The final day

We left Grosmont at a reasonable hour but left carefully as only the day before there had been an accident on the hill out of town and we wanted to make sure we got out alive. The hill out was really quite unfair. A long long tedious road walk with a steep 33% incline was really tough.

An hour later we levelled out and looked back over the distance we had walked. Only twelve miles lay ahead but it still felt along way looking at the Tarmac and Heather moorland that lay ahead. 

A brief relief from the moorland came in the shape of a tranquil woodland valley  through to a waterfall. A few wrong turns past a hermitage cut in the rocks and we arrived at a stone built building in the middle of the forest. We were making good time so we decided a cup of tea and cake was in order at the cafe. I tucked into a Ginger slice, Colin had a scone and Eeyore lept from my rucksack and scampered over to a sign for 'pooh corner' that was set up in the corner of the garden. 

Leaving the comforts of the cafe we had to negotiate a river with no bridge and little resemblance of stepping stones before joining another Tarmac road leading to another, but our last, moorland path. 

From here on it was down hill to the coast. We spent the next few hours aiming for Whitby which is all we could see in the distance, the Abbey imposing on the skyline. 

We stopped at a horrible campsite for a lemonade and a sandwich. Stopping did give us a chance to open our final map which we had carried for the week in a sealed envelope with supportive messages from our friends. 

Starting walking again for the last five miles was painful for my feet and Colin was having knee problems which were causing him to walk like a funky chicken. It was only another few miles and we hit the coast. All we had to do now was walk along to Robin Hoods Bay. Glorious sunshine and blue skyscraper followed us all the way to the end. It was just like the start if the trip eleven days earlier. 

Most people we encountered were just day trippers and hadn't a clue we were three miles off completing our 200mile trip. Finally as we rounded the last headland and we glimpsed for the first time our final destination. 

Our pace quickened and the sun was relentless as we fell down the very steep road into the village of Robin Hoods Bay. As we arrived at the bay my parents were sat in a street side bar drinking tea and eating scones as they saw us arrive. We were welcomed with smiles and cheers and took our final steps to the ocean that had been our mission. Fortunatelly the tide was in so it wasn't far to walk to dip our boots into the water. A rummage in our rucksacks and we located our pebbles that we had carefully carried since the start and thankfully not lost. It would be a long way back to get a new one. Taking a firm hold we threw our pebbles and returned them to the sea. Our journey over and there's begun again. Hoping one day they may be picked again from a beach to be carried along the coast to coast. 

Before saying goodbye there was time for a few souvenirs and a Chance to sign the coast to coast book in Wainwrights bar. Well done us! Over 200 miles done, blisters, aching muscles, but we were already wondering about our next long distance walk. 

The Game's A Foot!

Rumours of a bacon buttie were understated...Mark is also preparing our lunch and snacks for the train, every LDW should start with a 'Mark'...thanks from us both x

Night Before The Adventure Begins

All packing done, a chip buttie with a brew as a treat and now off to bed with the promise of a bacon buttie in the morning...all these butties, my weight is going to increase and not decrease at this rate!

Night all...next post will be on Day 1!!!

Laminating Party

We are almost set for the Coast to Coast after an evening Laminating maps to ensure we have all the information on where we are walking and where we are staying. We had quite a production line going in the end and many hands made light work - thanks everyone

Planning Evening

Final evening of planning is now complete...best part being the realisation of the lovely food all the venue's we're staying at are providing; just how many cooked breakfats can we eat?!!!

It's now a reality that we set off in 5 days...hope the sunshine we've enjoyed this last few days lasts.

Blakey Ridge

Blakey Ridge

Coast to Coast Day 10

Breakfast was a lengthy process but not as bad as for the lady who waited 40mins for beans on toast...they must have 'bean' very special! If she'd had waited much longer they'd have been a has 'bean'! 

In true Wainright style we walked away from the direction we were ultimately heading...with The Lion Inn in view for a good hour as we doubled back on ourselves. More moor walking followed much to Colin's delight...Richard even started to be able to tell the difference between different colours of heather, not an ability to be proud of! The bleak monotony of the moorland was interrupted momentarily by the 'leaving stone', Colin finally got to put his Jaffa Cakes there ready for the next Coaster & he collected a tired looking cereal bar.

Before long we arrived in Glaismere & found a suitable cafe for lunch, Ste Henderson met us there & we all looked forward to the short walk into Grosmont. Fortunately this was a short walk as it took over an hour in the cafe to be served.

Just after leaving much to our amusement & confusion an American lady stopped us; we initially thought she was going to ask for directions but it turned out she just wanted to quote lots of statements at us from her C2C book! Being as adept as we now are at understanding C2C language we pointed her in the direction of the cafe we'd just left & she wandered away very happy.

We set off for our shortest afternoon to date after a photo shoot on Beggers Bridge courtesy of Ste. Crossing the stepping stones in Egerton Bridge saw Colin being very brave & star jumping on one! 

We arrived in Grosmont to see one of the steam engines in the station and just before a shower set in we managed to take some pictures and get ourselves comfortable in our second tea-room of the day. Ste commented later that he enjoyed our 'tea room hiking' style!

Our B&B was an amazing building built in the 1800's but it was very tired & a recent attempt to redecorate it failed miserably to bring it into the 21st Century. All that said the stain-glass windows were very pretty & the mirror on the stairs was HUGE.

Ingleby Cross

Ingleby Cross

Coast to Coast Day 9

Boots still not dried out even though we'd turned up the heater & put lots of fresh newspaper in them so it was back-up plan to ensure we started in dry footwear-Richard in his walking shoes & Colin in his 'snug' fitting lightweight boots.

We weren't quite prompt enough for breakfast so a couple of other hikers nabbed the best of the fruit salad. Richards late arrival upset the landlady even more with a minor hissy fit about our drinks...for some reason she couldn't believe I knew how he'd want his tea!!!

We left at 8:45 and immediately started climbing up onto The Cleveland Hills. Initially the views were obstructed by the forest we had to climb through but before long we had our fleeces on to protect us from the strong chilly westerly winds as we stood looking over the lowlands towards The Pennines...a patchwork of fields whose variety of colours were classic England farmland...it brought back those 'lovely memories' of our 'amazing' day crossing them! We were even able to glimpse Richmond in the distance as the sun broke through the clouds and shone on the castle.

What we now loving know as a classic Wainright walk followed, why go the direct level route when there's the option to go up & down & back on yourself...funnily enough we don't know the answer either especially as we've got in the region of 160 miles behind us.

The views to the Pennines were very rewarding, particularly for Colin who was very excitable about seeing Ingleborough, Crossfell & 9 Standards. Richard was considerably more excited about the tearoom we came across for first lunch particularly their sumptuous selection of cakes but Colin however denied him the opportunity to gorge himself as we'd been given cake in our packed lunch...so he had to wait till 2nd lunch for cake and eat flapjack with his cup of tea.

A quick calculation of the miles ahead depressed us both as 13miles was indeed 'a long way' given we were in our third day of 20+ miles. As ever though we got our heads into gear and after one last down then up over the Wain Stones we hit the North York Moors and continued onwards along the route of a dismantled railway.

Colin's earlier tumble down a steep decent caused him to join Richard in walking with 'chicken wing arms' as he also had to compensate for the reduction in pressure on the affected leg. Thankfully no-one was around to see this graceful movement as we also decided that a sing-a-long to Moulin Rouge was in order to get us both through our respective pain barriers.

What was ahead of us was miles & miles & miles of a dark cinder path...we started to understand why Wainright had suggested we should have stayed in Patterdale, since The Lakes we haven't had the best of scenery. Today we learnt a new fact to ponder over as we walked through the moorland: Britain has 75% of the worlds moorland and in England the North York Moors has the most continuos moorland...a fact we can confirm after walking much of it.

Our meal at The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge was constantly interrupted by us both wincing & shuddering & shaking & scowling & fidgeting as the pains whipped up from our feet through our legs to make sitting most uncomfortable. Richard did manage to eat all his Yorkshire pudding as he grimaced and sniggered at Colin's facial expressions feeling evil satisfaction to each screwed up eye movement he made knowing that finally he was suffering the same as he had for the last three days.