Day 11 - 18th August 2006
Clay Bank Top to
Glaisdale (18 miles)
End of Day 11: August 18,
3.30pm. The Arncliffe Arms, Glaisdale.
Yesterday's accommodation, The Wain Stones Hotel was a bit too
corporate for us on this trip. We've preferred the guest houses or
small hotels/inns. Everything worked and our stay was fine enough,
just completely soulless. It's company policy that there should be
no wow factor here. Mind you, the gloves come off when back in the
corporate world. I insisted on looking at three rooms - dull,
duller, dullest - before I chose the one I disliked least. As usual,
I chose wrong. The hotel handyman seemed to have his workshop below
our room; much whistling and hammering from 6.30am. A useful
pre-alarm call, I guess, and an opportunity for William to show what
he's capable of sleeping through.
I told William he could write today's blog.
WHAT....there's nothing to write about....it's rained all day, we've
been soaked all day, it's been foggy all day, we've not been able to
see more than a few feet in front of us all day, and we've just
walked all day.
Thanks William, that just about sums it up. He did add, though, that
it was a bit like the film American Werewolf in London where the two
guys are walking across the Moors. "Be sure and stick to the paths,
lads," they are warned by the old timers in the village. Alas, they
don't and you can guess the rest.
This is the first day we've had bad weather throughout. I've
previously walked much of today's route; I've felt sorry for some
others who have never before been in these parts and were looking
forward to seeing the Moors. We did get the occasional glimpse of
the Moors when the fog cleared, when we were on the disused railway
track on the approach to Blakey Ridge. But that was about it.
The old timer in Glaisdale said to us with understated Yorkshire
'not much of a day is it' . Old timers ain't what they used to be
are they; what happened to the dramatic 'be sure and stick to the
paths lads'. Its been that sort of day.
We started at 9am and just kept walking until we'd finished the
stage; 3pm.
We've come across old friends, which has entertained us. Well
Meaning Git informed me that my new GPS (you'll recall, still in its
packaging in my bag) would be just about useless unless I purchased
the expensive software that he's installed on his. I thanked him for
that. The Wombles were about again. We happened upon them at
Bloworth Crossing, they had four path options to choose from (if you
count back, which, as you know, is an option they've had to use a
fair bit); as we approached did I hear them say "eeenie meenie miney
mo"? Through it all, they just keep smiling. Mr Snoozy and Mr Snorey
have turned up at our B&B; once again, we've not seen them do any
walking.
You can sense a bit of de-mob happiness amongst those due to
complete the C2C tomorrow; almost there. They now know that, barring
accidents, they are going to make it to Robin Hood's Bay. I guess
that's how we also feel. William is certainly ready to get back
home; I think this is the longest he's ever been away. It's clearly
on his mind. Yesterday, from nowhere, we had: "It's going to be
really embarrassing when we see mum at Robin Hood's Bay, she's going
to be waving and be...like...all over me." Roughly translated this
means "I can't wait to see mum". That's as articulate as it's got,
though. I asked what he's most looking forward to back home; no
reflection required, just an unequivocal "dunno."
We get to rid ourselves of these pebbles tomorrow, but a lot of
mileage to get through first.
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