Day 14 This is going to be our Big Final Day

Ok so today we are packing for our last day of walking. My blister was taped up and strapped up and with only 15.5 miles to go until my toes get dipped into the North Sea at Robin Hoods Bay. A place I cannot imagine, even though I've said the name every day for months as I have described my trip to people and tried to imagine the feeling of arriving after a192 mile trudge.

It will become real today unless anything dreadful happens.

We left Grosmont and for the first 30 minutes of walking it was a 33% uphill climb on the narrow road out and up to more heather moorland. 2 weeks ago this climb would have been so hard but we stormed it after all our ascents of the last 177 miles.

We needed a back marker today but with 13 people and 14 days of walking where we had all taken a turn we decided that my stripey hat would be worn by each of us for half an hour as back marker. We admined it perfectly, after all, we were a tight team by now. 

Look at Shirley she looked super stylish , even with her banana skin.

The day passed and we had incredible views of the sea with great skies, little fluffy clouds and lots of blue. 

At Hawsker Magaret's friend Karen appeared with home made chocolate brownie for us all as a treat. She had driven over 2 hours from Manchester to meet us all and had been tracking us across the moors. 

We eventually reached the coast but still had 3 miles to go until The Bay. We walked with the sea to our left and there appeared a double rainbow that started and ended in the sea.

Just look at that view. A treat for our eyes, spurring us on.

Look in the background. That's Robin Hoods Bay. Look at my face. I'm so giddy. I'm skipping along even though my toes are squished and my hooves need to be set free of my friendly boots as soon as I can.

The walk down into the Bay is so steep. We trot down the steep sloping road past the shops with souvenirs and there it is, the small bay with the sea.

I totter slowly into the water. I AM HERE, I HAVE DONE IT 192 MILES walked across England. 

It felt strangely low key, was that it? My boots are in the North Sea. The end of my journey with 13 other great people. Karen arrived with champagne for us all, what a great lady, just perfect. We congratulated each other with hugs and smiles and cheers and photos. Another rainbow appeared. 

I put my pebble into the waters edge. 

And turned my back to the sea to trudge back up the hill to the waiting coach to take us back to the hotel.

And that's another story. Back at the hotel I gave birth to my feet out of my boots for the last time, went to collect my room key and turned around. My face was a picture. There were Holly and Charli. In my hotel. They had driven over from Manchester, 3 hours drive to see me and welcome me back. What a wonderful surprise. I had no idea of their plans, the little monkeys. I couldn't quite believe it that they were with me even if it was just for 2 hours. THANKYOU girls. You are my superstars and what a great reason for being self sufficient and driving yourselves wherever you choose to go. We celebrated with chocolate on my bed.

Apparently I was a bit smelly.

I waved the girls off at dinner time still not quite believing they had really been here and then celebrated with prosecco which I bought for our team. I stood up and handed our collection to Howard, our leader that had painstaking lead us safely over all the terrain, 192 miles across our gloriously unspoilt North of England as a volunteer for HF Holidays. He immediately passed the collection to Elizabeth and I to give to our charities as we were the only two who were walking for charity. We were lost for words. It didn't seem right but Howard was adamant and we had to accept with grace.

What a day, what a night. What a two weeks. I have an amazing life. It's been a privilege. 

I've DONE it and I can still put one foot in front of the other. I'm so happy. Thank you for reading and supporting me.

Xxxx 

Day 13 And my feet are suffering

This morning the sun shone on top of the moors but it was windy and felt quite cold. I wrapped myself up warm in my hat, gloves and minion jacket and we started the long tramp across the heather moorland. I also felt that I may be getting a cold but that went away as the day progressed.

We came across Fat Betty, a white painted stone where it was tradition to leave food for her. I left her some floral gums, she may appreciate those.

This is Elizabeth and I with Fat Betty.

Looking in the far distance I could make out the sea. OMG was that really the sea? The North Sea? 

I was giddy.

This is my giddy face with the sea in the distance behind me, not easy to see in the picture but trust me it was there.

By lunchtime my left heel was feeling sore and my socks were not behaving. The compeeds had left so much sticky stuff deposited on my inner socks that they were sticking to my feet and my outer socks and looking inside there was a juicy blister forming. Oh no this wasn't good news. I re dressed it and we clopped on until suddenly the heather and moorland had disappeared and we were walking in woodland and along village roads. Thank goodness for my poles as I hobbled on. I am seeing my future now with poles as aids.

This is us all on Beggars Bridge.

At Grosmont, our final destination, there was an old fashioned station and crossing and I wandered up to the working sheds to see a steam train that was being renovated. Don't ask me why I walked further than was necessary today but I was nosey and didn't want to miss out on anything. I went to find some of the team in the local pub and joined them for a quick drink. I also went into the sweet shop and bought a bag of rhubarb and custard sweets to share out on the bus ride back.

Tonight was Dollies birthday celebration and we had cake and sang "when I'm 64" because she was. 

I bought her a small sheep as a momento of our trip and we ate her cake all together as we went through the answers to the quiz Howard had set at the beginning of the walk. I got 43/50 but not all the answers were mine as Elizabeth and I had conferred last night.

My feet are hot, sore and blistered on one heal. But the last 15.5 miles will not defeat me tomorrow. 

Robin Hood's Bay I'm coming for you. Watch out.

X

Day 12 Refreshers and Floral Gums

Today our coach was 15 minutes late which meant we would miss our elevenses break again :(

It was supposed to rain this morning but the sun was shining and the forecast was wrong thank goodness. There was still a cool wind though so during the four peak climb up and down this morning I put on my striped hat and whiled away the downward walks chewing floral gums which I had carried in my pocket for the whole trip.

I'm looking particularly unstylish but at least my ears were warm.

Once the four peaks across the ridge of the Cleveland Hills had been accomplished we joined an old disused rail line that used to lead from the iron mines. It was 6 miles of flat trail through heather with grouse occasionally flying up as we disturbed them. Except for this one bold grouse that stopped to chat to us.

He had white feathery legs and a very deep voice.

My shadow that has followed me most of this walk.

2hours it took us to walk the six flat miles and we came to a pub where we were being collected. We were half an hour early before the coach was due so time for a quick drink and sit down in the warm.

Look at the sky as we arrived at the pub.

As the coach set off we were suddenly in a downpour and the cloud had closed in very quickly. We finished our walk just in time. 12.5 miles. 

After dinner tonight there was a tour of Whitby in the dark in an open topped bus. It was freezing but interesting to be shown round the town although we couldn't see a lot. The abbey was dark and looming on the cliff but it was something different to do instead of going to bed early. 

Two more days and I'm going to miss this walking trip and all my new friends.

X

Day 11 Dicing with Death crossing a railway line and the A19 dual carriageway

This morning we left Hartforth Hall in rain and headed off in taxis to our start point Danby Wiske where we left off last night.

Today we were aiming for 17 miles and we continued to tramp the flat pasture land for about 8 miles in the rain. Alfred Wainwright called this part of the walk the trough of despond, The Vale of Mowbray.

We crossed a working railway line. Looked both ways lots of times to check nothing was coming.

Then we headed towards the A19 which we could hear in the distance. I was shocked to find there was no bridge over or under for walkers. We had to run for our lives with juggernauts heading for us at 70 miles an hour. Thankfully there was a central grassed section that we could wait halfway but it was not a good place to stand.

Now we hit the uphill which took us to the top of a hill that we could see for the past two days. Steep zig and zag and suddenly we were looking back across the whole Vale of Mowbray as the clouds lifted, the rain stopped and the sun started to appear.

We are now on the North York Moors and the scenery has changed completely. Heather, open moorland and big skies.

We are heading for that peak in the distance but there's a good two miles before we get there.

My feet are feeling like hooves again and my boots are wet. It's a long slog today. 17 miles in 6.75 hours with 700m ascent.

A coach collected us for the hour drive to Whitby Larpool Hall. The sun was out, there was a rainbow in the distance and it was lovely to sit down and rest as we had very short breaks due to the bad weather.

Exhausted today. 

X

Day 10 Flat Land and Cloudy Skies

It was a cloudy day.

We went in a taxi back to Richmond and set off following the Swale river heading East, of course.

The day was unremarkable starting off through lovely woodland by the river leading on to grassy fields with gates and stiles separating one from another across the Vale of Mowbry.

There was some excitement as we crossed the A1 when we realised we had passed the two thirds mark. Yippee. Each step was one step nearer our destination.

Lunch was eaten once again in a churchyard which I must say is a bit weird but at least this time there were seats and people weren't sitting on grave stones.

In the afternoon we passed through some fields of maize and wild flowers which added some colour into the day and also an ingenious plastic box set up in a hedge with a visitors book inside. It had been put there by the farmer who helped make the tracks good for C2C walkers so they could write a comment as they passed through.

Alfred Wainwright described this part of the walk as uninspiring and said it was time for contemplating the incredible scenery passed in the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales and what lies ahead on the North York Moors.

15 miles on we entered Danby Wiske bringing our total to 132.5 miles in total with approx 60 left to do.

My feet are starting to feel like hooves in my boots by the end of the day. My boots need a good clean but I think that may happen tomorrow in the wall to wall rain forecast. It's going to be a long hard slog tomorrow.

Back at Hartforth Hall our hosts David and Anne laid on Pimms in the pink drawing room before dinner. I had a Sunday roast of beef followed by lemon meringue pie and by 8.30pm most people were heading for bed. And this is supposed to be a holiday????

Time to get my feet up too. X

Day 9 Lady Loz in Hartforth Hall

Hold the walk, we just arrived after 10.5 miles of green fields, blue skies, sheep and cows, at Hartforth Hall, Richmond, North Yorkshire. 

What a place, Fawlty Towers still lives. It's grand, cheesy and owned by David who gave us a guided tour  of his historical country mansion hotel.

There's a wedgewood room where the tables were laid out for dinner, a pale pink drawing room, two staircases one of which has various deer heads and antlers hanging off the walls. Each room is named after a poet and wifi seems alien here even though it is available.

The weather today has been full sunshine and blue skies with white fluffy clouds. A delightful amble over grassy fields through many gates and various stiles. Lots of people around today on the trail as it was Saturday and a nice day. One chap came by me and said I look like I'm ready to go from trail to nightclub in my outfit. Oh yes, so I could but too tired to go dancing tonight.

Another 10.5 miles ticked off. Total of 117.5 miles done. Very little ascent today 330m finishing up at Richmond where we had time to wander the shops and get a 99 as a reward.

Goodnight from damp pillows and a flowery bedspread. X

Day 8 Reaching the 100 Mile point Yippee

Once again we had a dry day forecast with possible showers in the afternoon. We were driven back to Keld in the mini bus for the start of our 8th day of walking.

Today we passed mainly through an area of dereliction as this was where the lead mines used to be until the early 1900's when they were closed down due to foreign imports of lead.

We passed derelict buildings that had once been a hive of industry worked by hundreds of men and even women and children had working roles here. 

There was evidence to be seen of scars in the hillsides and displaced shale piles all around. It was a sorry sight after the countryside views of the previous days.

Our lunch spot today marked the 100 miles of our journey walked so far. I celebrated it with another group selfie.

The sun was shining on us all.

Today we passed a few small groups doing their gold Duke of Edinburgh. They were traipsing along with massive packs, tents, sleeping bags, the lot. I was happy to just have my lunch, my water and some waterproof clothing in case of rain in my back pack. 

It did start to rain about 30 minutes out of Reeth which was our destination today. We were lucky as all afternoon the grey skies had been threatening us.

We had 45 minutes to explore Reeth before being picked up for the 26 mile journey back to Kirkby Stephen for our last night and our lovely home cooked dinner. Tonight I chose lamb chops.

I found a can of Shandy Bass in a little shop in Reeth and it tasted so good.

My boots are looking well worn and grubby now. 

11 miles done today with only 330m of ascent bringing the total mileage now to 107 miles. 

My feet are feeling sore and hot tonight but nothing a good nights sleep won't help.

X