Lovely breakfast and good company with our hosts, Denise and Bob, and of course Tony. Morning sunny with a cool breeze, but the day will again be quite warm. Our hike today is listed as 12 1/2 miles – “a simple walk”.
View from our bedroom this morning.
Garden at Springfield House
Leaving our B & B
Village of Reeth
After walking through a bit of the village we headed for the footpath along the stream. Farmlands were all around us too.
Footpath along stream
View of fields leaving Reeth
The path continued and the stream joined the River Swale. We saw a man throwing sticks into the water for his dog to chase. It was already warm and tempting to join them.
Footpath through fileds
Our path then took us down by the river on a narrow, steep, muddy, rocky and thankfully short walk that left us on a farm road.
On farm road
We were off the mapped route, but a nice older cople assured us that the road lead to the Marrick Priory.
Cows, cows, cows
This was one of the first non-stone barns we have seen on our walk.
Marrick priory outdoor Center
We met two shirtless, strapping young men by the Priory. They were doing the Coast to Coast in 8 days as a fund raiser for prostate cancer research. Their leg of the trip for today was 30 miles! One offered to take picture of us.
Mary and Tony by the Priory
After we left the Priory we headed onto a path that lead uphill. The Nuns’ steps offered some lovely shade and a fairly sure footed climb up above the valley.
Nuns’ Steps
We passed through a collection of buildings which make up the village of Marrick.
Marrick – old Schoolhouse
Then we were once again walking through pastures, and climbing gates and stiles.
Walking through pastures and then over gates
Stone walls and pastures
Tony going through the narrow gate.
I stopped on the hill heading down to the next pasture and watched the farmer and his dogs expertly round up a flock of sheep and take them to a new pasture.
Farmer and dogs rounding up sheep
Tony watched and waited below
We didn’t stop at Elaine’s Country Kitchen for lunch, because we thought we could get some in the next town, Marske, which was our day’s halfway point.
Crossing narrow footbridge
Our path continued traversing through fields and gates.
Walking through fields
Hay bales
Marske Hall
There was not much to the town of Marske and certainly no place to get food. Luckily we had brought Balance Bars, or we would go hungry.
Town of Marske some charming stone Buildings, but no food or drink.
We met Wolf and Nicola on the road past Marske and we all searched for the hidden signpost. It brought us into pasture lands with warnings about cows with their calves. You could see a white cairn on the hill ahead.
We carefully skirted the edge of this pasture as it was filled with cows and young calves. The pasture was fenced and we climbed the stiles and followed the trail down a stepped path to the stream where we crossed Paddy’s Bridge.
Trail in pasture dips down to a stream and climbs back up to white cairn on top
Paddy’s Bridge
Once we crossed the bridge it was back uphill following the path as it lead to the white cairn.
The white cairn and looking back at valley.
On road by Applegate Farm
Applegate farmland
Path on Applegate farmlands
Signpost
Applegate farm continues
Whitecliffe Woods ahead
It was lovely and cool in Whitecliffe Woods, a very welcome respite from this rather hot day in northern England.
Whitecliffe Woods
Out of the wood walking on a wide track above the valley, we could see Richmond. Off the road a footpath lead right into town.
First views of Richmond
Views of Richmond
Footpath to Richmond
Almost there
Sign as we entered west end of Richmond
Our B & B is the Rosedale Bed and breakfast, a charming Georgian House in town. Before we got there we stopped at a Pharmacy for some more foot plasters for my blisters and at a pub for a cold pint for Tony.
Tony having his first cold pint
Our b & b
We had a lovely dinner at the Turf and are now resting and soon to be asleep,for tomorrow is another adventure!
Lessee, yesterday reached somewhere into the ninties F. Today wasn’t far behind. But we ambled through,sucked up water, at well, except for where Marske, supposedly half way between Reeth and Richmond wasn’t the oasis we had been promised. No lunch, no water. But we had enough of our own survival rations an carried water. it is a learning experience.
Tomorrow is to be an easy 14 miles. Mare and I think that means 18, but whose counting? I have just about gotten over my cold but have delvloped a blister on one of my toes being hammered by its neighbor which may prove to be problematic. Mare, of course, has been living with several blister since Beck Loft, on day two.
No weight loss, but lots stronger, the both of us.
Gotta love English bacon…
Hi Tony,
OUch your blister sounds painful; I feel for both you and Mary all blistered up. . Do you have moleskin for it?
That English bacon sounds good to me, mmmm.
Hot here in Maine too, but we’re NOT walking 14 (or was that 18) miles in it so are hot but not exhausted. Take good care of your feet. Love from your sister, Mikes
Hi Mikes,
They have this fabulous stuff called Compeed which is much better than the mole skins, blister pads, we brought. My blisters are bearable when I use these blister plasters. May try to buy more in the states. My walking poles are truly helpful too. Sunny skies follow us so all is well.
Love, Mary
Hi, U 2.
I, personally, have enjoyed the Wed & Thur hikes. I feel for you, tho, with blisters & colds adding to difficulties! I’m sorry 🙁 I suppose one wishes for no rain but who would guess it would be so hot… (I know its very green there for a reason.) The farmlands, valleys, hills & fences are lovely. Looks like some of the villages are charming & interesting/curious “collection of buildings”. Love, Melissa
Melissa, I could see you staying in one,of the lovely village and taking nice,walks about, painting and photographing the lovely scenery.
Actually, we had packed moleskin and other remedies, a first aid kit, little multitools, all of which have come in handy. Mary packed lots of sunblock and chapstick sunblock. I packed a whole bottle of ibuprophen. We expect equipment failure and, er, body parts failure.
The first day our the chest strap on my backpack broke, which is unfortunate since it is a must over long distance to hold the pack right. Mary had brought miniature bungicords, which saved the day; I then replace it with a bandanna which is my current chest strap.
One of my hiking poles broke on the way up Beck Loft. Ba timing, that, since for people our age hking poles are nearly essential. I made due with one.
Mary started getting blisters the fifth day out, trekking (and sliding) down the very, very difficult back of KIdsty Pike. She has kept going.