After
breakfast I allowed time for the various walking groups etc, to get ahead, to
allow me to walk on my own. Not something that's happened much over the last
fortnight. The weather again was brilliant, the early morning mist burning off
as the sun rose higher. Again an easier walk today over the higher ground then
down to Glaisdale and on to Grosmont. Fat Betty was the first monument that I
came across, the tradition being to leave some food and take a replacement.
After passing Trough house, a shooting lodge, Great Fryup Dale came into view.
I hope the pictures, I took, do the scenery justice a real bonus. Then along a
ridge heading towards Glaisdale Rigg, a jet fighter low level flying around the
valleys. Down into Glaisdale the temperature rose, it was now really warm and
the going got tougher. Not far now, through the pretty village of Egton Bridge and
into Grosmont. The whole community is based around its steam trains; Harry
Potters Hogwarts train was filmed here! That evening after my meal in the Station
Tavern and enjoying an extra pint, the Canadians arrived and we exchanged
stories. Fred, who had been a captain in the Canadian navy, was so unassuming
but some of his past antics were mind boggling, e.g. cycling the length of
Africa and encase that wasn't enough, for the 2008 Olympics he cycled from
Paris to Beijing to meet up with his wife for the event, 6000 miles over 6
months. Puts a ‘little’ trip like the Coast to Coast in to perspective.
Suddenly the end of the walk was in sight and tomorrow will be the final day. But
the re-plan is now in place to redo the Patterdale to Shap section on Saturday.
So though I will dip my toes and throw my pebble in to the North Sea tomorrow,
the completion of my Wainwright Coast to Coast will not be until I've walked
off the highest point of the route, Kidsty Pike, along the Haweswater reservoir
and into Shap Saturday evening.