0615 Ingleby Cross to Beak Hills Farm
We awoke to another beautiful morning, with lovely views across the valley behind our B and B.
Breakfast was a communal affair today, with all the guests seated around a large table – a real farmhouse style – and the choices were many and the food very tasty. Voted by the adventurers as probably the best accommodation yet – a high accolade indeed.
All too soon it was time to bid farewell to our lovely host Victoria, and to start back on the trail. Once out of their driveway, we were actually back on the Coast to Coast path walking up a track through woodland. A lovely shady start to the day. Very soon we joined the Cleveland Way which we were to follow for the rest of the day.
The path continued through some woodland and up onto the Cleveland Hills which are part of the North York Moors – our old friends the heather clad hills accompanied us for much of the day. In previous days we have had moorland on both sides of the path, but today we had the reddy-brown heath clad moors to our right and an increasingly open vista of green farmland stretching away to our left. A huge contrast.
Today was the busiest day on the tracks by far. A combination of walkers on both the Coast to Coast and the Cleveland Way plus day walkers out enjoying another gloriously sunny day. Our friends the Peloton were just ahead of us for most of the day, and the various walkers who had stayed at the Park Lodge last night were just behind us.
At the highest point on the Cleveland Hills we had our first glimpses of the North Sea! A little hazy today, but still visible just beyond Hartlepool and Middlesborough. In the west we could dimly see Cross Fell on the Pennine Way. Below us we enjoyed the ever-changing farmland and village views as we walked along an escarpment above them. We had remarked on the change from dry stone walls to hedgerows early in the day, only to see some newer stone walls appear again later on.
Parts of the way were paved with flat stones and slabs as we had seen in the Lake District. This is a means of protecting the land as erosion has become an issue with the number of walkers now using the track.
The day was a series of peaks and troughs, geographically speaking. After a period out in the full sun we were delighted to reach a very shady lunch spot called Lord Stones – basically a large scale café situated where the Cleveland Way crosses the road. This facility was very popular with walkers and road users alike. We ate our lunch (bacon sandwiches and a couple of packets of crisps) and enjoyed some cold drinks. As we only had 3kms to go, we did not feel the need to race off so it was probably our longest lunch break yet !
From this point the Cleveland Way went up over another steep hill but there was a lower level route that bypassed it. Not surprisingly Peter Climb-Every-Mountain Lee decided to take the high route, as did Val, whilst Adam and Barbie enjoyed the lower route. As Peter and Val staggered up the hill, they could see Ad and Barb disappearing into the distance. And as they descended the very steep drop on the other side, they remarked that a) it would have been very slippery in the wet and b) Ad and Barb had made a good choice!! Although, it must be said that the views were lovely from the top!
We were all reunited at Beak Hills Farm which lies just a kilometre off the trail, and were welcomed with a plate of home made cakes, biscuits plus hot and cold drinks!
We will be dining in tonight as we are a long way from anywhere and have been promised a roast pork dinner! Will there be more Yorkshire Puddings ???
Today we passed the three-quarter mark on the Coast to Coast path and, with the North Sea in sight, (and four walking days remaining) we realise that our adventure is nearing its end. Adam and Barbie are still optimistic that they may yet get to test their wet weather gear as showers are forecast for Sunday, but, failing that, Peter has kindly volunteered to train a garden hose on them! (He’s all heart isn’t he!)
Distance today: 16km
Saints to Outlaws 
Leave a comment