C2C Stage 9: Reeth to Bolton on Swale

Day 10 of the walk.

Reeth (200m) to Bolton on Swale near Richmond (150m)
Distance 17 miles/27km - Long moderate - Height Gain 400m/1315ft - 8 hours

Setting out from Reeth at 8:45am we should arrive in Bolton on Swale at approximately 4:45pm for the transfer back to Richmond.

Starting out at mile 106/107:

we will pass through Richmond (mile 117) and carry on to Bolton on Swale at mile 124/125.

This is a much easier day’s walk across rolling countryside passing Marrick Priory, Marske village and Whitecliffe wood. We arrive in Richmond at lunchtime and then continue (to reduce the following day’s distance) to Bolton on Swale in the afternoon. Actually, Bolton on Swale is almost 8 miles on from Richmond!

There are a couple of lovely tracts of woodland on the section between Reeth and Richmond. This 12 1/2 mile (20km) section takes about 4 1/2 hours.

After lunch it will be out on the trail again, heading for Bolton on Swale some 7 1/2 miles away along a track which follows the River Swale.

Short transfer back to Richmond.

Founded by the Normans Richmond grew around the castle built on the ‘riche-mont’ or ‘strong-hill’ that gave the town its name and whose massive keep dominates all other buildings around.

Richmond has several banks, shops, pubs and cafes.

C2C Stage 10: Bolton on Swale to Ingleby Cross

Day 11 of the trip

After overnighting in Richmond we will be transferred back to Bolton on Swale to start the days walk.

Bolton on Swale, Richmond (150m) to Ingleby Cross (100m)
Distance 17 miles/27km - Long moderate - Height Gain 100m/330ft - 7.5 hours

We will be picked up in Richmond at 8:45am and transferred back to Bolton on Swale. We should arrive in Ingleby Cross around 4:30pm.

The walk will commence at mile 124/125 today and finish at mile 137:

In Bolton-on-Swale it is worth visiting the the churchyard, famous for its monument to Henry Jenkins, a local man who supposedly lived to 169 years old. The curch dates back to the 14th century.

The route to Danby Wiske is almost level and generally easy going, it crosses farmland. 


Danby Wiske at 110ft is the lowest inland point on route and is a tiny village with an 11th century church. The church is one of the very few in England that has no dedication. Only the solid oak door and the font are 11th century originals, although much of the north aisle is only slightly younger.

From the bridge corssing the River Wiske outside the village, it ispossible to see the outline of the Cleveland Hills in the distance. Unfortunately, half the Vale of Mawbray still lies ahead with 8 miles of country lanes and then farmland across the low lying Vale of Mowbray before reaching Ingleby Cross.

From here we walk a short distance to our accommodation in Arncliffe Wood.

If we arrive before 6pm it may be worth visiting Mount Grace Priory (see the next stage for more details).

Ingleby Cross marks the start of the North York Moors national park and the Cleveland Hills.

There are a few pubs serving evening meals.

C2C Stage 11: Ingleby Cross to Blakey Ridge

This is day 12 of our walking trip.

Ingleby Cross (100m) to Blakey Ridge (400m)
Distance 20 miles/32km - Strenuous - Height Gain 970m/3190ft - 8.5 hours

This looks like being a long day with 32km and 970m height gain. One comment is that we will need to be in good shape to reach Blakey Ridge without looking like an extra from a George Romero zombie movie on arrival.

This stage takes us through the North York Moors National Park, the third national park on the route with, it is said, the worlds largest expanse of heather. Depending on the weather, this could be a pleasant stage while we tramp up and down the moors with great views or a miserable, muddy, rain-soaked trudge with all views obscured by bone-chilling mist. I hope the weather is fine!


A rollercoaster day.

Today we set out from mile 137:

and finish at the 161 mile mark:

Setting out from Ingleby Cross at 8:30am, yes an early start, the walk begins with a climb up past the church (with its tripple-decker pulpit  and purple pews). 

The path will take us past Mount Grace Priory which was built in 1398 by the Carthusian order. The priory today, though definitely a ruin, is an absorbing one, and one that clearly shows in its foundations to the basic layout of the place. The restoration of cell number 8 (in the early 20th century) also makes clear that, for their time, these cells were remarkably comfortable, built on two floors with cabinets, a loom, a small bed, water closet and a small garden. With latrines fitted and clean water piped into every cell, the plumbing was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, little of the system remains today save for channels in which the water flowed around the priory. The Priory is open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 6pm. Cost: £4.50.

Wainwright's climbing trail meets the Cleveland Way which we will then follow for most of the way to Blakey Moor.

The trail continues steeply up through Arncliffe Wood (and there is plenty more ups on this stage!) with cleared forestry providing views back to the Vale of Mowbray. Next comes the heather-clad Scarth Wood Moor followed by Clain Wood before hauling ourselves up a steep, wooded climb onto Live Moor. 


[Here is another description of the route: The route descends into Scugdale (100m). Not keen to stay low the path climbs steadily at first then steeply onto Gold Hill (315m).]

It continues onto Carlton Moor (408m). At the far end of the moor is a trig point and a boundary maker, from where the North Sea should be visable beyond the industrial installations of Teeside.

The path then descends to Green Bank (300m). Once again it climbs going over Cringle Moor (430m), descends to 280m then back up to 400m, down again to 300m and then a final climb through the Wainstones onto Hasty Bank (398m) before descending to the road at Clay Bank Top (250m). If all the up and down seems like too much hard work there is a path that contours round the hills from Green Bank to Clay Bank.

A final steep ascent to Carr Ridge (390m) is followed by a gradual rise to the summit of Round Hill (454m), the highest point on the North York Moors. The path descends to Bloworth Crossing (400m) were it leaves the Cleveland Way and continues on an almost level disused railway line across the desolate moors to the remote Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge.

The North York Moors are covered in purple heather during late summer months.

Iron Ore has been mined for centuries from the Cleveland Hills. In 1861 rail tracks were laid across the moors to increase mining capacity. In the early 1900’s demand dropped and the railway was dismantled in 1929.

We expect to arrive at Lion Inn around 5pm.

C2C stage 12: Blakey Ridge to Grosmont

This day 13 of the holiday. Almost 2 weeks out on the track. I wonder how well we have coped!

Blakey Ridge (400m) to Grosmont (50m)
Distance 15 miles/24km - Long moderate. - Height Gain 100m/330ft - 6 hours

We depart at 9:00am and should reach Grosmont around 3pm.

Our starting point is at the 161.5 mile point and we finish the day at the 175 mile mark:

For those who enjoy cosy English villages hidden amongst the gentlest, most bucolic scenery the country has to offer, the stroll down the Esk Valley from Glaisdale to Grosmont may be the best section of this walk. The nostalgic 60s village booby TV show, Heartbeat, was filmed near here.

The route takes us across areas with great names: Fat Betty, where tradition requires you to both take and leave a snack or sweet;  Great Fryup and Glaisdale Moor.


High on the moors we follow a road for a few miles before returning to tracks through the heathers. Another road walk and then the route takes a broad disused track gradually descending Glaisdale Moor into Glaisdale village but not before tracking along Glaisdale Rigg past various standing stones and a particularly well-hewn boundary marker. The North Sea should have been sighted as we head towards Glaisdale.

The village of Glaisdale sprawls across its lofty perch above the Esk Valley.

We leave Glaisdale and the route, never far from the River Esk, passes through East Arncliffe Wood to Egton Bridge where it follows a once toll road through the private estate of Egton Manor to Grosmont.

The North York Moors Railway's steam train leaves Grosmont between four and eight time a day depending on teh season. Some trains are drawn by a diesel engine rather than a steam engine. The trains go to Whitby (20 minutes) and to Middlesborough (70 minutes). There is a train that leaves Grosmont at 4:35pm and arrives in Whitby at 5pm. The return train leaves Whitby at 5:30pm and arrives in Grosmont at 5:50pm. The cost for a senior retun is £9.

There is a pub serving evening meals, a few cafes and shops inthe village (of Grosmont)

C2C stage 13: Grosmont to Robin Hoods Bay

This is day 14 of the trip and the last walking day.

Grosmont (50m) to Robin Hoods Bay.
Distance 15 miles/24km - Long moderate - Height Gain 475m/1560ft - 7 hours

There is a warning in Henry Steedman's guide: "Don't be fooled into thinking this [last stage] is a mere formality as the climb out of Grosmont will soon demonstrater. It is a long stretch totalling 15 1/2 miles (25km) with enough ups and downs to ensure you arrive in Robin Hood's Bay suitably dishevelled." After 12 days of walking this sounds ominous.

Departing from Grosmont at 9:00am we should arrive in Robin Hoods Bay around 4pm.

Setting out from the 175 mile point today we finish up at mile post 190:

The road climbs steeply out of Grosmont (its not called the 1 in 3 for nothing) to its high point on Sleights Moor (285m), there are wonderful views to Whitby and the sea. Slights Moor is part of the intriguingly named Eskdaleside cum Ugglebarnby. The first climb of the day is 230m. There are views north-east to the well-ventilated ruins of Whitby Abbey or back down into misty Eskdale.

The path passes five ancient standing monoliths called the High Bride Stones.

Still on heather moorland the route descends into Littlebeck (50m).

Littlebeck is another tiny hamlet with a lengthy past. It was once a centre of alum-mining in the 17th to 19th centuries. Alum is used for dyeing as well as tanning leather.

The village was home to woodcarver Thomas Whittaker and his cottage, Woodcarver's Cottage, is on the bend above the Old Mill.

Pretty as Littlebeck is, it is nothing when compared with the wonderful Little Beck Wood. This 65 acres of woodland is filled with oak trees, deer, badgers, foxes and birdlife galore.

Before leaving the woods there is Falling Foss, a 20m-high waterfall alongside the former ruins of Midge Hall, now rebuilt and coverted into the Falling Foss Tea Garden, a great place for a coffee and cake or a light lunch.

After the woodland walk it climbs back up to 200m and crosses a final stretch of moorland before following country lanes to the coast. We turn south to follow the coastal path to Robin Hoods Bay and the sea. Follow tradition once more by dipping our boot in the sea and throwing our pebble in (that should baffle the geologists in years to come).

The challenge is complete.

In the Bay Hotel you can sign the Coast to Coast book.

There are several pubs and cafes open daily for food and drinks. There are also several gift shops.

Kangaroos are fascinating ... particularly for overseas visitors

This week we had visitors from Canada. When we were in Canada last year we caught up with my 4th cousin Irene Cambridge who lives in the Vancouver area. This year we were able to reciprocate Irene's hospitality and have her and her friend Cathy (who was one of our chauffeurs) stay with us.

Australian fauna is so different from the creatures most people are familiar with that they really are fascinating to visitors and Irene and Cathy were no exception. We spent quite a bit of time observing kangaroos and their behaviour ... they can be really entertaining and they were. Cathy got very good at kangaroo spotting and the kangaroos just kept appearing.

Unfortunately we didn't manage to see any emus. They were not in any of the usual spots out at Tinbinbilla.

Irene and Cathy had spent a day in Brisbane before flying on to Canberra. We picked them up on Tuesday morning and waited for Antony, Nic and Astrid to arrive so that Irene could meet them before they flew out for Paris.

While Trevor took Antony's car, we girls headed off to see Floriade. It is amazing just how well the floral displays had survived both the time (it is now into the 4th week) and the weather.

On leaving the flowers we went over to the National Library to see their stained glass windows and also looked at their treasures exhibition.

Back in the car we zipped passed a number of places of interest before stopping for a look at Government House and then winding our way through the suburbs before arriving home.

Trevor took Irene and Cathy over to Antony's to meet Inti and Chimu and the other resident animals.

On Wednesday we headed out to the Tinbinbilla Nature Reserve where we were able to see lots of kangaroos but not a single emu. Next stop was the Tinbinbilla Tracking Station. The display was fascinating and the size of the biggest dish is something that needs to be seen to appreciate.

From the other side of the river we headed back into the city and the National Botanical Gardens. We were able to join a guided walk which was great. There were an abundance of plants in bloom, too, and great views across the city from a number of points.

Next came the Black Mountain Tower and views across the area.

On the way home we stopped at Woden to pick up an adaptor for Irene as the one she had did not plug in to our power points. We found an appropriate one in the first place we went to.

After we got home we picked up Trevor and headed out to Mt. Taylor for a spot of local kangaroo spotting. Our hoppy friends did not disappoint and even demonstrated the ease with which they jump over fences.

We were planning to have a BBQ for dinner however Trevor had not checked the gas cylinder which turned out to be empty. I'm sure that Irene and Cathy will have other BBQ opportunities before their trip is over.

The weather on Thursday was wet and grey but that did not stop us heading out into the country. We called passed the Family History Centre at Lyneham before driving to Yass and then back to Cooma Cottage and lunch in Murrumbateman. The afternoon was spent at the War Memorial.

Great Alpine Walk

Yes, we are at it again. Another walk. This time it is in the Victorian High Country. Once again we have opted for a group guided walk where our bags will be transported for us so we only need to carry a day pack.

Here is the interary ...

Day 1:
We will be picked up at Melbourne airport at 10:00am and head off to the Falls Creek Alpine Village (where we will be staying for 3 nights) via Glenrowan and Mt. Beauty. On arrival there will be a stroll around the village (1 hour, easy).

Not very strenuous at all!

Day 2:
Initially we will follow the Aqueduct Trail which is connected to one of Australia's early hydro-electricity schemes. Mountain cattlemen's huts feature prominently on this holiday and we will get to visit the oldest one in Victoria, Wallace's Hut as well as Cope Hut, once known as the "Menzies of the High Country". The ancient snow gums in this area are twisted and gnarled by centuries of harsh winters. The route continues around the shores of Rocky Valley dam to our lunch spot. The morning walk should take around 4 hours.

After lunch there will be a choice:
Easy: following the lake shore back to the bus (1-2 hours)
Harder: Hike to the summit of Mt McKay with stunning 360 degree views (2-3 hours) then through the Falls Creek Alpine ski area back to the lodge.

Overnight: Falls Creek

Day 3:
Today the hike will take us to some of Falls Creeks peaks as well as another couple of historic huts.

The route begins along easy aqueduct trails again before climbing up through gently graded snow plains to visit the secluded Fitgeralds Hut. Next will be Edmondsons Hut which will be the lunch stop amongst the snow gums. (4 hours)

The afternoon options:
Easy: Along Watchbed Creek and back to the bus (2 hours)
More challenging: Up onto Heathy Spur and then cross country on a compass bearing to Roper Lookout. The track then descends to the shores of Rocky Valley Dam (3-4 hours).

Overnight in Falls Creek.

Day 4:
A challenging day. It is possible to walk from Falls Creek to Mt Hotham. Very few people have done this walk, even amongst the locals (they aren't silly ... they drive!).

Challenging option: Follow a section of the 750km Alpine Walking Track (which runs between Walhalla and Canberra) all the way to Mt Hotham. There won't be many people out on this track, if any at all, however there is a chance to see brumbies (wild horses). Along the way, we will drop steeply down to the Cobungra River and Dibbins Hut (yes, another hut ... this one is sometimes called "Creep-Inn" and I'm curious to find out why), and then back through the Mt Hotham ski village. The days' walking finishes with a stroll through the Davenport area of Hotham village. (around 7 hours)

More leisurely option: a two hour walk and then by bus to Mt Hotham.

Overnight: Dinner Plain

Day 5:
An easier day ... well after Day 4 ...

The walk neanders through snow gum forests and across thick snow grass plains. The standard 10km track to Dinner Plain is easy (4 hours).

Challenging addition: It is possible to add an option 9km walk to Mt Tabletop (3 hours challenging). Accessing this remote mountain requires some off track walking over uneven terrain. Cattle grazed these plains until quite recent times. There are more historic huts as well as some cattle yards made by felling trees into piles.

Either way, we will walk into Dinner Plain, the highest freehold land in Australia, where every building is constructed of mud brick, weathered timber, local rock and galvanised iron.

Overnight: Dinner Plain

Day 6:
Another big walking day.

The hiking starts along the breathtaking Razorback Ridge, one of the most dramatic walking routes in Australia. My Feathertop will gradually appear more and more impressively. The final (optional) steep climb to the summit (of Mt Feathertop?) is supposedly a ripper.

The rest of the day will be spent walking down the gently graded Bungalow spur to the township of Harriettville (7 hours challenging). The spur is covered by tall mountain ash trees, many of which stand stark and white following the bushfires of 2003.

Harrietville is built on mine tailings created by a huge dredge called the Tronah Monster, which was sold to a tin miner in Malasia in the 1930s. Today it's a friendly holiday village with a laid-back atmosphere.

More leisurely option: An out and back walk along the Razorback (4-5 hours moderate).

Overnight: Harrietville

Day 7:
An easy 2 hour walk through Bright Gorge finishes off the walking for this holiday.

After morning tea in Bright, travel back to Melbourne, arriving at the airport at about 4pm.

We will be doing this walking holiday with auswalk.

When are we off? January 2013 ... and Trevor has already booked and paid the deposit.