Robin Hood's Bay...

191 1/2 miles later...
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end."
   _ Ernest Hemingway

Notes for next time, Part II...

1. Skip rest day in Richmond

2. Richmond to Osmotherly

3. Osmotherly to Blakey Ridge (stay at Lion Inn)

4. Blakey to Egton Bridge (staty at Horseshoe Hotel)

5. Egton Bridge to Robin Hood's Bay

Blakey Ridge...

A bit of a bleak day on the Coast to Coast both route and weather--definitely should have combined the last two stages in one long day. But now I am happily ensconced in the Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge in a rain and fog whiteout.  The Lion dates to the 1500s and is the fourth highest inn in Britain and a pint and meal are just on the other side of my door.

Thank you Kirby!

After seeing my limited options in Great Broughton on a Friday night, I went wandering and strolled into Kirby.  I caught the tail end of a funeral drink at the Black Swan with these characters.  It could have been my beloved Ear Inn on a Friday and I knew just enough about Jimmy Savile, Lord Howell & Fracking, Middlesbrough F.C. and Tees Valley Airport to keep up.

Ingleby Cross to Great Brougton...

Into North York Moors National Park today with the North Sea in the distance.  Some nice climbs after a few days on the flat.

Guided like sheep (and other things I've avoided so far despite my inexperience on walking trips)

1. I didn't sign up with a group.  Have come across a couple of 12 (with guide) member walking groups and while they appear to be loving it,  I'll embrace my mistakes and stay solo.

2. Wrong Route Steve: this guy became legend in the Lake District while I was there by getting lost for 11 hours one day and on another day leaving Grasmere and mistakenly returning after a full day of hiking.  I actually walked with him for a couple hours at one stage and sure enough he got us off route. Unconfirmed reports have him bailing in Kirby Stephen.

3. Injuries: A few walkers have missed stages (or forced to withdraw completely) due to midge bite reactions, sprained limbs, and poor morale.

4. Floods: One group lost their luggage at the Shepard Arms in Grasmere when heavy rain flooded the hotel.  I had my own issues that day at Helm Crag.

Less than 60 mile to go...

Danby Wiske to Ingleby Cross...

Dutch Treat...

Jake and Sebastian

Danby Wiske...

In addition to my boot selection, the other major rookie mistake I've made is breaking up the stages from Richmond and beyond into too many short days.  Little did I know when I started this walk I would be knocking out twenty-plus mile days no problem.  I guess a training hike or two might have been helpful.  Yesterday's short walk left me in Danby Wiske, a wide spot in the road for which Wainwright had little love.  The evening turned out to be salvaged by a couple Dutch men (politician and designer) who are riding their bikes (of course) around England and a pair of ladies from London who had stayed at my Richmond dwelling.  Richmond was a bit of a Bates Motel experience so we had a good laugh and watched England beat Scotland in a football friendly.  Today brought me into Ingleby Cross (in my sandals again) and I fit in an extra-cirrcular walk to Osmotherly.  Okay, the Park House in Ingleby Cross just went up a notch--the hostess just presented me with a glass of prosecco.

"Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then..."

"Wish I could start this whole thing all over again" as Toby Keith sings or something like that.  No regrets yet.  I would highly recommend this trip to anyone.  I am not sure I would repeat it as there are so many other trips to take, but the combination of walking, pubs, pints,  English rural culture, camaraderie, etc has been fantastic.  Boots, Boots, Boots...oh did I say boots.  If you do not get decent boots, you will be spending lots of time in the other Boots (the English Chemist).  Fortunately, the poor constant state of my feet has not affected my enjoyment of the walk at all.  I would also find an American boot salesman who is familiar with the Coast to Coast because the boots most walkers wear here are significantly different than the standard American back packer. Logistics permitting, I would arrive St. Bees and immediately walk to Cleator rather than stay in St. Bees.  August is a great month to do the walk.  You have days where you see not another soul but yet might see a few other walkers in the pub at night.  September supposedly brings the crowds.  The high route alternatives in the Lake District are well worth the effort but not sure I would repeat the Helm Crag ridge-walk in a torrential down pour.  I would not stress too much over rain wear because on certain days all the stuff fails (even the really expensive brands). The drink and meal at the Langstrath in Stonethwaite was definitely worth a rainy walk from my lodging in Rosthwaite.  In Grasmere, both the Moss Grove Organic Hotel and the Jumble Room meal were definitely worth the splurge (and my timing was brilliant as the Coast to Coast kicked my ass that day). Margaret at the Brookfield House in Shap definitely lived up to her legend even though she delayed me to the pub an hour by stuffing me with warm raisin bread, cheese and cream tea.  Orton had its own charm and I was happy to break up the Shap to Kirby Stephen stage (Also Orton is where I met Rob and Liz at a picnic table as we were waiting several hours for our host at the Barn House to show up).  The Keld Lodge was a great stay as I got my pint order in right before a guided tour of twelve walked in.  Also had a fantastic meal of lamb's liver there.  The one low-level route I would do again is the Swaledale Valley alternative.  Walking into Reeth on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon and having a beer at the Black Bull (on Tour de France route) with Rob and Liz was certainly a highlight.  The Manse Lodging in Reeth also a nice spot.  Would skip the rest day in Richmond.  Do it alone? Not for everyone but the combination of solitary time and occasional company suits me.  Finally, the actual day-to-day walking has been phenomenal and the variety superb: high crags, forests, fields, quaint villages, etc... On to Danby Wiske.

Richmond...

Took a rest day in Richmond.  In hind

sight unneeded, but what the hell.

Variety on today's path...

Somewhere over the...

Dry start wet finish Reeth to Richmond

Tour de Reeth?

A stage of the Tour de France will come through this Reeth village corner in the

summer 2014.  Lodging already completely booked and t-shirts on sale.

The path narrows...

These squeeze stiles (many built under legal compulsion in the UK) are for allowing people access but not livestock.  Not always easy passage for a chubster like myself.

It's always sunny in Richmond...

Not today apparently...

My Pace Car...

Today's thirteen miles Keld to Reeth seemed quite long compared to yesterday's 14.  The track was fairly rocky at times and my feet look like an extra from a Claude Rains movie.  Was thinking I was taking too long, but rest day in Richmond could be well-timed.

Old Time Jazz...

A bit more pensioner's home than Bird Land on a Saturday, but sweet nonetheless.  A a short watch, joined Rob & Liz for a third straight dinner.  Sadly, tomorrow is my last walk with them as I stay on in Richmond an extra day.  But it looks like we are going to stay in touch.

Jazz in the afternoon...

Coast to Coast is great...you walk 13 miles in remote fields and hills not seeing a soul...

and then all of a sudden a twee little English village appears out of nowhere.  Will report later. Off to hear some standards.

Meet me halfway...

"Ooh, I can't go any further than this..." and sadly it's mushed peas and not the Black-Eyed Peas in Keld.  I am officially half-way on the Coast to Coast walk today as I strolled into Keld at a leisurely pace (well, not so leisurely when you are walking 14 1//2 miles with Rob and Liz...they make it seem so effortless.)  The wifi signal here at the Keld Lodge is slow...kind of like Keld on a Saturday night--What? No  farmer's social?  The route was very boggy initially. Twice today I heard the name "Phillipa" and knew I was in the UK Left Cumbria today and into West Yorkshire.

And finally, the boots I bought last night worked pretty, pretty good.

Who invited the Mongolians?

"Here comes the sun..."

My family are in the tent in Ireland this weekend.  After last year's monsoon left them non-stop cold and damp, Kate and Jack will forever swear off Irish camping if they don't get the weather this time!

"Don't know that I will but until I find me.."

My solo days on the path ended today as I joined a couple from Surrey for the 13 miles. Rob (Horticulture Therapist) and Liz (Architect).  Great people and nice to have company to celebrate the day's end. Go Guilford Flames!

There will be blood...

It had to be done...buying new boots a 1/3 of the way into the Coast to Coast.  Stay tuned...more gore photos after tomorrow's 14 miles.