Day 13

Today's section of walk was to provide with the type of terrain we like the best…..undulating. Actually, that's a bit of an understatement as the North York Moors provide you with quite a bit of gradient, and a super pretty walk.

We left Osmotherley to the sound of church bells and rejoined the Coast to Coast/Cleveland Way via the Lyke Wake Walk. Yes, confusing, but basically the three walks became one for today's amble. The forest before the moors was the type where you'd expect to run into Robin of the Hood and a few of his posse. They were nowhere to be seen today on the steep climb to Live Moor. We did see a memorial sign for Bill Cowley though. Mum's shocked statement of, "Oh! Did he die?!" made me think that she knew who he was. But no. Sorry…this probably doesn't sound funny, but we were in stitches for the next five minutes. Small things, perhaps.

The moors are beautiful this time of year with the dense covering of purple heather in full bloom. It was almost like walking through wild lavender fields. Almost. The elevation of Carlton Moor lent itself to some super views, and on a less hazy day, we would have been able to see our final destination, The North Sea. But today we had to be satisfied with rolling fields and cottages, Middlesborough, Roseberry Topping (cool name, huh?!) and Captain Cook's monument (one for the Aussies). Next was a steep decent at the bottom of which was Lord Stones Cafe. Although quite a modest little dwelling, it proved a popular and busy stop for walkers, cyclists, motor bike riders and Sunday drivers alike. The day's obligatory cup of tea was had before continuing on our way. Another steep climb got us to Kirby Bank on Cringle Moor before our path would divert slightly to take us to tonight's accommodation at Great Broughton, rather than onto Clay Bank Top which is the next town on the Coast to Coast. Just so you know that we didn't cheat though, I should mention that we did continue on further up the main track so to visit Wain Stones. This is a rocky outcrop on the top of Hasty Bank which was a bit of a favourite with Wainright. Supposedly they look like cake decorations. Really? Is that what cake decorations look like?? Who on earth came up with that description?? It was probably Prince Charles again. Nothing is better than scrambling up big boulders so, being the kid that I am, I was in my own little "playground". Thanks Mother Nature!

Next we back tracked to get on the trail to Great Broughton. It was a lot further than we thought. And then with another final big decent in boggy ground before a big tramp through farmyards, we agreed that surely we'd added at least another five mile to our walk today. Perhaps we should have gone to Clay Bank Top and waited for the complementary lift. But that just wouldn't have be right, now would it?!

XXX