The Good Samaritan

Today was back to what I would call 'proper walking'. The last couple of days through the Vale of Mowbray (Richmond to Danby Wiske and Danby Wiske to Ingleby Cross) were pleasant enough but it was all very flat. As we left our B&B, we immediately headed uphill through Arncliffe Wood onto Scarth Wood Moor, seeing countless Pheasants and even a lone deer.

I've received plenty of constructive feedback on my blog updates from you all (for which I am grateful - I think). As a result, today's blog is going to be food reference free.

So, I shall simply see that after crossing Scarth Wood Moor, we headed down to Lord Stone's Cafe which is a lovely little place set into the rock. It's well hidden and not something you would be able to find without a map.

After leaving the Cafe, we climbed further onto Kirby Bank where there were great views for miles around. We thought that we could even glimpse a ship of some kind in what must have been the North Sea.

As we hadn't got lost yet, it was clear that some minor event was bound to happen and sure enough, after placing my Coast to Coast book (complete with map) on the top of a signpost in order to get my mp3 player out and despite (i) Peter, a chap who we have met several times during our walk; and (ii) Leonie, both reminding me not to forget it, I absentmindedly wandered off and completed the next steep climb without it. Only when I reached the top did I realise that whilst I was holding my walking pole in my left hand, my right hand felt surprisingly redundant! The gods were smiling however as another chap who we have met several times along the way passed us bearing the said book. He had picked it up on the basis that the numpty who forgot it probably wouldn't be bothered to return for it. After learning that he was not staying anywhere near us that night, and realising that there were only two days to go and the chances of running into him again at a pub were very slim, I offered to buy him a pint for his samaritan-esque qualities!!

We headed down into Great Broughton with Rob and Evita who had caught us up and arrived at our destination about 4.30pm.

My delight at having completed day Day 13 was increased at finding out that not only did our room have a television in it but that it had Sky Sports! Whilst Leonie had an hour's kip, I had a lovely hour watching the cricket.

Tomorrow we have a long day ahead as we walk to Grosmont - home of the railway station where the Harry Potter films are filmed.