As we had nearly 16 miles to do, we'd hoped to breakfast at 7.30 a.m., so as to be on our way at 8:00, but were told breakfast was at 8.00 and we didn't feel like arguing. However, our landlady assured us we would easily be in Robin Hoods Bay by 3.30 so we decided not to worry and to take the time needed to extract the last ounce of enjoyment from our last cooked breakfast.
We were still on our way by 08:30 and it was a good job we hadn't skimped on breakfast, as it was a long and steep road climb out of Grosmont - about 2 miles of 1:3 gradient, it was a good job we were now well honed walking machines.
After the road we had moor walking to Littlebeck, then it was into some attractive woods which included this very old hermitage (it's Gio perched on the poles to check it out) ...
... and also the impressive Falling Foss waterfall. We then alternated more road walking with more moor walking which included some very squishy sections. The sea came into sight and with it the realisation that we really were looking at the end.
We approached the sea via a caravan park and found ourselves on a delightful stretch of coast path. The views were wonderful and the sun was shining and the sky was blue. It could hardly have been more perfect and quite different to the windy and stormy weather as we set off along the coast from St Bees 2 weeks earlier.
We had made excellent time, reaching the coast at lunchtime. We therefore stopped on the coast path to enjoy a leisurely lunch and to admire the spectacular rock formations.
As it was such as lovely day and it was a Sunday afternoon, there were loads of people out enjoying the coast path. We were pretty certain though that most had only walked a mile to two and certainly not the 190 miles we had walked.
The saying that all good things come to an end is never truer than with the Coast to Coast walk. As the coast path ended we found ourselves strolling down a tarmac street with lots of other day trippers getting underfoot. It wasn't quite as exciting as the footpaths we'd covered, but it was still the C to C route until ... the beach was in front of us and the path had quite literally ended.
On one side there was the fairly modern map of the route, telling us we were at journey's end, on the other was a pub with the more classic end of the walk plaque which has been there quite a few years ...
... our female minder thinks she remembers it from her first walk completion around 18 years ago.
We had the traditional dipping of the boot in the sea and we sent a postcard or two, then there really was no reason to linger. The walk was over and our minibus transfer was waiting and ready to go whenever we were, so it was hello and goodbye to Robin Hoods Bay, giving credence to that old adage that it is better to journey than to arrive. The journey was what it was all about, and we had arrived.
We'll look back and reflect, next time.
Lots of love George, Yorkie, Gio and Wooly xxx
1 comment:
Was it really 18 years ago? How time flies!
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