Coast to Coast Osmotherley to Clay Bank Top

The path stretching out along the Cleveland Crest

Day 12 Osmotherley to Clay Bank Top 11 Miles

Having spent two days crossing the Vale of York we are now back in hill country and about to enter our third National Park, The Yorkshire Moors. We enter the Park just outside Ingleby Cross and the trail soon starts to head upwards at a steady incline through Arncliffe Wood. It is a still, silent morning and we are the only people around. As we climb through the wood, out of the corner of my eye I catch sight of a deer. It has its back to us and is munching away on some ferns about thirty feet away. Despite our best efforts all too soon it senses our presence and rapidly darts off into the undergrowth, it’s bouncing white bottom contrasting with the green foliage as it vanishes, magician like from view.

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Coast to Coast Richmond to Danby Wiske

Day 10 Richmond to Danby Wiske 14 miles

When I first walked this section of the Coast to Coast 26 years ago Gary and I walked (on the recommendation of Wainwright no less) from Richmond to Osmotherley all in one go, twenty three miles on a baking hot day. By the time we got to Osmotherley youth hostel our feet were throbbing from the road walking and we were pretty tired and dehydrated. Today will be a little bit more leisurely, we’re splitting the Vale of York in two and only walking to Danby Wiske. Richmond was quiet and the shops just opening as we pottered about a bit before setting off just as the church bells in Market square chimed for 10am.

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Coast to Coast Reeth to Richmond

Richmond comes into view

Day 9 Reeth to Richmond 10 miles

After a comfortable night in the Dales Bike Centre we enjoy a leisurely continental breakfast in the bright dining room, surrounded by cycling posters and bike gear and feeling only a little out of place among the half dozen or so cyclists dressed in their Lycra. A relatively short stage to Richmond is the order of the day so we are in no rush to get out and we find ourselves in a bit of a holiday mood. Eventually we get ourselves moving, pack the rucksacks and head out into the fresh air. Continue reading “Coast to Coast Reeth to Richmond”