09/08/2013 by amylamsg

Days 13-14 UKc2c

9 Aug 2013 – North York Moors

Thu 8Aug 2013 – Day 13 Ingleby Cross – Clay Bank Top 11m/17.7km 0700-1700hrs!

Lovely day to hike leaving early to catch the light and go by the church. Walking thru’ Arncliffe Wood, relentlessly uphill on gravel road. Came to a sign to discover the Cleveland Way and took the wrong direction towards Osmotherly for a short distance, but lovely path with a beautiful tree. Met Phil who took me that I am going in the wrong direction. Back on track with the rays shinning on the path!

Skirting around Arnchiff Wood with glimpse of the road, passing by a Telecom, not what one wants to see! Saying goodbye to Jo&Robbie and Worceste at Scarth Wood Moor as they will be doing a 20+mi today.

After the ‘old wagon’ it was just up up up to Live Moor

And then down and up again to Carlton Moor, down and

then up up up again, taking a break at Alec Falconer Memorial /Gringle Moor, chatting with Cheryl&Richard and their dog Ziggy; Penny, Susan & their dog Maggie. Down again and…

up to Wain Stones. Dee&David from Peterborough, Mindy&Glenn from USA. What a roller-roaster hike today!

Clay Bank Top, called the B&B owners to pick me up, it was nearly 1700hrs. and the B&B is off the trail. Today’s hike was the toughest and not knowing how hard it was, took too much time with chatting and taking pix. Was told by Maltkiln House B&B owners, Wendy & Gerry that today’s hike is like going up and down the Eiffel Tower/Paris 5 times!! Learnt about monkey puzzle and jet from Gerry. Will edit this info when time permits for some research…

Night: Thu 8Aug at Maltkiln House, Urra. Room with attached bathroom. Sherry pre drink, dinner with wine + breakfast GBP51 S$100

Fri 9Aug 2013 – Day 14 Clay Bank Top – Blakey 11m/17.7km 0830-1300hrs!

Happy 48th Birthday Singapore!

Goodbye and good luck to Wendy&Gerry who is trying to sell Maltkiln House as they would like to move to the south of France to be nearer their youngest son&family. Thank you for a lovely stay and appreciations to Dorothy&Malcom for leading the way back to the path.

The c2c path takes off from the Cleveland Way on these moors with grouse butts and even a few grouse sightings.

Quite a contrast hike from yesterday, easy flat walking with the moors on the steeper side with the valleys below. About the same mileage as yesterday but took half the time!

Time to part ways with fellow hikers David, Dee, Ali and Uwe at The Lion Inn. Saw in FB that the Daft WellyWalker completed their hike this afternoon at Robin Hood’s Bay, way to go and congratulations to them.

Night: Fri 9Aug at The Lion Inn. Room with separate bathroom. Lunch, steak dinner w wine & dessert, packed lunch GBP81 S$158

Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which has places us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits – Thomas Jefferson

07/08/2013 by amylamsg

Day 12 UKc2c

7 Aug 2013 – North York Moors

Wed 7Aug 2013 – Day 12 Danby Wiske – Ingleby Cross 11m/17.7km 0700-1300hrs with stops including a meal at the Exelby Service Cafe on A19

Road walk out of Danby Wiske with a big clear Coast to Coast sign in red by a lone tree. Passing Oaktree Hill with the synagogue on the corner of A167, the first seen on this trail! Again the sun ray is showing me the path today.

Again into farmland and gravel roads make it more a stroll then hike!

One of the farms sure has a good sense of humour with their stile 🙂 Concrete stairs to cross the railway lines. Never ASSUME or you will make as ASS of U and ME 🙂 🙂

Longlands Farm, my favourite car and what a beautiful colour, at Grinkle Carr.

A cafe by the gas pump and seeing the pix on the wall, one would guess the main occupation of the clients who frequent here. Stopped to have eggs and beacon and my first Pesi after 4hrs of strolling! Also needing the fuel to attempt the most dangerous road crossing on the A19. Pix was taken only after being safe and sound across. Considering then you just walked from the lovely lane with the trees and suddenly face with the traffic, glad that there was food and caffeine in the body!!

Heading into Ingleby Arncliffe passing by Homeland with a flag where the biggest goose was in sight, probably getting ready for Christmas…

Road signs that show that I am on the correct way to Ingleby Cross, the WaterTower and a nut waiting for another nut here in the Blue Bell Inn.

Today has been another perfect day with time to chat to other fellow thru’ hikers and get their names – Jo, Robbie and their dog Worceste; Dorothy&Malcom, Phil and Dee&David. Thank you all you lovely people for crossing paths…

Night: Wed 7Aug at The Blue Bell Inn Ingleby Cross. Room with attached bathroom, 1 Gin+tonic pre drink, steak dinner+a glass of wine GBP66 S$130

07/08/2013 by amylamsg

Day 11 UKc2c

7 Aug 2013 – Yorkshire Dales

Tue 6Aug 2013 – Day 11 Richmond – Danby Wiske 12.5m/20km 0700-1400hrs

A glorious morning to be leaving Richmond but that is life. Walking and saying goodbye to River Swale as the path will be moving away inland after Bolton-On-Swale.

Thank you, sweet Kate who was walking her dogs, showed the old railway bridge and put me on the correct path to Catterick Bridge. Kate is about the same age as Katy and that got me thinking of all the grandchildren and how much I am looking forward to seeing them again.

Crossing the road was quite a challenge in the busy morning traffic. Glad to see Brompton-On-Swale behind and safely back to the footpath with Catterick Bridge in the background.

Goodbye to the Daft WellyWalkers (today there are 5 of them!) as they will be marching on to Ingleby Cross tonight. Thank you for crossing paths at this stage of life’s journey. Will miss not seeing them on the trail. May the sun rays shine on our paths and keep us safe all the way into Robin Hood’s Bay.

St Mary’s Church and the Old Pump House at Bolton-On-Swale. There is also a memorial to Henry Jenkins who died at age 169!!

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/63312341

The path continues onto farmlands and the rest on to long quiet road walks in company of many white delicate butterflies. George Baker, the owner of Whitwell Farm stopped to have a chat as he was wondering where I am from; so far, have not seen any Asians doing this hike!

Heading to StreetLAM! and with a name like that, had to take a pix. A tree house on the path and a house with beautiful flowers just a few steps off the path.

To Danby Wiske, happy to see the couple with the dog and the 2 ladies with their dog. They will be staying elsewhere as White Swan does not permit dogs.

Night: Tue 6Aug at White Swan Danby Wiske. Room with separate bathroom, dinner+a glass of wine, packed-lunch GBP63 S$122

I don’t think l’d change the path that’s got me where I am today – Curtis Joseph

06/08/2013 by amylamsg

Day 10 UKc2c

6 Aug 2013 – Yorkshire Dales

Mon 5Aug 2013 – Day 10 Reeth – Richmond 12.5m/20km 0700-1330hrs

Started early in the rains, heard that there is an interesting castle in Richmond and hoping to get early in to see the town. Wet path by the lone tree and at the church in Grinton by the river, but pretty even in the rains. Wet wet wet along the riverside but again dressed for this weather.

Slight uphill towards the village of Marrick and continuing on to Marske. Still wet, thus leaving the camera in the waterproof pouch and decided to push on to Richmond getting in with an afternoon to see this interesting town with a castle. Even managed to buy a rain-cover GBP7 S$14 for the backpack (now into Gator colour, blue raincoat with an orange backpack cover!). Got the hair cropped GPB16 S$32, so perhaps will not colour hair after this hike 🙂

Richmond is a market town and civil parish on the River Swale and is the administrative centre of the district of Richmondshire. This is the first town on the trail and has a pop of app 10,000. A fine Georgian town which has changed little through the centuries. The 11th century castle (entry GBP4.30 S$8.50) built originally in Norman times and the Church of St Trinity are the dominant features of the town.

View from the top of the castle into the Market Square. The cobbled streets around the square are a reminder of student days in Dublin’s Trinity College!

Friary Gardens and Tower

Not usually a pizza fan but La Piazza*** was recommended by the owners of Butt House in Keld and the thin crust pizza was good (1 small pizza+a glass of wine GBP12 S$24). The room at Willance House (reputedly the oldest remaining house in Richmond) is absolutely charming and now sitting at the bay window enjoying the rains and listening to the church bells chiming for 1800hrs as this blog is recorded. Today’s pix have all been taken in grey and rainy sky, thus not that good!

Night: Mon 5Aug at Willance House Frenchgate Richmond. Room with a view and bathroom attached+breakfast+packed lunch GBP60 S$117

Some people create their own storms, then get upset when it rains – unknown

05/08/2013 by amylamsg

Days 8-9 UKc2c

5 Aug 2013 – Cumbria Lake District & Yorkshire Dales

Sat 3Aug 2013 – Day 8 Kirkby Stephen – Keld 11m/17.6km 0630-1600hrs

Leaving KS by Frank’s Bridge to join the path (above 2 pix taken the evening before in search of the path for the next day and the lights were perfect).

Passing the half way mark of this walk and continuing up away from KS. Hares have become the usual sight over the past days. Interesting benches on the way up to the Nine Standards Rigg.

Nine Standards is the summit of Hartley Fell in the Pennine Hills. It lies near the boundary between Cumbria and N Yorkshire. The name is derived from a group of cairns. Their original purpose is uncertain but one possibility is that they marked the boundary between Westmorland and Swaledale.

Even with a map, was lost again at the Nine Standards. Headed the wrong direction downhill for an hour to discover a gamekeeper’s home to ask for directions. Andrew kindly explained and drove me up the hill again on his 4 wheeler as not ordinary car could have gone there! The private property belonged to some people who only are here for grouse hunting. So there I was heading thru’ the bog for another half hour up to the Nine Standards again but from another direction…

There were 3 alternative routes but at least there is a signpost. Took the Blue Route and was told no matter which route, they are just as boggy but the afternoon turn out to be a nice walk after the lost windy walk. Glad to see familiar faces/Daft Wellywalkers having tea at the Ravenseat Farm, the woman with 7 children and 6 were born on the road on the way to the hospital as this is soooo remote!. Smooth and pleasant walking into Keld.

Night: Sat 3Aug at Butt House, Keld. Room with bathroom attached, dinner+a drink GBP50 S$97 and this is the only location that did not refund Glenda’s deposit not did they let me use what was deposited. Quite a butt… !

Sun 5Aug 2013 – Day 9 Keld – Reeth 12m/19.3km 0700-1330hrs

A wet start but was prepared for it. A sign that is not so faded and goodbye Keld…

With all these rains it is no wonder that the scenery is so green, now heading to the Swaledale Valley.

Considering my weakness in map reading when there are no signs, especially up on the moors, chose the lower route by the River Swale with view of a charming village and fun to go thru’ Gunnerside in dry weather.

From Gunnerside it was an easy walk by the river all the way into Reeth; happy to get in at a decent time to check out the village and even wrote and mail a few postcards!

Hello again Daft Wellywalkers, the only people who started on the same day as I did at St Bees and still on the same pace!

Night: Sun 4Aug at Hackney House Reeth. Room with bathroom attached GBP40 S$78

03/08/2013 by amylamsg

Day 7 UKc2c

3 Aug 2013 – Cumbria Lake District/5

Friday 2Aug 2013 – Day 7 Orton – Kirkby Stephen 12.8mi/20.6km 0630-1700hrs

Nice weather for walking, not too hot nor wet. Long day taking many small breaks with not much spectacular, but then not towards the end of the Like District. Again over stiles and headed over fields to Ravenstonedale Moor, passing by Severals Village’s archaeological site, to Smardale Bridge and Smardale Fell.

Unbelievable, there is a Chinese take-out-Panda and a chinese restaurant-Century here in Kirkby Stephen with a pop of just app 2,000! So far he biggest place to visit. My accommodations for tonight is quite lovely.

A lovely church by the market square and all kinds of shops on the main street. Also a HSBC Bank but I do not bank with them. Finally managed to find a decent C2C map for S$16 at the visitor centre just across the street from where I am staying.

Somehow all the village churches have been interesting and after being thru’ these villages, one can understand that living in such remote areas in the days where transport and communication were not so accessible, faith in such communities is an important way of life.

Home

Night: Fri 2Aug at Old Croft House, Kirkby Stephen GBP35 S$68 for a room and separate bathroom.

02/08/2013 by amylamsg

Day 6 UKc2c

2 Aug 2013 – Cumbria Lake District/4

Thursday 1Aug 2013 – Day 6 Shap – Orton 9mi/12.6km 0830-1300hrs

Walking thru’ Shap, a village at the heart of Britain was quite a historic experience. Had to walked down the main street to get on the trail. No pix of Shap Abbey due to time and stress when passing by it yesterday. New Ing Lodge has a wall map of the UKc2c in the dinning room. Had fish & chips dinner last night at the Shap Chippy***

Found the path leading onto the muddy and shitty! farmlands to cross the motorway on the overhead bridge. This is the first time to cross the M6, strange to see the motorway and cars zooming by….

Crossing the moors all morning, muddy and boggy but at least not misty. Glad to meet the 2 familiar hikers who were at the same lodgings the night before, and also doing the UKc2c. This will probably be the last I see of them and they plan to hike the whole trail in 10 days. One of them has done it many years ago, so the path today must be the correct one!!

Amazing limestone pavement, quite contrasting views compared to yesterday.

Got into Orton earlier than expected to find the B&B locked! Had something to drink at the new cafe across the road and walked around the area within 15mins. Delightful village with a church getting ready for a wedding.

A chocolate factory where one can just about to get everything in chocolate.! Went back to the B&B and dozed on the steps of the entrance! Thought I was dreaming when some familiar hikers from across the road came by, and yes it was the group from St Bees who I though would have been way ahead by now, but the group seemed smaller. Accompanied them to the cafe for tea to discover that 2 of their younger boys did not feel up to the hike. Fun exchanging notes, info and contacts: ‘Daft – WellyWalkers’ with Jeff & Joby (father&son), George and Mark with the long hair. Thank you for crossing paths.

Cousin Yat-Soon & family are in the area and appreciations to them for driving over to pick me up for dinner in Greystoke (Tarzan), not on the walking UKc2c but on the cycling UKc2c trail. Took us 20mins to drive by Shap (took me 5hrs to walk!!!) on the way to Greystoke. Helen’s cousin owns the Boot & Shoe Pub and thank you to Yat-Soon&Helen for a lovely dinner and a pack-lunch from there. Got back to the B&B by 22.30hrs, had just enough energy to brush teeth and zzzz

Night: Thu 1Aug at Mostyn House, Orton GBP40 S$78 for a room and separate bathroom.

01/08/2013 by amylamsg

Day 5 UKc2c

1 Aug 2013 – Cumbria Lake District/3

Wednesday 31Jul 2013 – Day 5 Patterdale – Shap 15.5m/25km 0630-1730hrs

The day start beautifully crossing the bridge looking back into Patterdale, passing by lovely cottages and up up up for nearly 2hrs

to Angle Tarn where breakfast was served from the day-pack in the company of flock of ducks and a few campers.

Still continuing upwards not realising that it was NOT the correct path, met just one lone hiker going the opposite direction but did not think to ask him being too stupid…

Was instead admiring the views which are not on the correct path!

Thank goodness for Peter and his group, took a different path but at least headed to the correct direction. Appreciations to Norman Crump of Lancaster U and son for getting me into Shap which has an interesting history. Just too tired and frustrated to write but will edit and update another day.

Night: Wed 31Jul at New Ing Lodge, Shap GBP22 for bed (dom-style room with 5 others) and full breakfast) S$43

31/07/2013 by amylamsg

Day 4 UKc2c

31 Jul 2013 – Lake District-Cumbria/2

Tuesday 30Jul 2013 – Day 4 Grasmere – Patterdale 9m/14.5k 0830-1400hrs

Treat to have the extra time for this shorter mileage day. Got up at 0600hrs as usual to hear the rain, dozed for another hour or so and the rains stopped by the time the feet hit the trail.

Leaving Grasmere with the view of Helm Crag in the background and slowly ascending a rocky path with the new path under construction parallel to this path across the stream.

Long climb uphill but was worth all the effort with weather and views like today. Whoever built the stone way further up is an angel. Unlike the rugged ones just on, these are quite a luxury. Turning back to say goodbye to the delightful village of Grasmere.

Took me 2hrs (others will do in 1hr!) to get up to GrisedaleTarn and it was nice to see a lone camper by the tarn. Must have been peaceful in spite of the rains during the night.

Heading downwards towards Grisedale Valley to be pleasantly surprised by this Ruthwaite Lodge.

These stone fences and houses never fail to impress me. And more so now as some of the fences go all the up to where it would take me 2hrs to get to the end of the fence! How on earth did they manage to carry those stone all the way up to these mountains.

Into Patterdale village passing by St Patrick’s Church where there will be an organ recital tonight. Will try to stay up to attend.

The centre of the village. Staying in a real working farm app a quarter-mile from the main drag, hopefully not too much baa from the sheep tonight. Pass by this sign post to the farm. Am told that the Red squirrels are a native here!

Night: Tue 30Jul at Noran Bank Farm Patterdale, for B&B +a packed lunch GBP35 S$68

Do not know if there will be time, energy or fast internet access to blog with so many words again! Have been told that tomorrow will be the roughest day of the whole hike… !!!

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze – William Wordsworth

27/07/2013 by amylamsg

St Bees

27 Jul 2013 – Stonehouse Farm

References – various online sites

Unforgettable Walks to take before you die: Steve Watkins and Clare Jones

Coast to Coast Path: Henry Stedman with updates by Chris Scott

A Northern Coast to Coast Walk: Terry Marsh

Passing thru’3 National Parks (Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors), thru’ hills, moors and valleys in en entire country, this 301km/191mi starts from St Bees by the Irish Sea to Robin Hood’s Bay by the North sea. UKc2c is a testament to the dedication of UK’s most famous walker Alfred Wainwright who in 1973 made this walk possible.

St Bees: between the 6th-9th century, Bega, an Irish princess fled here to avoid an arranged marriage with a Norwegian prince. And so the legend goes, she landed here and lived as a hermit and became famous for her good deeds.. She approached the local land owner Lord Egremont for land to build a convent.

Egremont was not generous and promised Bega all the land covered by snow the next day, considering as it was to be mid summer’s day. Miraculously snow did fell that day and Bega was able to get the land and built the convent.

St Bees Priory, app from 1150, a blissful and serene place to visit. Was there when I arrived and again the next morning to get inside to make peace with whatever there is to make peace with before a serious hike 🙂

St Bees School founded in 1593 by Edmund Grindal, Archbishop of York and Canterbury during the reign of Queen Elizabeth !, and such a charming school in an ideal surrounding. Glad to have taken the extra day here to catch up with family and to see this delightful village, highly recommended.

http://stbees.org.uk

And so the story goes, what a lovely story and a beautiful village to start a hike from…