Day 10 - Reeth to Richmond
02.07.13
DISTANCE WALKED: 11.8 miles
Can't believe I managed to stay (mostly) dry again today. The weather gods are being very kind to me. Today felt like an easy walk, across farmland and along the river Swale, and I made it to Richmond in plenty of time for a cream tea and a jolly good explore.
The walk started by following the River Swale from Reeth to Grinton and then to the ruins of Marrick Priory - now an Outdoor Adventure Centre, but once the home of Benedictine nuns. The weather was set to come in from the West and I was hoping to walk in front of it, but it was drizzling as I left Reeth and coming down heavily by the time I got to Marrick. This lovely bench was an ideal dry spot to stop and don waterproofs. Only trouble being, I was roasting hot by the time I had climbed the shallow flagged "nuns' steps" through the woods to meet the road to Marske. So I considered that, as my actual skin was waterproof, and it wasn't cold that I would be better off getting wet then being gently steamed. A good plan in any case, as the rain stopped and did not start again until just as I dropped down into Richmond. Marske is another pretty Dales village and I stopped there for elevenses.
My journey continued over rolling farmlands, and then climbed up a little way to contour the limestone scars of High Applegate and Whitcliffe from where there were open views down to the River Swale as it meandered into Richmond. I could hear a lot of loud bangs, which I thought was a rather excessive amount of bird-scaring, until it dawned on me that it was the Army firing ranges at nearby Catterick. Perhaps the two truckloads of soldiers driving through Marske were a clue. These small stone sheep barns are in almost every field in the Dales and are shelter for livestock as well as storage for food. The flower meadows have been cut for hay and the brown tinge on the shorn grass is due to muck spreading - delightful for the nose and the boots. Still, it was nice to see some cows for a change! Later I saw two very large bulls, fortunately I did not have to walk through their field.
When the path emerged from Whitcliffe woods, I had the first view down to Richmond and to the Cleveland Hills beyond. I think AW was rather partial to the unspoiled quality of this unique town which has 'gloriously defied time' and the ravages of modern planning. It is dominated by the castle with its Norman keep towering over the cobbled market square, pretty Georgian buildings, narrow Wynds (lanes) and the ancient church. I had one of the best cream teas ever and went for a look around. The old railway terminus just out of the town has been converted to a gallery complex, then I walked back along the river, saw a dipper (tick) at the waterfalls and then went up to the Castle. Next I had a caesar salad and some bruschetta, in the Italian restaurant as recommended by the lady in the tea shop; such a shame about the hair in it... Having only eaten half of my dinner, I walked up the hill behind my B&B to see the Culloden Tower, a folly built in 1746 to celebrate the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie. I have put loads of piccies of Richmond and all of the ones I have taken of the stages so far up on the C2C pages on the main site here. I have raided the free hot chocolate and choc chip cookies in my room, and so for an early night. I didn't sleep very much at all last night - let's just say I snacked on too many prunes and never speak of it again!
Tunes for today: Beatles, "Norwegian Wood," Simon and Garfunkel, "Scarborough Fair" and The Who "Pinball Wizard" which I think came from clattering through the tiny gated gaps in the dry stone walls, since each gate seems to be on an enormous spring that shoots you through like a pinball flipper.
Odometer
11.8 miles
Cumulative Miles
130.5
Total Ascent
355 metres
Total Descent
428 metres
Moving Time
3h 52 m
Stopped Time
2h 6 m
Moving Average
3.0 mph
Can't believe I managed to stay (mostly) dry again today. The weather gods are being very kind to me. Today felt like an easy walk, across farmland and along the river Swale, and I made it to Richmond in plenty of time for a cream tea and a jolly good explore.
The walk started by following the River Swale from Reeth to Grinton and then to the ruins of Marrick Priory - now an Outdoor Adventure Centre, but once the home of Benedictine nuns. The weather was set to come in from the West and I was hoping to walk in front of it, but it was drizzling as I left Reeth and coming down heavily by the time I got to Marrick. This lovely bench was an ideal dry spot to stop and don waterproofs. Only trouble being, I was roasting hot by the time I had climbed the shallow flagged "nuns' steps" through the woods to meet the road to Marske. So I considered that, as my actual skin was waterproof, and it wasn't cold that I would be better off getting wet then being gently steamed. A good plan in any case, as the rain stopped and did not start again until just as I dropped down into Richmond. Marske is another pretty Dales village and I stopped there for elevenses.
My journey continued over rolling farmlands, and then climbed up a little way to contour the limestone scars of High Applegate and Whitcliffe from where there were open views down to the River Swale as it meandered into Richmond. I could hear a lot of loud bangs, which I thought was a rather excessive amount of bird-scaring, until it dawned on me that it was the Army firing ranges at nearby Catterick. Perhaps the two truckloads of soldiers driving through Marske were a clue. These small stone sheep barns are in almost every field in the Dales and are shelter for livestock as well as storage for food. The flower meadows have been cut for hay and the brown tinge on the shorn grass is due to muck spreading - delightful for the nose and the boots. Still, it was nice to see some cows for a change! Later I saw two very large bulls, fortunately I did not have to walk through their field.
When the path emerged from Whitcliffe woods, I had the first view down to Richmond and to the Cleveland Hills beyond. I think AW was rather partial to the unspoiled quality of this unique town which has 'gloriously defied time' and the ravages of modern planning. It is dominated by the castle with its Norman keep towering over the cobbled market square, pretty Georgian buildings, narrow Wynds (lanes) and the ancient church. I had one of the best cream teas ever and went for a look around. The old railway terminus just out of the town has been converted to a gallery complex, then I walked back along the river, saw a dipper (tick) at the waterfalls and then went up to the Castle. Next I had a caesar salad and some bruschetta, in the Italian restaurant as recommended by the lady in the tea shop; such a shame about the hair in it... Having only eaten half of my dinner, I walked up the hill behind my B&B to see the Culloden Tower, a folly built in 1746 to celebrate the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie. I have put loads of piccies of Richmond and all of the ones I have taken of the stages so far up on the C2C pages on the main site here. I have raided the free hot chocolate and choc chip cookies in my room, and so for an early night. I didn't sleep very much at all last night - let's just say I snacked on too many prunes and never speak of it again!
Tunes for today: Beatles, "Norwegian Wood," Simon and Garfunkel, "Scarborough Fair" and The Who "Pinball Wizard" which I think came from clattering through the tiny gated gaps in the dry stone walls, since each gate seems to be on an enormous spring that shoots you through like a pinball flipper.
Odometer
11.8 miles
Cumulative Miles
130.5
Total Ascent
355 metres
Total Descent
428 metres
Moving Time
3h 52 m
Stopped Time
2h 6 m
Moving Average
3.0 mph