I also took series of panoramas later in the walk but these did not work as well, except for the partial panorama taken at the top of Orton Scar. I was either high up on the moorland or overlooking flat vales, neither of which provided enough drama to make the most of a panorama – though there are some distant views to be seen within the gallery.

Not all of the panoramas are complete 360 degree views, and some may take a little while to load.

Within 5 minutes of setting off, and with the B&B still in sight, the sky went black and it began to hail. Not the perfect start to the day, but it did not last long and the weather improved slowly all day.

The last two bits of moor to cross were fairly small, and did not take too much effort. Descending down to the coastal path I rejoined the Cleveland Way (previously left before Blakey Ridge) and headed south along the coast for 3 miles or so into Robin Hood’s Bay.

The wind was again blowing really hard, but it was the spray from the sea soaking me now, even though I was at the top of a fairly high cliff.

With each headland I expectantly searched for any signs of Bay Town, but it was not until the final headland of the bay that the town came into view.

Now that I was safely at destination I ate the remaining quarter bar of Kendal Mint Cake emergency ration. It also gave me the energy to head back up the hill (1 in 3) and to the host of tea rooms that overlooked the bay.

190 miles (plus a few more with detours).
15 days (some with sunshine!).
A fantastic journey.

Emergency rations: The last quarter packet of Kendal Mint Cake sitting on the beach
Blisters: None
Aching bits: None

Center of map

Route

More photos (from all the days of walking) can be found in the photo gallery.

Even starting gone 9am, stopping at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and a walk via the Hermitage and Flowing Foss waterfall would not delay me too long.

The path out of Glaisdale went along the river and through some very nice woodland, which also offered some protection from the rain. Further shelter was found at Grosmont Station tea room. Here I summoned up the energy needed for the road out of Grosmont provided the greatest challenge of the day – it was a series of 1 in 3 hills up onto the moor.

Crossing over the moor I descended a short 1 in 3 hill into Littlebeck village, and saw the signpost to the B&B. It had only just gone noon so instead of heading directly there I continued on the Coast to Coast path along the valley, passing the Hermitage and Flowing Foss waterfall. At this point I left the Coast to Coast path and headed north, up the other side of the hill that formed the valley, to the B&B.

The B&B was fantastic and on a dreary Sunday afternoon I curled up in front of a fire with the papers.

Emergency rations: None
Blisters: None
Aching bits: None

Center of map

Route

More photos (from all the days of walking) can be found in the photo gallery.

Apart from the initial climb up onto the ridge this morning the walk was very easy. Thankfully the flagstone path had made way for a gravel track, and the section across the first moor was easily completed as the Cleveland Way headed north and I continued east to follow the route of a now disused railway.

While the railway snaked its way round the hills, following the contours it was much more preferable than clambering up and down the ridges of a more direct route. It was such good fast walking that I passed several people I had come to know from walking the past few days. Though I got the timings wrong today, the walking was so easy I got to the Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge before it opened.

There is nothing else at Blakey so I pressed on in improving weather to walk over Glaisdale Moor with the fantastic views into both valleys to the north and south.

It was a long thin tongue of moorland but I finally reached the village of Glaisdale and found the B&B for the night – just in time as well as a few minutes later the heavens would open with some short, sharp, showers of rain.

Emergency rations: None
Blisters: None
Aching bits: None

Center of map

Route

More photos (from all the days of walking) can be found in the photo gallery.

The beginning of the walk was beautiful through open broadleaved woodland, skirting the edge of the more dense coniferous plantation. After a mile or so the Coast to Coast route joins the Cleveland Way, and it is this path that I would be following all day and into tomorrow.

The views from the ridge back across the Vale were fantastic, but I had moorland to cross in glorious weather with just a hint of a breeze making it comfortable going.

After passing across the edge of Scarthwood Moor there were a couple more stretches of woodland, this time with patches of bluebells in the dappled shade of oak and beech trees. It was then up the path to Live Moor, following a pavement of flagstones – not the most comfortable walking but better than walking through and adding to the destructed ground I had experienced previously around Nine Standards.

At the top of Live Moor I caught first sight of the North Sea on the Horizon – it was quite distant, 3 days walking for me.

From there the path would again drop down into the head of a valley before rising again to the next ridge. There were four of these to negotiate before I would descend south into the Urra valley to find my digs for the night.

Having got to the road, which would have led me to the B&B, I decided to climb up Carr Ridge and walk over Urra Moor to approach the valley from the north east. There were a couple of routes down, I passed the first as the second would be more direct. However the second was not marked, which was about the only path all day that was not! I walked a little further and found another path and headed down a bridleway to the B&B.

Emergency rations: None
Blisters: No more
Aching bits: Tired feet – still recovering from yesterday

Center of map

Route

More photos (from all the days of walking) can be found in the photo gallery.