West Cote/Clay Bank Top to Park House/Ingleby Arncliff
10.4 Official miles. I walked all of it, then TROUBLES!
6 hours for original route plus an extra hour LOST!
"Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries." James Michener
Built Lois some "character" today. 😬
Breakfast requests for today at West Cote. Porridge, one slice brown toast, 4 samples of Judy's cheese lecture.
Top right is sort of a blue. Very creamy.
Top left is (I think, trouble with accents, especially why they talk fast) Bowland troughfill bowl. People either love or hate it. I was neutral. It was sweet and had apples, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg in it.
Bottom left is a Lincolnshire poarcher vintage. Story: about 200+ years ago when the Enclosures Act was started the land was cut up into small fields and the stone walls were built. Large Estates had game keepers who were constantly on the lookout for local lowlife (peasants and paupers) who would sneak on the property to Poach what ever game they could snag. Because of doing this at night they would carry a chunk of cheese in their pockets for a midnight snack. This is the cheese they carried. Very Hard. Very Sharp. My Favorite!
Bottom right. Jgestot (Toast in Norwegian) is a Christmas cheese made with sheeps milk and cows cream. Kind of sweet, sort of like eating fudge.
Sad, yet fond farewells from Judy and Stuart. Laughed about me coming back again in 4 years. Can't say for sure, but I doubt that will happen. They were very sweet and we all chatted away like old friends.
I had been directed to take the Miners Path, which is also the Bridle Way around the north side of the first three mountains to save my knee. It was a lovely stretch through the woods and far easier that the alternative of steep up and downs.
Rained most of day. Not quite hail but the rain drops were fierce.
Had a snack after rounded the 2nd mountain of the leftover slice of my favorite cheese - Lincolnshire Poachers. Yum!
Painting of the cow with the stripe in the middle like a pig. The herd was way off in the distance so no photos of living cows, so had to settle for this painting.
Arrived at Lord Stones Cafe in perfect timing. Just missed the end of the breakfast menu and an hour too early for the lunch menu. My luck. Settled on Yorkshire tea and a slice of Victoria sponge cake. Sat indoors in my dripping wet rain pants, took the rain jacket off, but then became chilled. Other soaking wet C2C hikers, and normal people who drove up in cars and were neatly groomed.
As I was departing a large group arrived and had to leave their backpacks and trekking poles outside. One man passed me wearing an REI jacket. Immediately asked him where he was from - Montana. Too bad they were all going the other direction from Lois.
These two guys and I leap frogged all day. This was the last I saw of them and wish I could have kept up because shortly after this I went astray. It wasn't good.
Knew exactly where I was up to a point and then became confused. REALLY confused. Kept climbing up hill, turning around and walking back down. Look at map. Then decided that was the right way and climbed back up again. No, it was wrong. Kept doing it over and over. Twice went all the way back down to where I knew exactly where I was, and started over on a different path.
Very frustrating! At first I was okay as the rain had stopped and the sun almost came out. Then realized I was just as twisted about as before.
Over and over. I was on the wrong side of the last ridge, with woods in between, about a mile from where I needed to be if the map was correct and I was correct for where I thought I was standing, but couldn't find the path over.
Finally came to a paved road (no signs) so I turned in the Northly direction because I knew Park House was on the side of the west side of the street hill with the road going down towards north.
Ended up having to climb over a gate that was locked shut. Walked downhill for 10 minutes still nothing looked like I remembered, but it was 4 years ago, and I had bypassed this section when Malcolm gave me that ride from Ingleby House Farm.
The main problem, along with miss reading the map, was this last hill, about as tall as Rib Mountain, was covered with trees and not the wide open spaces of the high peaks which have lots of moor land where everything can be seen for miles and miles.
Came to a place where 3 roads converged with road signs. Didn't recognize any of the names. Realized that the closest town 1 mile away was WAY wrong from where this walker was supposed to be arriving at. Panicked. Almost cried. Turned on phone and called Park House 3 times. No answer. Now tears began.
Car passed me going up the way I had just come down. Next car came around the corner and I stood right in the middle of road until it stopped. She looked at my map. Couldn't figure it out. Offered to give me a lift to where she was going (opposite direction from where I should be going). Got in and road.
Arrived at a parking lot by a reservoir. She suggested I walk down to Osmotherley about two miles and then hike back up two miles. Climbed out of their car. Thanked them.
As I got out saw a couple of hikers getting into a car near by with backpacks. Immediately went over and began to question them about what they were doing, where they had hiked, and most important, where were they going. Showed them my map and explained how lost I had become. The rain began to fall again. The wife said I should get in their car. I did.
Where we were sitting it was only .9 mile to Park House my destination, but by road about 5 miles.
Much discussion about where they could take this hiker to get her straightened out.
Finally they studied their phones and realized it would only take about 15 minutes to drive me around the mountain. They did! They delivered me right to the front door of Park House, which was up quite a rustic road. Felt like crying again. Gave them some money for their efforts and said if they ever show up in central Wisconsin I would help them out. Gave the husband a hug and went inside.
Beverly the hostess was not here but her mother was. Chatted with her for quite a while before being shown my room with the lovely hot shower. I was chilled.
As I am the only guest here tonight, and because I am "the walking wounded" my meal was brought to me while I sat on the couch.
Dinner was squash soup and veggies. I requested not to have the full "main" meal. Too much foods.
Beverly came and chatted for a bit about her guests so far this season. The talk drifted back to the woman who had died on the day between Grasmere and Patterdale. Funny because she had a group of Australians stay here who said they had performed CPR on her for a hour. Not true. But then unless there are other witnesses anyone can claim their version is true. Fact?????
Beverly delivering the dessert. It was called an "Eton Mess"
The Mess.
Consuming the Mess
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