The Walk - Stage 14 - Great Broughton to Blakey Ridge

 

A few more thoughts about yesterday since my mind is a bit more clear today. 

When we started off the day all I could think about were all the contrasts: rain coat on/rain coat off, poles long for down/short for up, boots tight for down/loose for up, hot/cold, windy/calm, up/down, through the forest/out in the open and on and on it goes. It was that kind of day. 

Then it became a matter of survival, sheer determination, trust in God’s faithfulness, and knowing He is in control of all things.

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Psalm 56:3

Then it was all about thanksgiving and praise!

"O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth; you have set your glory above the heavens...When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him?"

Psalm 8:1-4

And yet He was mindful of us. We both endured another sleepless night. I was reliving the horrors of the day and couldn’t stop thanking the Lord for his goodness to us. Jo Anne couldn’t get comfortable and was also reliving the day. 

We are both doing well. As long as Jo Anne doesn’t sit down, she’s fine 🥴. 

This morning we had a larger menu from which to choose. We could have traditional porridge with dried fruits and honey, or walkers porridge with a shot of Drambuie to help you get up that first big climb. I’m pretty sure if I chose that one, I wouldn’t be making that big climb at all. 

I left Jo Anne at the hotel to ride with the Sherpa and all the baggage. 

The walk begins with more stones. 

How wonderful it is to see that clear blue sky. 

Summit of Cold Moor

From Clay Bank Top the walk continues to the highest point on the North York Moors, Botton Head on Urra Moor. 

A guidepost, the Hand Stone, has a rough carving on each side depicting a hand and inscribed with the words 'This is the way to Stoxla' (Stokesley) and 'This is the way to Kirbie' (Kirkbymoorside). There were two cyclists making their way up the path behind it. 

The Face Stone

The origin of this stone with it’s crude Celtic type face is unknown and it is a conundrum as to what type to list it under, however R.H. Hayes calls it in his book “Old Roads and Pannierways in North East Yorkshire”. It predates the erection of the way-marker, or guide stones and was first documented in 1642 during the preamble of the Duncombe Estate where it is mentioned as “the bounder call Faceston” indicating that it was a boundary stone, a service that it still provides today.

I want this hollowed out stone for a birdbath. 

There aren’t a lot of photos today since this is the scenery for miles and miles. 

Remnants of the heavy rain yesterday. 

Rosedale Ironstone Railway, my 'path' for the next 5 miles into Blakey Ridge. It is a long serpentine walk of the easiest kind. 😀 The railway is a testament to hard-working men, now long forgotten. I offer a word of gratitude for the men who made part of our journey easy and comfortable to follow. 

I walked along chatting with the many many grouse in the moors. This guy came right up to me and started chattering away. I tried and tried to get the video to work. So sorry. A photo will have to do. I later learned that he was probably being very territorial and saying, “go back, go back”. 

The moor is home to much wildlife. It is highly advised to stay on the path to avoid the healthy population of adders. Adders are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is an offense to kill, harm or injure them in any way, even though they are deadly. 

The moor also has a serious infestation of ticks. Lyme disease, Louping III and Tick born fever have all been recorded on the North York Moor. 

There are many warnings about keeping your dog on a lead, because dogs worrying livestock can be legally shot.

It is also covered with “blanket bog”, with peat burns running throughout. Kim and I experienced this firsthand while walking across Scotland. We didn’t have a lovely trail like this to follow. We were often walking through the heather and quite cautious of where we stepped, trying not to end up with our leg, ankle to knee, stuck in a burn. 

Even on the moor. I had a Christmas moment. This little guy was one of a kind out here. Wonder if someone planted it intentionally. 

I leave the Cleveland Way and join back up with the C2C. 

Clouds are building and bring stronger winds with them. 

The valley surrounding our inn.

Once again I am being transported from the C2C trail to our lodging. The Feversham Arms is our home for the night. It is located at the northern end of Farndale in the village of Church Houses, which is to the right of Blakey Ridge in the North York Moors National Park. The immediate area is known as "Daffodil Valley or Daffodil Dale" because of the hundreds of thousands of wild daffodils that line the river Dove and surrounding hillside - apparently quite a spectacle from mid-March to mid-April. We are in the Dove room and the wifi password is daffodil. 

I walk with a spring in my step (as much as possible after 14 days walking) when I can see my destination ahead. I continue on the moor road and turn to the left onto a somewhat unassuming grassy path that leads up a hill. If it had been foggy (which it often is up here), I can see how someone would miss the turn. I've read stories where many have done that very thing. 

I go into The Lion Inn (where I really wanted to stay), to call for my ride (do I sound like a broken record). I don't think quaint is a good word to describe the Lion Inn, but it is surely the most unique and memorable of all the lodging we've seen. It doesn't look like much from the outside but once you enter, it's as though you have stepped into another century from long, long ago. 

I half expected to see a hobbit sitting around the fire, smoking a pipe, telling stories with friends from far and wide. It is dark, rustic, cozy and very unsophisticated, with rock fireplaces in every nook, and fires that burn night and day. It looks like inspiration for J.R.R. Tolkien.

Their award-winning ale is called "Old Peculiar". I wonder why??? They also have one called Wainwright's Bitter.

My transportation arrives and I am off to the Feversham Arms for tonight. They will bring us (if Jo Anne is up to going on) back here in the morning where we will continue our walk. This should be the last time they have booked us into lodging that is not on the C2C trail.

The Feversham Arms was originally built as an inn to serve the Feversham Estate about 1836. 

This is the landlady’s poodle. It had a chemical burn when a puppy which has caused his hair to not be curly. One is warned not to disrespect the landlady’s dog. Speaking of dogs, they are everywhere: in the pubs, tearooms, inns, on the trail, in the fields, on the streets. And they are all so well behaved. From all we’ve seen, only one has ever barked at us and I’m sure it was because we got too close to his owner when walking on a narrow sidewalk. 

In the dining room tonight. She didn’t really want to be there. 

Slimline twins - do they not know we have been consuming 1,000’s of calories the last 19 days?

Views from our room. 

Still trying to dry out our boots from yesterday. 

We’ve had a very lazy afternoon. I arrived at the inn shortly after Jo Anne did (around noon). We had a light lunch and retired to our room. They’ve reserved us a table for dinner, so we’re all set here. It’s a very nice place to rest from yesterday. 

Beef and vegetable filled Yorkshire pudding. 

Chicken Parmesan 

And always - chips with everything. 

My stats today:

22,032 steps

9.7 miles

60 floors (all at the beginning)

“Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.”

Psalm 57:1