Day 15 – Blakey Ridge to Egton Bridge

I was delighted this morning to find a clean pair of socks down the side of my bag , freshly laundered and still smelling of Hilary’s washing powder.  Sweet joy of joys!!    This was going to be a good day!   It was an 11 mile walk today to what was described as one of the prettiest villages on the route, Egton Bridge.    This would be a good distance and it would act as a buffer between yesterday and tomorrows finale of 18 miles to Robin Hoods Bay.

I started off from The Lion Inn (2 excellent poached eggs) and had a fine misty drizzle covering me after 10 minutes.  It quickly cleared to a crisp, clear morning – my favourite kind of walking weather. The socks and now the weather- !     I headed over the moors, flat with only an occasional way marker to be seen.  The North York Moors have many of these stone, ancient way markers with all different inscriptions on .   They have been there for centuries , used to guide travellers across these miles of moor, amazing.   There is one I pass today known as Fat Betty.  One of the coast to coast traditions , as well as dipping the boots in both seas and collecting the pebble at St Bees to throw in at Robin Hoods Bay, is to leave a sweet offering at Fat Betty for the next walker who passes by.  It is to symbolise safe travel.   I was looking forward to seeing what I might find at Fat Betty .  The girls  were trying to guess what it might be … We are all crossing our fingers it’s not a muesli bar.

Well, when I reached Fat Betty I couldn’t believe my eyes .. There was not just one thing , no.. It was like a buffet!  All sorts to choose from!   Biscuits, sweets, energy bars , nuts and would you believe 2
scotch eggs!   I was spoilt for choice.  I decided on a nice pack of chocolate chip cookies .  I then left my offering.  I had put a lot of thought into this , going to a sweet shop in a village the week before.  I couldn’t decide and asked the lady serving what she thought.  I was about to settle on licqourice
bullets  when she said in her lovely Yorkshire accent ” I’m not mad on licqourice you know, not
everyone is…” Mmmm, she was right of course , we had a rethink and settled on the jelly beans
which she had tried and said where fruity and refreshing .  I totally agreed with her.  Perfect.  As I
was leaving she waved and shouted  “They’ll be just right my love, just right”.  What a lovely woman she was.

And so, I placed my jelly beans down on Fat Betty and hoped the next walker enjoyed them on their travels.  On I went and crossed over Glaisdale High Moor , to get here I had to walk down Great Fryup Lane – !  ( except, firstly I missed the turn and didn’t realise for at least a mile, I scuttled back – adding 2 miles to my nice 11 mile buffer day!) The views from this moor gave the most amazing views of a Great Fryup Dale.   I love these names.     The North  York Moors seem to have this pattern of flat , heather filled moorland punctuated with these amazing valleys.   It was breathtaking .  I went up onto Glaisdale Moor next and again stunning views all round.  One of the joys of this whole experience has been walking alone.  Up high , when up you stop and it is just silence – I can’t
see anyone else for miles and it is a quiet that makes you tingle, all of this beautiful place to yourself.

I dropped down to the little village of Glaisdale, and as soon as you come off the moor there is a
tearoom with a very welcoming sign for walkers and muddy boots.  No resistance from me!  Straight in for a cuppa and a ham/chutney sandwich.   The owners had converted half of their garden into this tearoom for walkers.  Lovely people who gave me great directions to Beggars Bridge (my next stop of historical fascination girls!) and to my B&B.  I reached Beggars Bridge and gazed at it for a while – it has the most romantic story relating to how it was built in the 17th century – I will tell you all about it when I get home girls !    Then under the railway line and through some shady, green , muddy, lovely woods to Egton bridge.  This corner of England is stunning – they filmed the television show ‘Heartbeat’ here. My Mum would be very excited by this.  I stopped for a drink and half expected Greengrass to pop from behind a tree and pinch my backpack!  – Old rascal.

My B&B for the night , Broom House was just out of Egton Bridge.   I followed the River Esk as it
wrapped around the village, there were even stepping stones so you can cross the river , avoiding the road – it was gorgeous.!    The B&B was a 19th century farmhouse converted into more of a country
manor.  The place and the young couple who had just bought it 3 weeks ago were lovely, it was well worth the walk out of Egton Bridge.  She had her Mum there helping her in the garden , the Mum  was in a nice blouse and pearls as they were going out for her birthday, but she had come early to help with some gardening.  I said , that’s exactly what my Mum would do.  I got a bit teary watching someone else’s Mum pot petunias so I headed for a shower.    They advised me to go to The Postgate Inn for dinner , then when I went up to my room to sort out my things for tomorrow there was a note attached to a receipt saying ‘Postgate Inn’ . I had read a year ago in the planning stages somewhere that this was good and had written it down .. Excellent!   All bathed (yes, a bath woo hoo!)  I walked the 10 minutes back to Egton  and to the Postgate Inn.   Well , hands down THE best meal so far.  I had to take a photo .  Oh my goodness.!!!!  I sat with my delicious meal and read  my novel smiling my head off.   I joined in a quick a Happy Birthday sing song for Trevor at the next table and then walked back along the river up to my bed……..   I knew this was going to be a good day when I found those socks.    Last day of my adventure tomorrow,   off to the seaside ,  ready to dip my boots and throw my pebble into the North Sea, and all going to plan have a celebratory pint at Wainwrights bar.               All my love ,  night night , sweet dreams xxxxx