DAY 14 - ***ROBIN HOOD'S BAY***

The end of the road!!  After 192 miles walking across England and arriving in Robin Hood's Bay along with Clive and Alan, soaked to the skin after walking 16.1/2 miles today in strong winds and horizontal rain, I can't describe how it felt to stride into the North Sea for the official finish of the Coast to Coast.  After a celebratory drink in The Bay with other Coast to Coasters, checked into the Northcliff Hotel to dry out before we all met up for dinner.  Seen my video for the first time on You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKCC9YRBkhI  (thank you Tony - you've done a great job, and for walking with me from Patterdale to Shap). 
Will have a good relaxing night's sleep tonight knowing that the job's done and I'm on my way home tomorrow!

DAY 13 - BLAKEY - GROSMONT



Grosmont station



Beggar's Bridge



Steam train at Grosmont



My day started earlier than I would have liked here at the Feversham Arms when the cockerel started crowing at 4.00am and forgot to stop.  The hotel was full of landed gentry up here for grouse shooting along with their beaters.  After breakfast, was dropped off on the route and walked over the moors 1400 ft up with the full length of Rosedale stretching for miles.  Met up with Pru and Steve and their dog Megan and walked with them.  The weather has improved today.  The descent went along Glaisdale Rigg, the ridge between Great Fryup Dale and Glaisdale.  Arrived at Glaisdale at lunchtime and went down to the railway station and over Beggar's Bridge.  Arncliffe woods was a complete contrast after the moors but very muddy.  Walked through the woods beside the river, through Egton manor and finally Grosmont.  Checked into the Station Tavern next to the station and spent the afternoon watching  steam trains and the work going on in the engine sheds from the viewing platform.   

DAY 12 - CLAY BANK TOP TO BLAKEY

Fat Betty



Lion Inn, Blakey



The Hand Stone



This has been a miserable day with wind, rain and fog on the moors - could hardly see a thing.  The only excitement I had was when a couple of cyclists crept up behind me on the moors and I nearly shot out of my skin.  I set off this morning and begun the steady climb from Clay Bank Top to Urra Moor, the highest ground of the North York Moors.  After that walking was easy on the path to Bloworth crossing then joined and the track of old Rosedale railway which I followed for miles.  A complete contrast to the previous day. Arrived at Blakey and had a bowl of hot soup in the Lion Inn before being collected and ferried to my B & B for the night at the Farndale Arms which is off route.  Although today was boring and tedious, the only consolation being that it's given my knees a rest after the hammering they took yesterday.

DAY 11 - OSMOTHERLEY - CLAY BANK TOP



Climber on the Wainstones

 Walked with Paul today.  The first part of today's walk was quite strenuous as it involved a lot of ascents and descents on the Cleveland Hills and my knees are suffering now.  There are a lot of outdoor activities take place on Carleton Moor -there was a running club out doing a charity run, rock climbers, mountain bikers and normally paragliding but because of the strong winds and heavy rain today, it was called off.  This part of the Coast to Coast is also the Cleveland Way.  We stopped at the Live Stones tearoom for tea and home-made scones.  Passed the Wainstones which involved a bit of scrambling.   After the last hill climb of Hasty Bank, came down and as there's no accommodation at Clay Bank Top, I was met by the daughter of the lovely lady who I'm staying with tonight, aged 86, who's been opening her doors to Coast to Coasters for the last 30 years. There are four others also staying the night, one of whom's on his 8th crossing!  We all went out for a meal tonight to the local pub.  After today's 12 miles, I've now got 152 miles under my belt.

DAY 10 - BROMPTON-ON-SWALE - OSMOTHERLEY



Pit stop at Danby Wiske



Blue Bell, Ingleby Cross



Today marked another milestone - crossing the boundary into the North Yorkshire Moors National Park. 19 miles of walking across the dull, flat Vale of Mowbray on a mix of lanes, footpaths, quiet roads and fields and after leaving Brompton-on-Swale, which saw the end of the River Swale I've been following for miles, I hardly saw a soul except for 3 cyclists, 3 riders on horseback, 3 grey squirrels, about 40 pheasants and another lone Coast to Coast walker.  After passing Streetlam where the football pitch was overrun by sheep (saves on mowing), stopped at the White Swan, Danby Wiske for liquid refreshments and a bite to eat.  Eventually arrived at Osmotherley, a lovely little village (milepost 141) where I was delighted to learn that my accommodation was also occupied by a school party of about 40 kids! Escaped to the village where a resident told me Osmotherley was also known at the Bermuda Triangle - 3 pubs and after visiting the third one, you don't know where you are.  Met Dave and Michelle in the pub over a pint of Black Sheep - they're also staying also at Osmotherley YH along with the hoard of kids.

DAY 9 - REETH - BROMPTON-ON-SWALE

Richmond Castle



Richmond




Ken striding out



Had a good day's brisk walking today although very windy with plenty of rain (saw 3 different rainbows) and quite cold.  Left Reeth at 9.15am.  Crossed the bridge over the river and took the path that follows the Swale, leaving the river as the path climbed along Whitcliffe Scar and into Whitcliffe woods.  Went through the village of Marrick and stopped at Marske and had tea in the church with Sally and her husband.  Got to Richmond by 1.00pm and had a look round for a camera shop but had no luck.  I left Richmond and went onto Brompton-on-Swale, another 4 miles, in order to reduce the long walk tomorrow across the Vale of Mowbray.  Brompton-on-Swale is a quaint little place and it's claim to fame is the monument in the graveyard for Henry Jenkins who died there in 1670 and lived to be 169!  Had a pleasant surprise when I got to the bunkhouse as my trekking pole had arrived, having been sent on by the lovely lady from Keld Bunkhouse - thank you.  This bunkhouse is on a working farm which has a sign "beware - killer goose".  The farmer's wife said it nearly got one of the campers this morning.  Went to the Crown for a meal - all the women drinking pints of beer - didn't stay long. 

DAY 8 - KELD TO REETH

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Reeth Village



Smardale Viaduct

Stayed at Keld Bunkhouse last night and this was the best night's sleep I've had so far.  Never stayed in a bunkhouse before but it was very comfortable and the meal last night was superb.  There were only 3 of us staying, and had a good evening in chatting to Hugh and Patricia from Calgary.  This morning after breakfast we decided to take the low route alongside the River Swale and the Keld waterfalls were in full flow.  Had a bit of a disaster as I left my trekking pole behind at the bunkhouse and I didn't realise until it was too late to go back.  The path divided at Crackpot Hall we took the lower route and walked through fields with squeeze stiles in the drystone walls.  Had to take detours onto the road frequently because of the wet conditions and had to jump across flooded gullies when going through the fields.  We stopped at Gunnerside at 1.00 for tea and scones and arrived at Reeth, capital of Swaledale, at 6pm where I said goodbye to Hugh and Patricia (thanks for your donation) before heading up hill to Grinton Lodge YH.  Had dinner in the YH and chatted to a group of walkers, one of whom was blind (thanks too for your donation).