C2C day 14 – Osmotherley to Kirkby
Although Graham heard the church bells chime 5am, then the quarter hour, the next set of chimes heard were 7am. Sleeping in after the late night was probably a good thing. Breakfast at the Queen Catherine did not compare well with the previous morning at Lovesome Hill.
As we were setting off into a cold, misty day the Sherpa van arrived to pick up walkers' luggage. Several walkers, discouraged by the outlook and weather forecast, chose to travel with their luggage in the van.
'Setting off into a cold, misty day'
We took an alternative route along a country lane back up to Arncliffe Woods where we joined the C2C, the Cleveland Way and the Lyke Wake Walk (an ancient 40 mile coffin route across to the coast, now a challenge walk to be undertaken in less than 24 hours) to cross the North York Moors. The three walks follow the same path as far as Bloworth crossing on tomorrow's route.
After walking over Scarth Wood Moor, and through Clain Wood and Scugdale, the rollercoaster continued up, over and down, in succession, Live Moor, Carlton Moor and Cringle Moor. On the higher moorland sections the mist/cloud/rain limited visibility to less than 50 metres. By the time we found Lords' Stone café at the base of Carlton Moor, we were wet, cold and hungry. The prospect of bacon and egg buns with a beer (Graham) or scotch (Mary) in front of a roaring fire was impossible to resist. We sat snugly inside while a procession of other C2C walkers arrived. As we left the café we found a chaffinch sitting on an outside table forlornly waiting for patrons to sit outside and leave some tasty scraps.
'Clain Wood'
'Huthwaite Green, Live Moor shrouded in mist'
'Mary bends into the wind and rain on the moors'
'Forlorn chaffinch waits for scraps'
After climbing back into the misty drizzle on Cringle Moor we stopped at a stone seat to chat to fellow C2C walkers who were having their lunch. From the seat, according to the guidebook, we would see across Teeside to the North Sea. We could barely see five metres!
'View over Teeside? – we could barely see David'
Once down off Cringle Moor we left the C2C to find our B&B, Dromonby Bridge Farm, about three miles away. We took a rough track off the moors down to Toft Hill, then followed the road to Kirkby crossroads and Busby Lane to the B&B. We arrived at about 4pm and were welcomed into a large lounge room with tea and biscuits. Dave, the owner, had inherited the grand house from his parents and was upgrading the house and furnishings to turn it into a B&B. He trawled antique and second-hand shops to find some wonderful furnishings and fittings. It was still a work in progress.
'Dromonby Bridge B&B reception room'
As we were finishing our afternoon tea, Dave received a phone call and went to pick up some C2C walkers from the moors. He soon returned and introduced some walkers we hadn't met before. After we'd all showered and changed, Dave drove us to his local pub at Kirkby where we had a very good dinner. Dave stayed at the pub to deliver us back to our accommodation.