Coast to Coast Walk 2009

[Pete Collins]

I'm really enjoying the reports of your walk, foxy mars, and appreciate you taking the time to write them. They're bringing back many happy memories of when I did the walk many years ago. And I really feel for you too - I know how painful walking long distances with blisters can be.

[foxy mars]

Blakey Ridge to Littlebeck - 18 Miles

After last night's windy conditions, with the tent being buffed a bit, I woke up at 6.30am. This morning, we four, are having a full english breakfast and I think we have earned it after yesterday's 21 mile walk. The breakfast was booked for 7.30am and what a breakfast it was, I can really recommend the Lion Inn.

Today, we have a 18 mile walk to Littlebeck, camping at Intake Farm. The original plan was to camp at Priory Farm, Grosmont, this would of been 15 miles. However to push another 3 miles did seem a better idea and would make the final day to Robin Hood's Bay a bit shorter, just to get to the bar of the Bay Hotel.

Today's walk is not so hard as yesterday, in fact we have a nice descent from Trough House to Glaisdale for 6 miles and one climb out of Grosmont to Sleight's Moor for 1.5 mile. after packing the gear away, we got away about 8.30am to walk up the Castleton to Hutton le Hole road for a mile for the right turn off at Margery Bradley (boundery stone) I had only done 1/4 mile when I stopped to inspect the boots, these were giving me some trouble and I was not happy with them, so I swopped the spare inner soles I had in the rucksack with the inner soles in the boots and thrown them in the next litter bin.

I pushed for White Cross or better known as "Fat Betty" to catch up Ian, whilst the 2 Kev's were up in front for a mile or so. We reached Trough House, here we have very good views of Great Fryupdale to the left and Glaisdale to the right. From Trough House, we continued on a rather wet stony track over Glaisdale Moor to the tarmac road to walk downhill to Glaisdale on Glaisdale Rigg.

Here, there was a lot of fighter jet's flying over to the North-Sea and back over again, probably on training runs, no doubt. We are now on a lovely track to Glaisdale and the weather is sunny and warm. At Glaisdale, the thoughts of a cup of tea were dashed, due the closure of the station tea-room and whilst walking down the road, I noticed the pub that was the Moon & Sixpence "formerly the Angler's Rest" is now a private house, how thing's change. In Glaisdale, we re-stocked the supplies and with a good butcher's shop next door, I got a lovely pork pie to scoff while I was walking.

I said to the lad's, that there should be couple of tea-rooms in Grosmont, which is a more of a tourist's trap due to the ever popular North York Moors Railway, we'll see. After Beggar's Bridge, we continued through East Arncliffe Wood up a very wet packhorse pannier way to descent once again to Egton Bridge. Here is a pub I can't remember the name now, that had a bar meal menu board outdoor. I was very tempted to stop and eat, but the lads wanted to push on to Grosmont.

At the east end of Egton Bridge, we continued on a nice level track "The Toll Road" to bring us to Grosmont. Here I treated my sore toe blisters once again and then pushed on to Grosmont in search of a cup of tea. After 10 minutes, we were in luck and were sitting down drinking Yorkshire Tea.

The weather is somewhat changing and we were to get short sharp showers lasting about 5 minutes, the ones I like, when the sun comes back out afterwards. After a 1/2 hour's stop, we pushed on up the steep road to Sleight's Moor for about a mile or so, Then it's back on to the moor again. On the moor, we seem to stray off course for some reason, but did manage to get to the A169 Whitby to Pickering road. The A169 is not as busy as the A19, but you do need your wits about you whilst crossing this long stretch of lonely moorland road.

Once over, I rang Intake Farm to let Judith know that we are not far off the farm. Judith said there is a good short-cut via Quebec Farm avoiding the steep descent and ascent of Littlebeck, good advice too. On a good bridle way, we soon arrived at Intake Farm, when Judith greeted us. Here she showed us the lovely kept lawn and made us all a lovely mug of tea with fruit cake, this is great I thought.

Once again, the threat of the heavy rain showers were ever looming over and had to retreat to the farm kitchen taking our mugs of tea. In the kitchen, we had a good chat with Judith and a lovely lady she is too. She said we could use the shower in the bathroon, if we wished to, we said yes. After the heavy showers had passed over, we all pitched up the tents and soon were eating our meals, mine was savory rice with tuna chunks.

Afterwards, we all had a chat about tommorrow's walk into Robin Hood's Bay and felt excited about the final mile to the bar of the Bay Hotel. Afterwards, about 9.00pm, we all retired to our warm comfy sleeping bags. In the early hours of the morning about 2.00am, it seems to rain very heavy and judging by tommorrow's walk which was very wet underfoot, it did rain quite a bit. Nevertheless, the Laser Comp tent did stand up to it and done me proud, a good buy of a tent.


Rosedale from Blakely Ridge Road

White Cross or better known as Fat Betty

A Coast to Coast way-sign near Trough House

Looking in Fryupdale

A steam train at Grosmont Station

Our tents at Intake Farm nr Littlebeck

[hobble]

Sounds like your walk is brilliant. I am quite envious sitting here reading your tales. The scenery is wonderful and I can see why you enjoy those breakfasts so much!!!

[foxy mars]

Thanks, Hobble. The walk was great and the best crossing I've done like the 1st one. Oh yes, them cooked full english breakfast's were something to die for. I think I would do the Coast to Coast again, just for the cooked breakfast. I wonder if I will get the same on the planned Pennine Way for next year, who knows. Anyway, the last day of the Coast to Coast report will be posted shortly. I think I've done pretty well on the report, thinking from memory. Must of been all that tuna and rice, good for the brain.

[foxy mars]

Littlebeck to Robin Hood's Bay - 12 Miles

I woke up about 7.30am and having popped my head outside, the weather is not too bad after last night's rain. Today is the last day of the Coast to Coast and I'm looking forward to Robin Hood's Bay and get in that pub - The Bay Hotel for a pint or two. Once I had breakast, we all packed up the gear and got moving. We headed south for 2 miles down the May Beck Valley for the car-park. But first we go through Little Beck Wood, a charming wood, but a bit muddy too. After Little Beck Wood, we reached the Hermitage, where a local Hermit lived. Then we descented to Midge Hall - a former National Trust propery, now a private house. We also took photos of Falling Foss, a waterfall at that.

After last night's heavy rain, the stepping stones on May Beck were underwater and somewhat tricky to cross. I suggested to back-track to Newton Farm and up the track to the B1416 road, but the lads wanted to stick to the Coast to Coast route. We saw this Coast to Coast sign and proceeded to go on in it's direction, but I felt uneasy. However we pushed on nevertheless, regardless on what was ahead of us. after a short while, we looked at the map and thinking we should of been on the left bank of the May Beck, I thought, it's gonna be one of them days and the last one too. Further on, the 2 Kev's had the idea of fording the fast-flowing beck at some point, it's must of been 2-3 feet in places. But in the water, the 2 Kev's went. Me and Ian decided to push on further up the valley. The path was clear in places and then disappered again, I was not clearly enjoying this. After 20 minutes, we reached May Beck car-park with it's very tame Chaffinch's. I took out a flapjack and fed the bird's with some of the flapjack, I think the bird's enjoyed their little feast.

We then climbed out of the valley up to the New May Beck Farm to take us over Sneaton Low Moor on to B1416 road. The next section is Greystone Hills and a very wet section that was too, more boot slogging through the cold wet marshes. When I think back on reflecting the walk,I wish that now I would of, if I had known about this moor. I would of taken the back lane to Sneatonthorpe and onto Middle Rigg to pick up the Coast to Coast path again at Hawsker village, it would of been a lot drier underfoot.

After passing through Northcliffe caravan park, we finally reached the cliff of the North Yorkshire coast. Here before the cliffs, we decided to have a 20 minute stop before pushing on all the way to Robin Hood's Bay. The cliff path was muddy and slippy in places and again I would of taken the former Whitby to Scarborough railway track instead, it would of been drier. I think Ian and the 2 Kev's had this liking for being wild "n" wet, not me.

Then out of the blue, came the wonderful sight of Robin Hood's Bay in all it's glory. More photos taken and only 1 mile left to do now. We reached Robin Hood's Bay with it's day-trippers and school-parties and what a great feeling to be here. We descented down the cobbled street to the Bay and first of foremost, is dipped the ruddy boots in the North Sea, in my and Kev (Yank) case, we walked in up to our knees deep in that smelly water. I also chucked in my pebbled that picked up at St.Bees into the North Sea, all good fun.

After getting our photos taken, we all then popped into the Bay Hotel for a couple of pints, signed the Coast to Coast recording book and over to the Fish & Chippy in the nearby alley-way. I wanted a t-shirt in the pub, but @ £15, I decided to get a C2C fridge magnet, not the same as a t-shirt. I will return on my planned bike ride and get a t-shirt then.

Tonight, we are camping at the Middlewood Farm Caravan & Camping site and a nice site it is too. But I would not want to go back there, there is a site warden laying the rules down, saying there is your pitch lads. Now I want 2 tents from front to back and the other 2 tents side to side. Another 5 minutes later, he came back, saying just move your tents another foot over to the right. Reason, because of the electric hook-up's nearby. We were no where near them and it was his idea putting us there in the first place.

Anyway after all that. We had eaten our last main meal of the holiday and decided to go back to the Bay Hotel to meet Rupert, The Essex Guys, the lovely Canadian couple. We all had a nice time talking about today's walk over that wet sodden moor and the Canadian couple had taken photos of each us in a group shot.

Tommorrow is back home, but with just enough time to see Whitby and a bite to eat and to say fairwell to Ian and Kev, Kev the Yank is going to Wales, so he was on the same train as me going home via the Esk Valley Line.

Reflecting on the Coast to Coast walk:
The weather was a mixed bag, we were really lucky for the time we had in the Lake District. There was only one bad day and that was on Nine Standards, with the other days from there on, being a mixture of showers and sunshine. I did not suffer from any knee trouble like my Coast to Coast Walk in 2007, but I did suffer with blisters and sore feet this time. I blamed the cheapy nasty Aldi boots, lesson learned.

I did set off on the Coast to Coast by myself and only met Kev the Yank at Cleator, I met Ian and his mate Kev, on Gibson Knott even if we were camping next door to each other at Rosethwaite and more or less minding my own business. But after Grasmere, we all stuck together and remained together as really good walking friends. We all had a good laugh every day and night and not one of us moaned about the weather, we were camping every night (apart from me at St Bees using a B&B). These three men were true back-packer's and I also learned a lot from them, truly good friend's.

It was a sad day when we all departed going our own ways back home, but I came home feeling what a great holiday I've had and with some of the finest lads you could of wished for.

Well, that's it. Folks...The end, I hope you have enjoyed reading my report and photos, as well as I've had doing the walk. I do hope I have inspired people who would love to do the Coast to Coast, because it is a truly great walk and we have one man to thank for it...A.Wainwright, god bless his soul.

The Hermitage, May Beck

Looking to Whitby

Falling Foss

Robin Hood's Bay

Us, at the Bay

The Bay Hotel, Robin Hood's Bay

[sunnydale]

Fantastic account of your C2C Foxy I've enjoyed reading it and looking at your photos too! Well done on completing the walk this time around!


Tracey.x

[Meta menardi]

I have really enjoyed it, I bet the memories will keep you warm for ages. Thanks for finding the time to write it, I am going to go back to the beginning and start all over again, using the maps.

[Pete Collins]

Well done foxy mars! I've really enjoyed your account of your trip. Thanks for taking the time to write it. I'm sure in years to come you'll enjoy reading it yourself, to jog your memories.