Goodbye Robin Hoods Bay, Hello Spain

Way back in Patterdale we noticed someone with a large pack that had a white waterproof cover – Steve and I took to calling him “white pack”. We took his picture for him (with his camera) on Kidsty Pike and said hi to him a few times along the way. We didn’t really speak to him until we got to Keld Lodge where we learnt his name was Mike and he was doing the Coast to Coast the hard way – carrying all his gear including tent (only around 2% of the 6,000+ people who do the walk do it this way).

At Keld Lodge Mike regaled us with stories over a few ales. Turns out he had worked in Australia near Coober Pedy cooking for some jackeroos who were rounding up cattle in the outback. He had also travelled the world on his motorbike which he was having trouble starting. He was walking to his parent’s place near Robin Hoods Bay where his motorbike and most of his other belongings were. So Steve offered to have a look if it could be organised either the day we arrived or before we left for Scarborough the following morning.

Mike found us at Robin Hoods Bay (not a big place) and said he would take us to Scarborough train station the next day if Steve looked at his bike. He took us to his parent’s place where he introduced Steve to his old Honda…and his old (some brand we don’t know – Jawa?)…and his old MG…and his old Vespa…and his grandma’s old Morris 1100…and his old (foot powered) scooter…and his old ski sled…oh, and his mum Maureen (his dad was playing golf).

We had a cup of tea and scones (requested by Steve) with Mike’s mum Maureen (a very nice lady) while Steve gave Mike’s Honda a thorough going over. Unfortunately it was declared dead but Mike still stuck to his end of the deal (as we suspected he always would) and drove us to Scarborough while singing Two Little Boys and assorted Monty Python tunes.

What we haven’t mentioned until now is that if you look closely at some of the photos you will see (despite the make-up) that Sylvia is sporting two black eyes. (Almost three weeks later they still haven’t completely disappeared). On day 6 (Sat 22/8) walking from Shap to Orton (just outside Oddendale) she took a tumble and landed fair and square face first with her nose taking the brunt of the fall. Lesson for walkers with hooks on their boots – no matter how sore your ankles don’t leave the top hooks undone or you too could find your right lace hooked onto your left boot and the road rapidly approaching your face. Anyway Mike bought her a little pendant of Whitby jet because he thought it was good that she hadn’t abandoned the walk. There is a runic symbol on the pendant that means “Safe Travel”.

It was a short train ride from Scarborough to York where we had to change to a train going to London Kings Cross. We asked the station staff which platform and waited patiently while organising lunch and coffees. Just before the train pulled in there was an announcement over the intercom made by someone from the same school that all train announcers go to that we couldn’t understand which caused some people to start running to another platform. When the train pulled in I asked which carriage we should get on only to discover that although it was going to Kings Cross it wasn’t our train! We had to be where the others had sprinted to which was across a bridge.

Just to add to the panic, our train was just  arriving so I sprinted across the bridge and stood holding the door to our carriage open. This left Sylvia, Steve and Carol manhandling a trolley with four large backpacks down a lift, sprinting the underpass and going up the lift on the other side. We threw the bags onto the train and as Carol was getting on they shut the doors behind her almost pushing her onto the train – disaster averted.

The train ride to Kings Cross took around 3 hours but – how cool is this – it had a wi-fi connection to the internet. This gave us a chance to post another day’s events to our blog and Carol managed a post or two to theirs.

We stayed overnight at a guest house near Stansted Airport called The Willows. This was only 20 minutes from Anni’s current digs so she came and picked us up for dinner. We had a very pleasant meal at a small pub called The Three Horseshoes. (Steve – if you are reading this I have to apologise. Although I got all your Robin Hoods Bay photos it seems that I missed adding in your photos from the Willows and The Three Horseshoes that night – SORRY!)

The next morning it was up early and on the plane to Oviedo in Spain!

Day 17 (Last Day!)– Grosmont to Robin Hoods Bay

A long walk to finish – 25kms – that began with an extremely steep 3km hill coming out of Grosmont – now we knew what the old gentleman in Glaisdale was referring to! And just to top it off we were walking through heather covered moors with patches of bog – again!

After leaving the moors (for the last time!) we came to a small hamlet called Littlebeck. It had some nice old houses but it led to Little Beck Wood. A lovely walk through oak trees that seemed to contain more birdlife than we had seen anywhere else on the walk. The weirdest thing though was a large boulder that had been hollowed out in 1790 called The Hermitage (see gurning photo of the day below). After emerging from the wood we could see most of the way back to Grosmont – well at least to the top of the long hill and our path through the moors before Littlebeck. 

And then, much to everyone’s joy, we saw the sea. In fact we were so pleased we stopped for lunch!

After a little more walking we saw Robin Hoods Bay for the first time. We stopped for the obligatory photos and then set off for the last march.

At the harbour we wet our feet in the North Sea and threw the pebbles we picked up from the Irish Sea at St Bees 17 days ago into the water. After all that walking we really needed filling so Steve and I ordered cod and chips – must have been some cod in its day!

We stayed at The Wayfarer Bistro & Guest House in Robin Hoods Bay. The rooms overlooked the main street in Robin Hoods Bay and was most comfortable. There was mail for us when we arrived a Congratulations card from Kath. Thanks for having such confidence in us Kath, or was it that being a Cumbrian lass you knew if we had made it through the Lake District in the pouring rain the rest of the walk would seem relatively easy by comparison? :-)

 

UK Coast to Coast - Grosmont to Robin Hoods Bay (Day 17)

 

Gurning Photo of the Day – The Hermitage

The End

317.9km travelled, 9454m climbed and 9467m descended over 16 days of walking (with a rest day in Richmond) and now it’s finished. Even with all the training it has been tough on occasion. Everyone says how terrific the Coast to Coast walk is, and so it is, with some truly awesome scenery along the way and the company of old friends and new. But no-one mentions the howling winds, torrential rain, biting insects, tracks that turn into streams, blistered feet (despite all the preparations) and aching muscles. Despite all that we wouldn’t have missed it for the world.

Would we do anything different given what we know now? Yep – we’d buy waterproof pack liners as well as covers, as the covers just didn’t do the job in the heavy rain and the contents of our day packs were often wet. We’d also try and ensure that all the accommodation we booked had adequate drying facilities.

It will feel strange getting up tomorrow morning and not having to walk between 11 and 26km but this leg of the trip is at an end and it’s off to northern Spain next. Asturias here we come!

 

UK Coast to Coast - St Bees to Robin Hoods Bay

Click above to see the EveryTrail of the entire Coast to Coast.

Day 16 – Blakey Ridge to Grosmont

A big day today as we did 23.5kms.

The track from the Lion Inn follows the old railway again for a while but no mountain bikes to contend with today – just more moors! The Lion Inn is extremely isolated being in the middle of the North York Moors National Park.

While walking, and during the night, we could hear the sound of grouse but they are very reluctant to show themselves. But when they do break cover they tend to burst out like rockets making a strange whirring sound.

Eventually we left the North York Moors and emerged at a village called Glaisdale. It mainly consisted of older terraced houses that had been built for the miners in the lead mines that used to operate in the district. We stopped to buy some lunch at the local store where an old gentleman smiled and said that he would be “thinking of us the next morning walking out of Grosmont” – sounded ominous!

We ate our lunch on Beggar’s Bridge built in the 1800s by a sailor who had made his fortune but missed saying goodbye to his sweetheart because the river was flooded. A magnanimous gesture so that no-one else suffered the same fate.

The final approach to Grosmont was along an old toll road. The original toll booth is still there with the prices. And, typically for us, we had to don our waterproofs for the last half hour as it started raining, complete with thunder and lightning. Despite this, Steve declared the day to be “rain free” as we arrived at Hollins Lodge relatively dry.

Grosmont is known for its steam railway museum complete with working trains. We also think it should be known for the steepness of the streets and their crazy building techniques :)

 

UK Coast to Coast - Urra to Blakey Ridge to Grosmont (Day 16)

Gurning Photo of the Day – Black Betty

Day 15 – Urra to Blakey Ridge

Only 14.5kms today. Thankfully we didn’t have to reverse our trek down from Claybank Top to Maltkiln house. There were some tracks that gave us access back to the official C2C track about 2km from Claybank Top. There were some old boundary markers right where we came onto the C2C track – one had a hand carved on it and the other a face.

This was another day spent striding across the moors amongst the heather. But this time, because the track we were walking was an old railway, we were in the company of a horde of people on mountain bikes doing the coast to coast. Some called out or rang their bells to warn that they were passing but a few were a bit on the dangerous side.

 

When we are walking Steve tends to either be striding out in front (if Carol has confiscated his camera :-)) or lagging in the rear taking photos – Frank has nicknamed him the new “photagonist”, a nickname previously reserved for Frank. But either way at the end of each day Steve generally makes a dash for the finish, showing us all a clean pair of heels as he disappears in the distance :-)

Staying at the Lion Inn, the only place for miles to stay or get a meal. We had room 11 which had views over the moors and a double shower with heaps of water pressure and lots of hot water – bliss! Being in the newer part of the building it also had Internet access and taller ceilings. Some of the doorways in the original building were a health hazard in that if you didn’t notice you could take your head off on the beams :-)

UK Coast to Coast - Urra to Blakey Ridge (Day 15)

Gurning Photo of the Day – Moor Heather