Saturday 31st July 2010 - Great Broughton (Clay Bank Top) to Blakey Ridge 15kms - More Moor More Than Enough

Col here:-

Well not a lot to report today apart from I'm glad we didn't have to walk back up to Clay Bank Top from Great Broughton (supposedly 2 miles ) but it was a 10 minute drive in the car. Once at the start of the days walk - you guessed it straight up a steep climb and a slight false start which JR, Al and I recovered by climbing over the wall to the correct path but Pete had to backtrack to the bottom of the hill and come up the correct side. Whilst he was doing that our English friends appeared and so we decided to walk the moor tops together. As you will see from photos and movies the moors are a vast expanse of not much other than heather but there was a well marked and dry !! path so we were able to make excellent time once we got up to the top. We are almost at the end of the walk and the day after tomorrow will see us trekking into Robin Hoods Bay - the official end of our epic coast to coast foray. We said farewll to Susan and Lizzie at Blakey Ridge as they are heading back to work and will finish the walk another time. Saw David and Lydia again at the Lion Inn, Blakey Ridge. Also a Dutch couple that stayed with us at the Old School House B&B in Danby Wiske and that we have seen every day since then. You establish some good little friendships with your fellow travellers and I think they are all now active followers of this humble little blog.

JR here:-

Well it was moor, moor, moor today. We made very good time because most of this part of the walk is down a disused railway line so its wide and flat although the line follows the contours of the hills and you cannot help thinking that a 15km walk would be reduced to 5km if you could go direct over the moor. Leaving aside the bits where the heather/gorse has been burned to encourage new growth the gorse, heather, rushes are very dense and the ground is peaty and boggy so shortcuts are not on (don't want the bush to get one back). Col and I rolled along at a steady 5km+ and hour and it was just like marching around Googong but without trees. The views down the valleys are very nice but the scenery doesn't change much over the course of the walk. Col and I also managed to flush some pheasants (or possibly they were large grouse) out of the bush as we went along. If we'd had a shottie we could have picked up dinner - a gun dog may have helped as well. Had lunch at the Lion at Blakey Top which is apparently the fourth highest hotel in England, We were expecting to have the place to ourselves given its remoteness but, even allowing for it being Saturday, it was packed - apparently its on one of the main roads across the moor and people tend stop for lunch - people have even been known to drive through the snow in winter to visit the Lion. And the Eton Mess was very nice - just the thing to do with pavlova left overs.

Al here:-

All aboard the disused railway track across the moor was simply steady as she goes. Blisters improving.

Peter here:-

Moor or less an ok day. For those of you that I know that are planning to travel to the UK in the near future dont forget to stop off at the Hellenic Club for a New York Cut Steak on the way to the Airport. Steak dishes in the Pub will cost you 20 pounds upward with a around 3 pounds for the accompaning Pint of Ale depending on your drop. The Boyz like Black Sheep (the Brewery not the ... well maybe ...). Other main courses will be about 10-15 pounds with about 5 pounds for Starters/Entrees or Sweets/Deserts. So if you cant cook a three course meal on a cow pat (see yesterdays blog). For cheap entertainment in some of the smaller English Villages may I suggest a chat with the locals or fellow travellers (Always good for a show and tell blister/injury or about the last tall hill (I call them tall stories). Perhaps even yet another early night or if you wish the 5 free to air channels await you (3 of them BBc ) if you can get reception. Anyway I think I can smell the salt air of the North Sea :-) it must be close !!