11 Aug 2013 – North York Moors

Sun 11Aug 2013 – Day 16  Grosmont – Robin Hood’s Bay 15.5m/25.5km  0600-1400hrs

Leaving Grosmont (pronounce Gromont as I have been told, so why spell it with an s??) on this beautiful morning with ups and downs on the Sleights Moor, more or less the same scenes as the past 2 days.

Little Beck and the mysterious Hermitage/1790? are pleasant surprises.

Lower Hawsker. Whitby can be seen near High Hawsker. A caravan park ruining the beautiful nature and scene, also a reminder that this serenity is about to be over. A rude awakening to reality again 🙁

Just a few more cliffs to enjoy before having to deal with the so-called civilization! Most hikers take their pix at the Bay Hotel sign but decided against that as the Sunday crowd was just too much after over 2 weeks of space! Have note even registered in the book yet! Found this other sign across from the Bay Hotel which is more to my taste. 192m 309km officially, without taking considerations with all the side-trackings, detours and wrong directions 🙂

Headed weary and fatigued uphill again away from the crowd (thank goodness!) to find the B&B but first a side-trip to the church. More on RBH after a good night sleep as will be here for 2 nights to rest and hopefully find somewhere to get a massage and time to reflect!

Nights: Sun-Mon 11-12Aug at Raven House RHB. B&B room with bathroom attached. GBP80 S$156 for 2 nights+1breakfast+1load of laundry.

It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end – Ernest Hemingway

11 Aug 2013 – North York Moors

Sat 10Aug 2013 – Day 15  Blakey Ridge – Grosmont 14m/22.5km  0700-1400hrs

Good to be able to celebrate SIN National Day, the Lion City at Lion Inn last night 🙂

Nice and quiet to go thru’ the moors with the morning sun. Strange to look back after 30mins walk to Lion Inn, located on top of the moors in the middle of nowhere.

Passing by Fat Betty and the tradition requires that one leaves a food offering and take one back.

On Gladisdale High Moor where one is supposed to be able to view the North sea at a certain point, but must have been too pre-occupied with finding a place to pee and somehow the North Sea did not appear anywhere!! But instead found a herd of goats at the trough house. The moors and the valleys are similar to that of yesterday.

Met Carice who is also doing the c2c solo and hiked a short stretch with her into Glaisdale. Decided to stop for a scone at the Tea Garden while Carice went ahead. After going thru’ Glaisdale, could not find the path. Thank you to Cliff from Whitby who was salmon fishing on the River Esk. Without him, would have been going the wrong direction again! Wishing him all the fishing luck.

Egton Bridge, supposedly the prettiest village on the c2c… but that is relative. Many of the villages are just as charming and pretty in different ways!

For steam rail enthusiasts Grosmont must be the place to be and also home of the North York Moors Railway. The tunnel is thought to be the oldest train tunnel in the world/1829. Was thinking to ride it to Whitby and back, but too tired, perhaps another time. Took a few steps to St Matthew’s Church which is just next to the old school (now a tea room) by the tracks.

Night: Sat 10Aug at Lisvane House, Grosmont. B&B room with separate bathroom. GBP38 S$74

Humanity does not pass through phases as a train passes through stations: being alive, it has the privilege of always moving yet never leaving anything behind – CS Lewis