Steve and Steff's Honeymoon trek

Day 13 The Finalé

Sea 2 Sea.

We have very mixed feelings about the last day. My feet are very relieved it is over. The rest of me would like to do a lap of honour.

Because of the haze we couldn’t see the sea until half 11 on the last day. Others are unfortunate enough to be taunted by it for 3 days. But what a feeling of elation when we did see it! However, old Wainwright wouldn’t make it so easy. We had to endure a hard but worthwhile detour which ensured we saw beautiful sights like Littlebeck and the Falling Foss before emerging once again to the sight of Whitby Abbey and the meandering coastal path which we followed to our final destination — the busy seaside town of Robin Hood’s Bay.

We paddled in the North Sea then deposited our pebbles. Then the best bit…
The most welcome pint of beer in the Bay Hotel where we signed the book, got our certificates and were surprised to be met by mum, dad, bruv and his wife.

We can’t thank everybody enough for your support. Your messages of goodwill kept our poor feet pounding and kept our spirits higher than some of the mountains we climbed.

Major thanks must go to Simon and Lindsay at Packhorse. The service was exemplary. The accommodation was fantastic.

Geoff, without you setting up the website and publishing our blogs we couldn’t have kept in touch with everyone and received all the lovely comments that kept us going. You are an absolute star.

A big shout out must go to all our hosts across the route. The welcome and accommodation was completely lovely. We are so grateful for you looking after us so well.

To the people we have met on our wanderings; you have all been so kind and supportive. We will miss you all. Especially nice, was meeting up with Ann, Chris and Mark at the end of the walk. It was a real treat.

A final thanks to AW. It might be a bit late, but it was a hell of a walk and a brilliant honeymoon.

— Steve and Steff x

PS. I suspect this won’t be our last blog…to be continued.

Day 13 : The End

Steve and Steff will be preparing a wrap-up entry shortly, but for now… here’s my view of The End.

Early Saturday morning Carole and I went up to Bolton to meet with Mum and Dad, and together we set out for Robin Hood’s Bay — by car rather than on foot. Arriving there around 2 o’clock we had time to explore a little and reconnoitre the B&B at which Steve and Steff were to be stopping in the evening. Anne was taken into our confidence and it was arranged that if the couple were to arrive there first then they would be encouraged to continue to the finish straight away… not letting on that we would be waiting for them of course.

Chatting with people in the pub, we found a number of people who had met Steve and Steff along the route. Some had taken longer that others but the one thing that was completely transparent about all though was the sense of triumph shared by all of them.

At about 5:10pm we received a call from Anne to confirm that they were on their way.

It was about ten minutes later that I snapped them coming around the corner at the bottom of the hill: a look of grim determination on their faces. I had positioned myself outside the old Coastguard station wearing a new hat, but Steve still managed to spot me — thankfully he kept it to himself and left Steff in the dark whilst I followed them down to the shore.

At the shoreline Steff deposited the pebble that she had tenderly carried all the way from St Bees into the rolling surf, gently placing it into the water marking the end of her journey.

It is a tradition to carry a pebble from one shore to the other, this is to represent the burden that we all carry through life. Personally I think it’s a Lancastrian ploy to attempt to get Yorkshire to sink… but unfortunately some people (possibly Yorkshiremen?) do the walk in reverse to even it all out.

Steve too had carried a pebble along the journey, but his ‘deposit’ was made overarm, flinging the pebble as far as he could. This, of course, ensures the maximum leverage being applied to the eastern side of the British mainland by this particular mass.

200+ miles they had walked, slightly longer than the ‘official’ Wainwright route thanks to the requirement to do no trespass; farmers who force the path to deviate; and the wonders of modern navigation — satellite navigation is an amazing thing: letting you know just how lost you are at all times.

In spite of the rigours of the journey, the expiration of Steve’s boots and a multitude of bad sheep and cow jokes; they had survived through to the end with hardly a harsh word, other than a disagreement about Tom Jones and Engelbert Humperdink (see day 6).

The Bay Hotel keeps ‘The Register’ for people completing the coast to coast to sign in, so here we see Steff doing just that: ‘it is written…’ that Steve and Steff completed the Coast to Coast walk on Saturday 24th May 2008: that can never be changed!

After signing the register we toasted the pair of them and they enjoyed a very well deserved pint each; and we all had a jolly good chin-wag covering subjects as diverse as chess playing grouse, the offside rule, sheep, cows and comparative sociological interrelations.

Eventually Steve and Steff made their way to the B&B to get a bath and we all went to The Victoria for a lovely meal before they went back to the B&B and we drove home.

A very happy day for us and a big surprise for them.

In the words of Bruce Forsyth: Didn’t they do well?

— Geoff

Day 13 : Glaisdale to Robin Hood's Bay

No news yet….

…or we’ve not got home; the plan is to greet the happy couple as they arrive at Robin Hood’s Bay, so we might not get home before midnight.

— Geoff & Carole

We’ve got in, it’s 1:30am… they did it, they arrived in Robin Hood’s Bay at about 5:20pm……… and this can wait.

Congratulations Steve and Steff: you’re the champions!

— Geoff & Carole

Day 12: Clay Bank Top to Glaisdale

Beeching.

Started with a gentle but steady climb from Clay Bank back up to the moors. Stunning scenery and views which eventually gave way to a crossroads called the Bloworth Crossing. Good old Beeching eh, if it hadn’t been for him we might have been mowed down by a passing steam locomotive. However, all that remains is an undulating gravel track and sleepers every now and then.

The first highlight of the day was climbing up to the Lion Inn at Blakey. Built approx 1557. Where a much needed coffee was enjoyed by yours truly plus spouse. There followed what seemed like boring miles to some, but absolutely beautiful moorland along long steady tracks. Lots of ground nesting birds like Curlews and chess playing Grouse (if you want an explanation ask in the comments :-) ).

Just had a lovely meal in the local pub where the monthly entertainment was about to start — a fancy dress disco. Left early, leaving the moustachioed local Mexican impersonators in peace.

Wandered back with the bottle of wine to yet another delightful B+B where Steff is massaging my sore feet again, again, again. It must be love.

Unfortunately, tomorrow is our last day. I have mixed feelings. My feet are killing me and are happy to finish, but the rest of me has enjoyed it so much I dont want it to end.

Last blog tomorrow.

Ow! Steff is killing me!

— Steve

Day 11 : Ingleby Cross to Clay Bank Top

Heather — she’s a beauty.

Happy today. Back in the hills with miles of lovely purple heather welcoming us as we climbed high up into the Cleveland hills.

Very happy also, to see and hear the cacophony of ground nesting birds. Obviously not many buzzards around here.

Navigation was very easy today. We have joined the Cleveland Way which has paving stones covering the bad bits. Such is the luxury of a national trail. The bit we were on is also part of the Lyke Wake Walk. We didn’t see any coffins, so that was nice.

I was surprised to see a gliding club on the tops. With the wind blowing from the south though, anything trying to fly would have landed pretty shortly after.

My boots are falling to bits. I have walked so many hundreds of miles practising for this that the sole is falling off during the real thing. Hey ho.

Steff is in her element. Tonights B+B welcomed us with a bottle of wine for our honeymoon. Really nice. Also included is a little doggy called Squirrel. She has kept Steff happy for ages.

The sun has shone down on us all day yet again. One thing we never thought of was that we would be sunburned down the right hand side of us — travelling East you see.

Again thank you for your comments. I was very touched to hear from Molly and Frank.

— Steve