Coast to Coast in England

I had such a lovely sleep and I'm up early- so far the only one about listening to the roosters and watching the sunrise.  Having my delicious French press coffee.  We left the Yorkshire Dales National Park and today will cross the North York Moors National Park for our final route to the North Sea. I felt so en enveloped in this bed  We always have coffee or tea available in our rooms. The table is set for breakfast . We walked through the moors today up and down, up and down.  The heather is blooming as you will see in the photos.  The sun was out.  Glorious views, lots of people out walking; a big day. We arrived at our pick up place around 4:15 and we're driven to our hotel a couple miles off the trail and out of town. Oh how luxurious the simple pleasures are.  A bath, a rest and dinner. By 8 PM we confessed we were all too tired to engage in a game of bridge.  Tomorrow will be a shorter day! We are only 4 days away from Robin Hood's ...

Wow!!  Look at these signs: By next Saturday we'll be in York having accomplished this trek (god willing and the creek don't rise) - something like that.   Good morning beautiful world!  This I say to my grandchildren upon waking in the morning.  A new lease on life.  What I love about this travel is the way moods and feelings can flow through, not sticking.  Yesterday felt a bit like Creator and we laughed about that.  The weather had turned dreary but a lovely meal and a good sleep has altered.  We're ready to be walking again.  And now we're on the last leg with the goal in sight.   I saw a photo on FB this morning of my brother' s beautiful challah bread he bakes.  Lots of loving thoughts sent in that direction.  I'm a lucky girl.   And now, packing and breakfast.  Back to the walk! Note the Star of David Navigators extra-ordinaire  A flat walk today across fields of grain There's time for camara...

We had a leisurely breakfast in one of the loveliest accommodations of the trip.  Today is our rest day so we wandered Richmond and then settled into a pub to have lunch and play. bridge.  A cab delivered us to our B&B by 3 ish.   A big rest was enjoyed by all of us and then at our usual 6:30 we went to the only pub in town for dinner.  Behold!  The group of 6 Aussies re-appeared. We hadn't seen them since last Sunday before Bampton Grange. And Evelyn and the British women were eating together.  Later, Evelyn joined us for some whiskey (B&K) and more conversation.  Sadly we won't see her again as she arrives in RobinHood's Bay a day before us.  We exchanged contact information- there's always another opportunity to meet.  I'll take a break from writing today too. Here are the pics of the day.

This is what we're waking up to today! Waiting for breakfast.  Our walk today was reminiscent of the Caminos.  We met others - the 2 couples from Australia , the British women, and Evelyn from Germany re-appeared.  Lunch was along the path and outside again. The weather is holding; the Australians sing a sunshine song each morning.  The path , as photos will show crossed pastures, dipped into the woods, followed the road, climbed up and down but all rather gently.  This is the time in the trip when the boot camp experience of the first week pays off and we can appreciate a level of fitness that comes from day after day walking.  That this part of the route is well waymarked allows for that mindful walking time that we love so well, some of it turns silly , some of it is chatty, and some silent.  All of it deeply nourishing. Still, at the end of each day's walk we feel tired, in need of a shower and rest.  But a kinship has developed between ...