Coast to Coast Sept 2010 Day 12



North Yorks Moors

 Day 12 Sept 12 Clay Bank Top – Glaisdale 19mls 984’ascent


Weather again bright and sunny, but a cold breeze



As the figures suggest, a long but reasonably flat walk ahead today. Sitting in Judy and Stuart’s comfortable kitchen, enjoying a delicious cooked breakfast, talking about dogs and horses, and anything else, just to relax in their cosy house, it was very difficult to get going today!!!

But ahead a day of reliving the moment of 30odd years ago, when I ran the next section, as part of the Clayton-le-Moors Ladies bid for coast to coast run inside 24hours, which we achieved easily, thanks to Vanessa Brindle, Wendy Dodds, Karen Taylor and the like- all superb fell-runners. I ran my section with Ian in , and would expect to take significantly longer today.

After a brief climb up from Chop Gate, where Stuart deposited us, the only climb of the day almost, we pushed on over Urra Moor. Then we steamed along the disused Rosedale Ironstone railway line, with fast walking across the North Yorkshire moors. From High Blakey moor, we could see the Lion Inn at Blakey, the only building for miles.

We stopped there for some soup, and as I went inside, it was really impressive. Although only lunch-time, there were candles on all the tables, with the rambling dining area, spread out over three rooms. Very welcoming staff, and after I’d glimpsed the massive table full of various desserts, I was wishing that, like the Bamford Builders, we were staying here for the night.

But no such luck, we were bound for Glaisdale. After a break, in which we were caught up by the Calver mother and daughter, Danish and Martin, we were off on the flat again. This happened a lot- your never on your own for long, and are constantly joined by the same groups of people at lunch and break stops.

A brief stop at “Fat Betty” stone, to make an offering of chocolate, and pick up someone else’s trail bar, round Great Fryupdale and over Glaisdale Moor and then down into Glaisdale. Well, actually, we were staying at a farm for B&B- Hart Hall dairy farm, run by a lovely couple, Elaine and Dave. They politely requested that you waited until after 7am to have a shower, as it affected the electricity supply to the milking parlour. A very busy couple, raising a dairy herd, milking twice a day, caring for calves born during the night, running a B&B, and raising a family! Colin gallantly accepted the Harry Potter-sized bedroom under the stairs, because Australian John had taken his room upstairs. He’d had a much shorter walk today and, having arrived early, had bagged one of the two rooms upstairs! He’d been a pain on the first morning, having bagged the shower for his personal en-suite, and kept us waiting to use the loo! Ah well!

Just a note about the pub in the village- don’t bother going- food was great but some younger locals need to get out more! What passed for entertainment seemed to be a woman with a freakishly long tongue, who stuck it out suggestively, at any given opportunity to shock and amuse, I suppose, whilst her mates farted and burped their way through the evening! Hmmm! A good argument for increasing the gene pool in some rural areas!!

The best part of the evening was spending it having a meal with Birgitte (Danish) and Martin, a lovely couple living in London, both in the acting profession.