 6 by the time we arrived at the Buck Hotel in Reeth.  The usual evening routine and soon another day of walking will be upon us!