The forecast was poor for later, so I set off earlier than planned to try to have at least half an hour in the dry, foregoing the strongly recommended scotch eggs from the deli as it didn’t open till 9. In fact today was the first day that I didn’t take a packed lunch, just the remnants of a flapjack and an apple from a couple of days ago, as the mileage was shorter. Walking out of the town, the route follows the Swale again, and it was lovely to watch it change from the enthusiastic childlike bounce at Keld to a more considered confidence in Reeth. I passed Marrick Priory, once a 12th century Benedictine priory, now an outdoor education centre. And then away from the river and up to the hills again. The profile of the climb for this morning had looked intimidating, but in fact to get to the top the route goes up the Nun’s causeway, a series of steps climbing 300 feet to approach Marrick. Another cow and calf encounter, resulting in me perched on a wall sending out my best pacifist vibes whilst they decided whether I was a threat or not. Fortunately it was agreed I was not. And into Marrick, a tiny hamlet perched on the side of the hill. The names and architecture of the houses talked of the lives they used to lead, no shop, school or blacksmith anymore. But a beautiful, peaceful place. A bench commemorated a woman not much older than me when she died - just saying ‘ She loved Marrick’ I can see why. The Cicerone guide uses the description of a field with rusting farm equipment as a navigational aid. My edition is at least 4 years old. I wonder whether it’s now a condition of owning that farm that they keep the decrepit tractors on their grounds to help the Coast to Coasters. I could have done with some sort of similar help at the next field, where the path disappeared in the middle of an informal campsite. I walked around it to no avail, (as can be seen from the Relive video of today’s walk) and eventually asked some campers frying sausages whether they knew where it was. They didn’t, but they got their son’s trail bike out of their van, and he roared off to check it out. He kindly came back with instructions, and in following them I bumped into Simon and Andy who thought they weren’t lost. Turns out they were, but the combination of our navigational expertise resulted in us finding the path that had been blindingly obvious from the outset. We walked together for the rest of the journey, discussing the difference between men and women’s conversational topics (theirs involve a lot more lists, mine a lot more feelings, though I came up trumps with a detailed discussion of the methods of transferring gpx files to my GPS machine….) sharing thoughts on the landscape and the journey, laughing a lot and enjoying an encounter with a farming couple and their teenage son armed with a 22 rifle. He uses it for pest control. He either eats the rabbits he kills or feeds them to the dogs - ‘I wouldn’t let them go to waste’. A highly impressive young man. Apart from the climb at the beginning, this was easy walking today, and we made it into Richmond by lunchtime. We said goodbye and the men went off eat their sandwiches whilst watching the cricket being played on the local pitch. Another very enjoyable walk in good company. I spent the afternoon doing a bit more walking, exploring the town before my rest day here tomorrow. And then a surprise hit, a tour of the Georgian theatre in Richmond. Quite extraordinary, seeing a building restored so beautifully to give the feeling of what it would have been like then, and yet it also be a living theatre that entertains people weekly like it did over two hundred years ago. The travelling players who came to Richmond every September had a tough life, hiking over the Pennines and the Lakes going between the eight theatres that their impresario owned, then setting up for the 4 or 5 hour performances they would deliver, and finally sleeping on the floor backstage. They followed a route across the country not unlike mine. But history relates that they would walk 48 miles in a day, doing 20 before breakfast. Hmm. Stats
Distance walked: 11.7 miles Ascent: 1000 feet Calories burned: 1500 Annoying ear worm: Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson Video of the day https://www.relive.cc/view/v36AgrzN4Zv
7 Comments
Jane
1/8/2021 21:12:02
Thanks so much, really glad you’re enjoying it. Hopefully you can walk with me in real life for some of the next one! Xx
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Magda North
2/8/2021 12:18:03
Am up for that! X
Carly
2/8/2021 17:53:00
Love the relive videos - especially today's 39 seconds in! x
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Andrew Rafferty
2/8/2021 21:16:50
Hi Jane
Reply
Jane
2/8/2021 21:48:20
Great meeting you too, Andy!
Reply
Sophie
15/8/2021 07:57:54
That theatre - what a treasure!
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