Gary's Coast to Coast Walk 2012: Day 11, 16th August 2012

Friday 17 August 2012

Day 11, 16th August 2012

Started walking today at 8.30am, Day started well as I bumped into fellow walker Stuart as I set off from the Blue Bell Inn in Ingleby Cross. The day began by going up a steep track which took us to the top of the moor and onwards. This was just a taste of things to come as Stuart and I spent most of the day going steeply up hills and then down again!

Steep up through Arncliffe Woods this morning.


A stone in the path, purpose unknown. Just need to find stone B now!

The weather today was windy and humid - rain was expected, but none came. Bonus! For most of the day our walk followed the Cleveland Way which was well signposted. Walking along well laid out and well signposted paths meant we were able to cover 12 miles fairly quickly.

The view from the top above Arncliffe Woods

The North York Moors are the best walking I've experienced so far. Lovely views across the Cleveland hills of lovely countryside.

Looking east across the Cleveland Hills to Kirby Bank

Finished walking at 2pm, arriving at Clay Bank Top. Knees were hurting due to all the walking downhill today, but plenty of time to rest before tomorrow. Walked 12 miles, pleased with the progress today. Have decided to extend the walk tomorrow as the plan originally had been to do 9 miles but I reckon I can push on a bit more and then shorten the route on Saturday.

Stuart and Gary 400 metres up on top of Kirby Bank. (That's 1,312 feet in old money!)

Meanwhile Gary's Dad, Alan went to find a launderette today to attend to his duties. He asked a lady in Stokesley where the nearest one was. She asked him where he was from. "Nottingham" he replied. "Well" she said "Up here we have washing machines at home you know!!." Brilliant. Happy to report laundrette eventually located some miles away and all smalls washed!

Ukulele song of the day "Day Tripper"

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Thanks for taking the time to visit my website.

So why am I raising money for the Miscarriage Association?

Someone has to. They need a relatively small amount of money to keep going every year, and the work they do is really essential.

In 2009 and 2010, Helen and I lost 2 babies in the space of 5 months. The loss we felt was immense and still is.

So, in 2012 I will be completing Wainwrights Coast to Coast walk, from St Bee's Head on the Cumbrian coast, to Robin Hoods Bay on the North East coast, a walk of approximately 200 miles.

It should take about two weeks and I will be camping whenever possible to keep the costs down.

You can donate by jumping to my JustGiving page

Don't feel you have to give lots -

every penny really does help.

Send the website address to everyone you know - all I need is for 1000 people to give £1 each and I've made my target.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.

Thank you so much.

So Who's the Fat Bloke?

Hi. I am a 38 year old primary school teacher who lives in Cropston, just north west of Leicester with my wife, Helen and 5 year old son, Lachlan. I've been walking in Leicestershire, Yorkshire, the Lake District, Cornwall, Derbyshire and the Malvern Hills, and love being outdoors. I've been camping in most of these places and in Norfolk and Devon. I enjoy playing the Ukulele as often as I can, singing, darts, golf and growing my own veg.

I'm looking forward to completing the walk, blisters and all, and being able to say that even while enjoying a great outdoor experience, I can raise money to help others who have been through the same experience as Helen and I. And yes - I will be taking my Ukulele with me and I'm hoping someone might sponsor me for a song played at each stop along the way!

What is Wainwright's Coast to Coast?

The Wainwright Society says this about the Coast to Coast:

'A Coast to Coast Walk was devised by Wainwright himself, and set out in his 1973 guidebook to the route.

The route is a 192-mile (although according to a recent re-measuring the real distance is almost 220 miles) unofficial, long distance footpath in Northern England. It passes through three contrasting national parks: the Lake District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and the North York Moors National Park.

Wainwright suggested a way of breaking the walk miles into stages, each of which to be completed in a day. With one or two rest days, this makes the route fit into a two-week holiday. However, Wainwright explicitly stated that he did not intend people to necessarily stick to these stages or even to his route: for example, by reducing day-lengths to 10 or 12 miles, the walk becomes a much easier three-week trip with time to 'stand and stare'.

In 2004 the walk was named as the second best walk in the world according to a survey of experts.'

I'll be breaking the walk into 14 stages, walking an average of 14 miles a day. However, this varies a lot - my shortest day is only 8 miles and my longest day will be 20 miles.

Whichever way you cut it this walk is one of the best long distance walks in the world and I'm very lucky (as well as a bit bonkers?) to be attempting it this August. Let's hope I enjoy walking it as much as I've enjoyed organising it!