fleetfootkath

We set off early and seriously, I can only say I knew we were going south because Herefordshire is south of Chorley. We went on freeways, big roads, back lanes most of which are bordered by hedges. Only occasionally do you get a view of a wider expanse of country. It is like green tunnels to me! This was where the monks used to ritually wash before prayers. They were Cluniacs. We saw the order’s churches in France.

Karen and Andy took me to Much Wenlock Priory, a beautiful ruin but still so stately. While Andy took a walk ( research for a book) Karen and I explored the village and its shops. The town is home to William Penny -Brooke’s who was responsible for re starting the Olympics in 1896(?). I found a range of inspirational cards in one shop that had exquisite little arks and angels and a large wooden ark. Kirsten’s Oscar would have loved the wooden arc with all the animals. I did not buy a thing other than the cards! The one I liked most was out of stock.

Then we set off again via Ludlow another architectural delight of maintained Elizabethan buildings and castle. So quaint but hard to take photos of. Then we arrived in Logaston. Karen and Andy have a guest coming to stay in their caravan which lives down the field. He is a musician and likes to come for the quiet when he is writing, so Karen set off to the shops for special provisions for him and Andy and I got stuck into the raspberry patch. We picked about 5 kilograms not counting what I nibbled on! Raspberries and cream for dessert, and breakfast. We realised I was here about the same time four years ago. This is half of one box.

Bruce, Lyn and I left Scarborough this morning. They were heading for London and I was going to Preston, where I was to meet Karen and Andy and Karen’s Mum Sue who lives at Chorley in Lancashire.

The train passed a large fire in the heathlands that has been burning for several days. Apparently it was started deliberately. When we arrived at Sue’s place the sound of fire engines was constantly in the background. After all the quiet of the country, civilisation is rather jarring. The traffic in and out of Preston was like peak hour and it was Sunday afternoon! The world is such a busy, bustling place so that the countryside is more and more appealing.

Sue is a watercolour painter so I was very interested to see her work. She is very accomplished and seeing her work made me keen to get back to painting again too. I spoke with Jonathan and Ziggy this morning and started to feel the first pangs of homesickness. Not long now before I return.

We ate a lovely home cooked meal in the garden and then Karen’s sister Fiona and her husband John came for tea and another delicious meal of salads( with avocado!) was eaten. Such a lovely change from Pub food! The weather is still warm and so eating outside was also enjoyable, barely a fly to swat. Karen had made a scrumptious Rhubarb fool for dessert. All was devoured without a squeak. It was so nice to have something different, not a huge serving, and so deliciously fresh and light. Civilisation has its perks too! Fiona works in FE, Further Education, and has responsibility for a huge number of courses. It was very interesting discussing the English system of vocational training and seeing how different it was from the Australian system in which I worked.

The weather is a treat which I didn’t expect in England and everyone is so enjoying the sunshine but the gardens are very dry and they don’t seem to open windows as soon as there is a cool breeze. The hotel at Scarborough was stuffy, yet there was a fresh sea breeze blowing outside. The staff were saying how hot it was but all they needed to do was open a window!

Today we all made our departures from our lodgings. Lyn had been treated like she had contagious gastro and was very upset because she had been isolated by the host and we were not happy either. We understood what the host was trying to prevent but it was completely unnecessary in Lyn’s case. However she would not waver. She had been helpful in other ways but refused to budge on this and had not wanted Lyn to stay at all.

We were glad to leave in the end. We felt she was mean and only gave us two tea bags and some others only one! When we had arrived she barely gave us a moment to get in the door before she was asking us what we wanted for breakfast. We weren’t impressed. Small things like that leave an impression. Her breakfast wasn’t great either. A disappointing final place but it hadn’t ruined our experience. She booked taxis for us all which was very helpful and after saying our farewells to Moyra, Kathy and Debra we left for Whitby.

The taxi driver, Fred was a great source of information and very cheerful. He dropped us at Whitby Abbey ruins which we explored then walked into town. It is very charming and was so busy with tourists. A bit of a shock to the system after our quiet two weeks crossing the country. Captain Cook trained here for his sailing career.

I had wanted to get a piece of jet as a momento so I was interested in checking out the shops. Jet is actually fossilised wood and it is found in and near the sea. Whitby is renowned for it. In its raw state it looks like coal but polished it is a rich shiny black. I decided on a bangle and I am very happy with it.

Bruce, Lyn and I then took a boat ride out of the harbour into the North Sea and back again. The water looked calm but the swell was high at times giving us a good rock and roll. It must be treacherous in a high sea. The beach looked a bit miserable but the beaches to the north of the harbour wall had pretty bathing boxes. We had lunch near the dockside and ate crab sandwiches and Czech beer!

After sauntering around the shops our taxi driver returned to take us to Scarborough. He made mention of it as a bit rough, but not as bad as Middlesbrough where he said ‘they would steal your eyes and come back for your sockets!’ Middlesbrough had taken on mythical proportions as the birthplace of Dennis in the group. He always said it was a tough place but I don’t think he would like that comment.

Our hotel looks out over the beach and I can see how grand this place must have been in its hey day. The day was hot so there were lots of people at the beach and even in the water. There is a cable car/ funicular that goes from the town down to the beach.

They have a major problem with gulls. They are roosting on the buildings and the bridges so their is bird business over everything!

We found a Chinese restaurant for dinner because we can’t face another pub meal and it was delicious. We have missed our rice and vegetables!

All up we have walked a grand total of 8 kms! That is a rest day.

This morning was a later start due to the fact that Lyn had a recurrence of her diarrhoea and could not walk the final day after all. Plans had to be made to get her to our destination. Paul also was still shaky but felt he could walk.

We were waiting around when the steam train came out of the shed and backed up to the carriages at the station. The steam engines have been running since the 1830s and are now run by volunteers. Alan took the train(he was the only paying passenger!) We were all like little kids trying to get a photo. My Thomas the tank engine moment. After our excitement subsided we started the very long climb out of the valley up to Sleights Moor. Talk about a long and winding road- this one was a 1000 foot high slog.

When we crest the hill we can see the sea! The end is in sight which spurs us on despite sore feet from the hard road surface. Colin and I are suffering from really sore feet. He has arthritis in his big toe which coupled with blisters makes walking tougher and I have a very tender spot under the ball of my foot. No matter, we will be there at the end. We pass the Low Bride Stones and then the high Bride stones, worn down now but apparently they were originally large circles. After crossing the main road we headed off the moor into a pretty little hamlet called Littlebeck and walk beside a creek within a shady forest Littlebeck Wood over soft (!) leafy ground past the hermitage, a huge boulder hollowed out for a shelter in 1790. Next we arrived at Falling Foss a pretty waterfall and Tea Rooms!

When we arrived at Hawsker, the last village before the end I get all excited by a street sign stating 2.5 miles to Robin Hood’s Bay only to have my enthusiasm dashed by Paul who tells me that the road is not the C2C! We eat lunch on the corner, leftover muesli bars, fruit and chocolates.

We go along the road for a little while then enter a holiday camp of mobile homes . They are all neat and new looking but the place seemed so soulless.

Now we are on the cliff edge and it is very dramatic scenery. I can’t really feel my foot now because I am excited to be nearly there. Amongst the rough path Kathy Turner takes a bad fall, banging her hand hard on her walking sticks. The shock of the fall bring tears to her eyes and she is quite shaken for a moment. Bryce and Debra help her to stand and we wait despite her protests for her to regain her equilibrium. Then we see Robin Hood’s Bay from a vantage point. Lyn has come out to greet us!

We all walk down into the town past our accommodation and down to the water. Lined up we throw our stones in. In my case one for me and one for Peter. We are all exhilarated, hugging and congratulating each other. What a journey!

Now for a drink! I ordered a bottle of Prosecco for we women. The men had Wainrights Ale. We signed the book and received our certificates of achievement.

Now to get cleaned up for the farewell dinner at the Victoria. Colin who sings with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir gave us a rendition of Jerusalem. It brought the whole restaurant to a standstill. His voice is fantastic. Lyn and I said we would not be singing Waltzing Mathilda after that! It was an emotional evening.

We set off at 9.00 am this morning. Technically a sleep in but both Debra and I were awake really early at 5.00 am. It gave me a chance to write yesterday’s entry because I was too tired last night. The Lion Inn

Paul gave his usual what we are going to do speech and then became very emotional when he started to thank us for being so supportive while he has been sick.

All of us who completed the ‘big’ day were a bit weary but also happy with ourselves. It was one of the best days for team work and a sense of personal achievement.

My right foot is really tender and I have needed to add compedes to cushion the sole. I have had no sore feet up to date so this is disappointing so close to the end but I will manage.

Our path takes us along the road and then into the heather which is starting to bloom. Paul had made some joke about Full English breakfasts being fry ups then explained we would be passing Little Fry up Dale! The Eskdake (valley) below is verdant green and yellow in contrast to the brown and purple heather on the moor.

We pass Fat Betty ( a white ordinance column) where it is supposed to be good luck to place a piece of food and remove something else. We left biscuits and I took what I thought was a tea bag or rehydrater but was in fact a urinary tract alkalizer (cystitis medication). Not so lucky! Ha, ha.

We are walking off the moors and see more grouse this morning but they are too quick for my camera. Eventually we arrive in Glaisdale. A pretty village with red terracotta roofs. This is so different from the slate of most homes we have passed. The grey stone and grey roof tiles often seem very bleak to me.

We make a steep descent through the village over the Esk river and up to a pub for lunch. Here we attend to feet and lunch before visiting the beggars bridge dated from the 16 th Century.

Next we head into a forest where I see my very first hedgehog. They are very cute and smaller than Echidnas. We thought it might be sick because it didn’t move even though we were close.

The next notable structure was the Horseshoe inn, a very pretty place that we passed in order to reach some attractive stepping stones over the river.

Lastly we arrived at Grosmont, a town that grew as the iron ore mining developed. The train was a hugely important link between Whitby and Middlesbrough and was originally pulled up by horses but later Steam engines. There are rides and engines on display.

We are staying here and book an early dinner so the men can watch England play Belgium in the World Cup!

Lyn and Bruce walked today but Lyn still isn’t eating much. Their room at the gallery has a bath at the foot of the bed! It is in the attic and Bruce keeps hitting his head on the beams so he has towels and clothes draped over them.

We are all tired and the pub is very noisy so it is off to bed.

I woke with a nose bleed this morning which I think was bought on by hay fever from walking through grass fields. Bruce rang to say Lyn had been sick with gastro or food poisoning all night and was still throwing up. He was hoping that Debra would have some Imodium to help. I dressed quickly to meet him at the door of our lodging so as not wake everyone up, but our hosts were already up getting ready for breakfast.

Bruce explained that they couldn’t walk today and would need to stay another day in Richmond for Lyn to recover. Later when we arrived at our meeting spot we discovered Paul, our guide had been afflicted also. The bus arrived to take us to where we had finished yesterday. Before we left we visited the grave of Henry Jenkins who had supposedly been the oldest person in Britain at 169 years old! He was reputed to have been born in 1500. That is how we feel at the end of the day sometimes.

The day is clear and sunny and soon we are all hot. It is a flat walk through fields of wheat, barley and rape seed, along roads and over cow and sheep fields. I thought it was much nicer than yesterday because we could see a wider vista and the Cleveland hills we are climbing tomorrow,

However it soon became apparent that Paul our guide was really unwell still and by 11.00 we were all concerned that he might collapse. He was very distressed and had to ring the accommodation hosts for assistance. They came to pick him up and we continued unguided. Apparently the restaurant rang and apologised and offered compensation.

Dennis and Sarah took on the mantle of leadership with Kingsley as third man. Kingsley was wearing a red shirt so he stood out like a flag the tour guides carry. We were all grateful for it. We had to cross a railway and lots of stiles and at one I managed to topple into some nettles and thistles. That was quite painful and left me tingling down one side for the rest of the walk. It is like having pins and needles. Another stile had a Halloween theme with skulls, and spiders, rats and cackling of a witch when you put your foot on the stile. It made us laugh.

Dennis and Sarah did a fantastic job following the map Paul loaned them. In fact we made such good time we were at our destination a half hour ahead of our expected time of arrival. My foot was killing me after walking on so many roads so I was pleased when we were picked up to be taken to our lodging at Ingleby Arncliffe where Paul is also residing. The rest had to keep walking up a hill to Park House where they are staying.

Dinner is at Park House and our host Jane gave Debra and I a lift. As we chatted she revealed this is James Herriot the Vet territory and her daughter is a vet nurse at the practice and on the TV program.

Park House is very quaint and Bev the owner put on a delicious meal. We have all eaten well over the trip but we are finding our appetites are smaller than when we started! I haven’t finished a whole main course for days. Jacquie the assistant brought us home. Everyone is so helpful and obliging.

This evening I got a message from Bruce that Lyn had slept most of the day, eaten half a banana and slept again. She will be too weak to walk for a day at least. We have a huge day ahead and it is hot again.

Today was so varied. We started in the forest on the edge of the Cleveland Hills which are supposed to have the most famous 12 Miles on the North York Moors. The escarpment that we cross has amazing views over the lowlands below but also across the moors. We could even see to the North Sea! To the left of the plain a pall of smoke hung over the countryside from a fire near Leeds/ Manchester. It was extensive and apparently is a huge fire fuelled by the extreme heat. (31C)

It is a roller coaster today up 1000ft to Beacon Hill, down to 500 feet then up again to 1250 then up and down four times! We are crossing moors but close to the edge of the escarpment so the views are great. Our track is visible ahead most of the way. The area has prehistoric burial mounds and was mined for jet and alum.

We descended to a cafe at Carlton Bank and enjoyed cold drinks amongst a huge crowd of day walkers and their dogs! We filled up with cold water. It is here our party splits. Paul is still unwell from the food poisoning and is unable to continue. Moyra and Stuart don’t want to walk the 32 kms and this is the only spot they can exit as Paul has asked Mal from Ingleby Cross (our hosts from last night) to come and collect them and drive them all to the Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge. Kathy ( Turner) wanted to continue to the Wainstones but would then be stranded so she has to miss that part of the walk. Paul was anxious about the heat and us getting sunstroke.

Paul getting ill has highlighted some shortcomings in the organisation. There doesn’t seem to be any back up for him (though his boss did say he would come and continue the walk apparently. Paul said we were competent to continue unguided because we had Sarah and Dennis who know the area and we were strong walkers.)

Dennis , Sarah, Kingsley, Debra, Colin and I decided from the beginning we would do the whole walk. Debra has been raising money for the hospice she works in so she felt she couldn’t shirk any part. I wanted to support her and I am committed to doing the whole walk. Dennis and Sarah have done a stirling job as our guides and we have all worked as a team. I have found the last few days most enjoyable because we were able to spread out more and the path signs have been better this side of the walk.

The climb up to the Wainstones, a group of huge boulders sitting on the edge of the escarpment that stand out on the moors like a castle, was very steep and hard. They are often used by climbers fo training and when we arrived we prevailed on a young climber to take a group photo.

After a rest we pushed on across the Cold and Hasty moors looking for a train track. This old track now a road was used for the mines. We had been told it was the hardest part of the walk and it was. It was 12 kms of endless winding track bordered by beautiful moors where we saw, sheep( of course), grouse and shooters hides. The game keepers spread food for the grouse and pheasants to assist them and ensure plenty for the shooting season!

Towards the end we were all over the track, sore of foot and tired but we kept on( no alternative!) until we saw the turn off to the Lion Inn on the hill. Bruce and Paul were waiting for us so we wouldn’t miss the turn off and clapped us in. We were very relieved. We arrived at 6.30, a nine hour walk of endurance!

These are the hills we walked up and over from left of picture to right. It looks flat but between each was a deep descent and ascent. Tough but rewarding.

Debra and I were so pleased to see we had a bath in our room even though there was no time for one right then. We enjoyed it later. After a quick shower we felt revived and went to dinner.

It was a very warm day so we all felt it was quite tiring. Bees buzzed slowly and sheep lay in the shade beside the stone fences with their faces close to the cool stones. The walk took us past the old Marrick priory which is now an outward bound school and up into a forest. The stone path underfoot was laid by nuns from the priory! It is from the 12 th Century.

We left the river and headed towards the forested hills which provided welcome relief from the sun. We walked near the cliff where in 1606 the owner of our guest house rode his horse off the edge, killing his horse and mangling his leg but remarkably, surviving the fall to live on to be mayor of Richmond. Then as we crossed a field being mowed by the farmer his little dog, a patterdale terrier which is a local breed, rushed up to us and ran around our feet. He was like an enthusiastic little black eel with a shiny black coat and short muscular body. High energy and good natured he halted once , fully alert when he heard a whistle from the farmer then raced off to the fence.

This little rabbit just sat panting in the grass.

It was a fairly uneventful day. Just hot. British summers do exist!

At Richmond the group split. Half decided to stay( the injured or really tired) and the other half stopped for lunch and ice creams then continued to Boulton on Swale where a bus waited to return us to Richmond where our accommodation was. This extra walk was to break the two days into even distances of 17 miles otherwise we would be doing an 11 mile day and a 24 mile day.

Dennis and I were the only Aussies to keep walking. Alan was in difficulty with his pulled calf muscle, the other Kathy has nasty blisters, both Lyn and Bruce are blister affected and Moyra is still getting her fitness back after her cold, Stuart found the heat was sapping his energy too. They had a pleasant afternoon looking around Richmond which is a very pretty town. It has a history as a military town and nearby Caterrick is a military base. The sculpture along the river was to commemorate the military history.

By the time we found our lunch spot, the old Station at Richmond, I was thinking I wanted to stop too. We had walked past all these people splashing and giggling in the river which made me want to jump in and cool off. We found a cool spot under the trees and I lay with my feet up hill. An ice cream completed my recovery and then we were off.

Again it was un remarkable walking, skirting the villages until we arrived at Boulton and sagged onto the bus. I didn’t know if I could haul myself off at the end. It was only a ten minute bus trip back to Richmond! The motor car is a wonderful invention. I am always amazed at how a journey is so dramatically shortened.

We all went for dinner at an Italian restaurant around the corner where the food was good and Sarah was presented with a mini dessert birthday cake.

After dinner when we returned to the guesthouse, Kathy and Moyra took their staircase to their room and we took another to ours only to find we were facing each other at the top with rooms side by side. We all cracked up. It was so unexpected.

I couldn’t write the blog last night because I kept falling asleep. I gave up and crashed, sleeping soundly.

Keld to Reeth was a beautiful walk beside the Swale river which alternated between gentle babbling and quiet pools. The water is a reddish colour from the peat moors. On this warm day it was so enticing.

Swaledale was once a thriving lead mining area and in the surrounding hills are the remnants of that activity. Sarah and Kingsley opted for the high route which passes old mining debris but the rest of us took the lower river side route of the Coast 2 Coast and it was an interesting change. We passed through a few small villages, numerous stiles (which are so narrow we are rethinking our generous breakfasts and dinners!), fields of wildflowers, sheep and cattle.

It was a perfect summer day, about 24/25 degrees. The sky was blue with only the barest wisps of clouds. Most of the group found it a bit too warm but I felt quite comfortable except for a stiff knee towards the end of the day. The riverside was often shady and at one stage we walked along a retaining wall, several feet off the ground. It was so narrow that people coming in the opposite direction had to hold onto trees as we passed!

The weather is perfect for hay making so several of the fields have been mown ready for hay baling. The farmers can’t mow the wildflower meadows till the flowers have died because they are important for the bees and butterflies to thrive.

Lots of young people doing their Duke of Edinburgh award scheme were walking our route. Many looked hot and tired but they were also having fun.

We lunched beside the river where there were casts of badgers and otters. It was so relaxing sitting in the sun listening to the gentle rush of water over rocks.

When we arrived at Reeth it was a shock. The town is quite quaint and a tourist mecca so the village green was covered with cars. It has three hotels and some pretty shops and galleries. We feel like we have come out of the wilderness to a metropolis!

Our accommodation at the Manse is delightful and our hosts very welcoming. Our bags are in our rooms again (the best thing ever after a days walk!). We are given afternoon tea in the garden and some delicious different choices for breakfast.

Debra and I get organised then head for an ice cream and meet Lyn on the village green before heading off to The Buck hotel for dinner.

Bruce and I try a local Yorkshire ale.

A few people are really carrying bad blisters or sore legs and tomorrow is a big day. My legs were weary and the side of my left knee is a bit tender but otherwise I am holding up well. It is going to be another hot day so it could be a tough day. After dinner and wine I felt very refreshed!

I had a bad night with indigestion from the Tandoori meal so I sat up to sleep half the night. Deborah slept soundly but woke up feeling stiff until she started to move around. We are all feeling stiff. Our pace is consistently fast but we are all getting fitter. Our breakfast at Croft house was delicious and presented so attractively with fine china and silverware. The breakfasts are generally very hearty so I suspect I am putting on weight even though I am doing hard walking.

The way markers for our track are few and quite arbitrary as to where they are placed. Our guide has helped several independent walkers to take the correct path.

We set off for Keld with a sharp, steep incline towards the 9 Standards. These are curious stone cairns that nobody seems to understand who, or what they were meant for. They are the border between the Lakes district and the Yorkshire Moors.

From the top of the hill( after about three false tops!) you can see how far we have come and how far we are going! Then we plunged into the notorious bogs. Some parts were so deep and mucky you could lose your boots. We had to be careful not to lose our footing. They have put in a new slate path, at great expense, over the worst of the bog but I still managed to drop my foot into a few. We are also walking across incredibly soggy grass which oozes muddy water with every step.

Finally we reach the end of the bog and are overlooking the valley with sheep and farmhouses. We are very happy to find ourselves at the Shepardess’s for tea and scones soon after. The Shepardess is Amanda Owen, from Ravenseat Farm. She is a real entrepreneur and has written two books about life on the farm with her 8 children, sheep and Cream teas business. She is friends with Paul our guide and brought out our scones and cream personally. Lyn bought her first book. It was then only a few miles to our hotel. On the way we saw two girls swimming(!) near a waterfall, some Yurts in a camping ground and a lot of campers beside the Swale river. This is a popular place for camping and walking but it seemed too cold for swimming!

Our hotel, Keld Lodge is very charming with good facilities (drying room) and a large bedroom. No more falling over our bags.

The weather is fine but cloudy and is supposed to get hotter over the week.

Dinner at the hotel needed to be preordered, so you have to remember what you ordered! Kingsley told us about his wife’s love of ice cream and decided to honour her by having a three scoop dessert.That was his excuse anyway!

Another successful day. It is hard to believe we have been walking for 7 days and will finish next Saturday. It has gone so fast. Alan and Stuart are resuming the walk tomorrow so all the South African contingent will be back.