The day after

Am siting on Scarborough beach waiting for train (not that the train stops here you understand). It is odd!

Day 15 - Last Day pt3

Obviously after the forest was some moorland, with the guidebooks exemplary directions indicating I should walk towards "a solitary tree" : I thought of destroying said tree but decided it would be unfair to anyone behind (having said that Sherpa Kerr and I are invariably the last on any given day (I did shout at some people who were behind us for that very reason but they looked a bit foreign so I gave up)).

Anyway . It proceeded much like anything in the last two weeks, perm 3 from 4, bog, mud, bog or bog, We arrived at the coast several hours later, not that was the end of course, even though you had reached your ultimate destination that is the north sea you must continue to trudge along some windswept barren crappy bit of coastline as there may be one chance in several billion you might see a Seagull. Pleased i  was not but after what seemed like hours (it seemed like that because it was) Robbin Hoods Bay came into view (again, not into view like you had stumbled upon it but into view like something that was still very far away might). We trudged in and after visiting our b&b proceeded down to Wainwrights Bar to meet Ray,have a pint and some well earned nosh. Now I think I am the most tired I have been for approximately 43 years and I'm going to have a lie down. Ill try to upload some more pictures on the train tomorrow but for now, its goodnight from me :-)

Day 15 - Last day pt2

Leaving Gosmont we were forced to walk up the most evil of hills ; with hindsight it was obvious from the name what was to come but on the coast to coast you tend to loose all but the basic "where is my next pint/dinner/bed" - anyway, it was pants.

Strangely there was some Moorland at the top - I have discovered that Mr Wainwright is obsessed with Moorland, if there were a 200m path to somewhere he will detour you for 31Km just to go through 2 minutes of Moorland, in a word, he's a bastard. If you've seen one grouse you've seen them all. Luckily there was a beautiful woodland walk (uphill obviously) that led to Foss Falls, and hidden therein a 20m waterfall with a handy tea room next door serving giant Scones with Cream and Jam: -)  I decided it would be rude not to stop,so we did.

Day 15 - Last day pt1

Lordy, the final day,what an end to a massive schlep across England. We awoke in the Broom Hotel,only a tenner more than a dogey b&b but full of class and proper poached eggs for brekie. A short walk to Egton bridge with the Manor House and donkey sanctuary following the river to Grosmont and its steam trains (via the smelly fields covered in animal poo, a theme for this years holiday). More later

Day 15 - Finished the bastard

Arrived, just going to do the pebble in Sea getting pissed bit.more later

Day 14 - I can see the sea!

Luckily we got a lift up the hill back to the Lion Inn from the Feversham Arms Barman (I say barman, He was the cook,cleaner and gardner too from what I can gather).

There was a little bit of road walking up on the Moor and a visit to Fat Betty (imaged below) - some sort of cross thing that people leave food offerings on - I don't know why but will look it up when we get home - We decided to leave a banana lest we attracted the wrath of the odd looking thing and carry on out merry way.

A little later we got our proper view of the North Sea which bolstered our spirits and resolve - it wasn't exactly close but not exactly far either - it looked about 25 miles away,which it was. We stopped for lunch at Glaisdale although the shop was bit bare I popped into the butchers next door for a home made pork pie which was really rather good. Sherpa Kerr fashioned Cheese Rolls out of,well, cheese and rolls.

A bit of a stint through some Riverside woods followed although undulations of upness and downess were not welcome. A luckily discovered shortcut over a river on stepping stones brought us to Broom House Hotel which is really rather swank although in our usual style we've trashed the room after about 15 seconds getting into it and it looks like a herd of cows has been living here for a week.

Our last day tomorrow is a bit of a mare at 17 1/2 miles although we've arranged to meet people in the Wainwright Bar so we have to do it before they shut!

Day 13 - The dismantled railway.

Daves B&B was indeed an excellent place - he drove all 8 guests to the pub for dinner which was quite good grub and cheap for a change - I had what is called a parmo, some sort of escalope thing covered in cheese.    

It was a thankfully easy day with just one evil mountain type thing to climb up but luckily it was right at the beginning. It ended up a bit trudgy as the view wasn't good as we we're right in the middle of the Moor which meant you couldn't see any views. In fact the only thing you could see was the occasional grouse sticking its head up from the gorse and emitting what sounds like a chuckle in your direction.

A bit later on the trail joined a dismantled railway which was used from 1850 - 1929 for moving quaried stone. It made for a very fast pace and we arrived at the Lion Inn at 12.30 - ridiculously early considering the place we were staying in just off the moor didnt open until six - what could we do stranded in a pub for 5 1/2 hours.

By the time we rolled down the hill (accompanied by Ray who had caught us up) we were a little bit tispy if truth be told - the only thing to be done was to carry on drinking. The Feversham Arms in Church Houses (Although I will now only refer to of as Church Mouses) is a wonderful little find - although the beds were comically narrow but given the smallness of the place not surprising.

Tomorrow is the penultimate day which is bad as it means its near the end of jollies but I think my feet are looking forward to it - also 15 days of different hotels and b&b's everyday can be oddly wearing.