JR here:-
The day has been pretty easy overall - but its started to rain as I'm writing. Pete's blisters are giving him a lot of grief although Al and Col seem to have their ailments under control unfortunately I'm finding it increasingly difficult to climb over things and once having got up there getting down is painful on the joints - its probably the NHS glucosamine I've been taking - got some BIG pills from Boots yesterday so maybe that'll help. We reduced the length of the walk to match what we thought we could do today and the part we walked took us over rolling countryside mostly on back roads - no climbs of any note. All cropping and grazing land with lots of activity on the farms (hay making and harvesting). We were concerned about the rain - lots of dark clouds about as you can see in the photos - but we only got a few drops as we walked through the door of the White Swan at Danby Wiske for the first beer(lager) of the day. The outskirts of Richmond are largely residential so all we really missed by shortening the walk were suburban streets and farmland (if we never see another cow pat or pile of sheep shrapnel we won't be complaining). The path skirts around the edge of some fields and it was evident that certain farmers don't want walkers on their land because the fields are cultivated right to the edge and there was at least one stile which had the wiring for the electrified fence round the field running through it as well as barbed wire decorating the posts. Tonight is beer and pizza at the White Swan - I mention this because the pub is having its kitchen re-modelled and the only food is take-away from one of the nearby towns - there is a certain novelty in eating-in on take-out however after the fish and chips in Richmond we are curious to see how the Poms do pizza. The guide book suggests that in the case of that other great staple of the north, chicken parmigana, any resemblance between what you might expect and actually get is entirely coincidental - we'll have to try that next I suppose.
Al here:-
Could have been walking from Jerrabomberra to Bungendore today, except for the hedgerows and the mantrap stiles and lots and lots of the fragrance of rural England, I'm sure the cows here would win the world title for the most stinky of all!! Fair bit of plugging along country lanes for the first time, tried to thumb a lift with the farmer Brown types passing in their Mitsubishi Warriors (yes they are really called Warriors here, we know them as Tritons) but no-one stopped, probably thought we looked too dodgy and not as pretty as their cows!
Col here:-
JR is correct feeling pretty good after a few easy days. Just had a most luxurious Radox bath so I am quite pleasantly relaxed at the moment. Danby Wiske to Ingleby Cross tomorrow - looks like some more hill walking tomorrow. Then Ingleby to Great Broughton, then Great Broughton to Blakey Ridge (Glaisdale), Then Glaisdale to Egton Ridge and then the final push into Robin Hood's Bay. So I was wrong yesterday. It is five days more from now. We have covered approx. 190 klms so far out of our 300.Today was OK for what it was but a whole day of that would have fairly quickly become tedious. Nice litte B&B called the Old School House for tonight's stay. Pub last night (The Buck) in Richmond was OK but some clown in the room above us decided to entertain some friends with music and singing till the wee small hours which was a pain. Not a lot of ventilation in some of the rooms which makes sleeping difficult as it can be quite warm. Hope everyone at home is well and that all our Touch teams are doing well. You can send me some updates via ziffell@live.com.au if you have the time. Paulette is quite right in her assessment of this trek - you are often tired but basically you don't get much time to dwell on it as you have more of the same to come each day. I will leave it to Pete to explain today's by-line in all it's gory detail.
Peter here :-
The blog gives you an appreciation of the sights and sounds that you experience as you walk on the coast to coast. What doesnt translate is the pungent fragrance de nord anglaise that permeates the air fron time to time. Sometimes its the Revenge of the Cows - One Cow observed Alwyn and I walking towards it along the path and ambled onto the path, looked back to see that we were in place and released a torrent of liquid shite directly in front of us - my nostrils still have flashbacks of the pungent odour Another olfactory delight occured today when a farmer had scattered manure across an entire field that was part of the coast to coast track - I guess it left a smile on the farmers face but it left the residue of the gagging on mine. I described it as the terror tunnel of turds. Frankly I cant make scents of it all !! On another note I saw a sign that requested you to keep your dog under control and that it is an offence to worry a sheep. I know and support the rationale of the sign but I cant help but look for worried expressions on the sheep and think of them on a couch talking to a shrink about their Baaaaaaaad experience.
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