Day 13: Clay Bank Top to Glaisedale (July 6, 2007)

Accommodation: Beggars Bridge B&B, Glaisedale
Distance Walked: 19 Miles

Alone on the moors - my favorite photo I took this trip.
After the fog lifted I was greeted by this

Wow, only one more day to go. I feel really good too. I feel like my body has really adapted since the start of the walk. Gosh that really seems ages ago. Like a completely different time. Today I got up and it was just miserable outside, raining and extremely foggy. I had breakfast with Judy who was just so nice. We talked about history and she was telling me about the farm and surrounding area. I just think that some of the most accommodating places have been the cheapest. They said they started doing the B&B after having some German university students stay there for five months. They missed it so much they thought they'd open their doors to walkers. They were just so down home and friendly. Can you tell I liked this place a lot?!

But anyway, I started at about 8:00 and quickly ascended to the moor and the solitude of the foggy mist and my surroundings. I'll have to say that while incredibly eerie, I did really enjoy it. There's something about those times of just feeling all with yourself and no one or nothing else can sooth the soul and that's exactly what it was like for me. So on I walked, with an occasional sheep silently appearing and disappearing in the fog. Ron called just when I got service and we were going to try and meet but then my phone went out and we couldn't connect which actually was okay - I was enjoying being by myself. And I'll have to say my first half of the walk - the nine miles to the Lions Inn in Blakey, I was feeling really good! Loose and walking brisk. The fog even lifted enough for me to get some incredible views down into the valleys.

And then I reached the Lions Inn just like that - at about 11:20, right when the rain started to come and the wind really started to blow (it had been picking up steadily). The Lion's Inn is a 500 year old inn in what seemed to me to be in the middle of nowhere. Inside it is so cool. You really do feel like you have gone back in time 500 years when you walk in. Inside I had a cup of hot chocolate and just relaxed for awhile and soon, what do you know, walkers started showing up . Crazy hair and the gang, who actually are really nice the more you know them. I actually really enjoy their company. And Mary and Bruce (packhorse and her husband). And some others. Apparently Ron was outside but didn't come in, so I missed him and I ended up walking with Bruce and Mary - off into the wind down the road. As we were walking up the road, practically being blown backwards, I saw the packhorse van drive by, carrying Breanne. All nice and warm inside.....

A nice rest at the Lion's Inn

We actually did catch up to Ron and the four of us continued down the trail. After awhile my feet really started HATING me and I swear, the last three miles today were the longest three miles of my life. On and on and on. And it wasn't just me, everyone was thinking the same thing. It was like we were in a time warp or something! But we made it to Glaisdale and had a great dinner with Ron and the Crazy Hair gang. Kind of last night of our walk dinner. I've almost done it! Tomorrow is the last leg, to Robin Hood's Bay and the North Sea. I still have my stone to throw in :-)

A stuffed hiker and I hanging out in Glaisdale

Tonight we stayed at the Beggar's Bridge B&B which is located right by the famous Beggar's Bridge. This bridge is what's known as a packhorse bridge that was built in the early 1600's across the river Esk. The story behind the bridge is that a young man names Thomas Ferris was courting a lady named Agnes Richardson, the daughter of a local squire. Thomas was a poor man, therefore he could not realistically marry Agnes with approval, so he decided to make his fortune at sea. The night before he was set to set sail out of Whitby, he was going to meet Agnes. But the river Esk was flooding and he could not cross, so he set sail without saying goodbye. Upon his return, fortune made, he was appointed Mayor of Hull city and married Agnes. In 1619 he paid for the building of the bridge so others would not face the same problem he had encountered. How romantic!

NO MORE PHOTOS FOR TODAY...