Barton on Humber to Richmond
121 miles in 7 days
The Humber Bridge, it took 35 minutes to walk across from Lincolnshire into Yorkshire.
Crossing the Humber was my first major milestone; East Anglia was now behind me and the hills of the North York Moors and Pennines fast approaching. But first the Yorkshire Wolds, slightly higher and steeper than their Lincolnshire neighbours, with some sharp climbs into and out of dry chalk valleys, a most enjoyable couple of days. The pork rib I had at the Wolds Inn in Huggate, was the biggest meal of the trip, it kept me going for a couple of days and could have fed a family of 4.
The Vale of Pickering proved a bit of a battleground. All the paths that I planned to use were either overgrown or nowhere to be seen, no stiles, no signs, just ploughed fields. In the end I gave up the struggle and made my way by road to Pickering and into the North York Moors. It is only a few greedy farmers like those that inhabit the Vale of Pickering and the Lincolnshire Fens that give farming its bad name. By far the majority of farms I crossed and farmers I met were extremely friendly and welcoming. It was a relief to reach the open country of the heather covered Spaunton Moor, and head for the tranquil Rosedale.
Thanks go to Mark and Fiona Smith for giving up their weekend to look after me when I took 2 days off in Walkington, near Beverley. As well as raising 40 by auctioning the barrel of beer we won in the Thursday night pub quiz, they raised an additional 168 from friends and colleagues at BP Hull.
A novel use for an old pair of wellies, seen on the Coast to Coast path near Richmond.
I then followed Wainwrights Coast to Coast route across the North York Moors over Blakey Ridge, along the northern scarp of the Cleveland Hills to Osmotherley and across the Vale of Mowbray to Richmond. When asked if I was walking the coast to coast I had to say yes and then explain that my route was some 550 miles longer and finally answer the question Why? You must be mad! I came across lots of signs of last years Foot and Mouth outbreak with discarded carpets and buckets used for disinfectant dotted around the country but a path diversion at Ingleby Arncliffe because of a recent scare was the only consequence I encountered. The many newborn lambs, calves and piglets I passed on route showed that things are on the mend and a delight to see after the funeral pyre images of last year. I stopped at The White Swan in Danby Wiske for lunch but the warm welcome from Frank and Doreen was such that I just had to take the afternoon off, enjoy their hospitality and visit the 12th century church with its unique Norman tympanum. The following morning I wrote in the visitors book probably the friendliest landlord and lady in Britain.