Day 19 of the walk, but didn't walk. June 6
24.2 miles officially, but this walker chose to Not Walk. Best save the knees for shorter stretches.
Park House, Ingleby Cross to Cordilleras House, Richmond by TAXI
The taxi took almost a full hour to make the journey by roadways looping about the countryside for 25 miles. There was heavy rain. Thankful to be inside chatting with another man who looked like almost every other man seen.
"One's destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things." Henry Miller
Leisurely morning lounging about Park House as supposedly Beverly was going to give me a lift down to the bus stop about 1.5 miles away. From there the plan had been to take the bus to Northallerton and from there another bus to Richmond.
Homemade granola with fresh berries. Beverly is a good cook.
Slowly chewed on breakfast while chatting through the doorway to the kitchen where Beverly was doing some serious cooking. Pre-paring meals for a number of days for a number of guests. She always does 2 starters (appetizers), 2 mains (entree) one vegetarian, and 2 desserts. The undertaking was quite impressive. There was another woman who arrived and was cleaning all the bedrooms.
Dresser, what in America might be called a sideboard, holds the cereal, jams, fresh berries and Greek yogurt, and other things. I explained that to us a 'dresser' is something in a bedroom where clothes might be stored. Here that kind of object would be called a - vanity.
This is The Bench where wifi was Only available.
Looking toward The Bench with part of dining area visible.
After an hour or so of cooking Beverly took a break and went online to research the bus times and learned they were few and far between...as in I probably should have walked down and caught that 8:05 am bus. The only other option was the old reliable Taxi (always privately owned) for a stiff fee, but what were the other options. Start trudging the 24 miles and it was already 10:45 am? No way would the knees have been happy. Taxi it would be.
While hanging about in the B&B picked up the book about the shepherdess Amanda Owens "Ravenseat Yorkshire Shepherdess " who married a sheep farmer 21 years older than her. They manage 2,000 sheep on 1,000 acres high on the moors. At the time of the book she had 8 children and now the number is 10. She works right alongside her husband tending the sheep, cows, horses and chickens, along with the kids. She said the best prenatal exercise was sheering sheep. And she serves teas and cakes to walkers. I missed getting to Ravenseat on my way east but hope it will work out to cling up to the farm and see her again (I did in 2013)
Reception desk made out of mismatched doors.
Later chatting with Beverly while waiting for the taxi I mentioned the book I was engrossed in and she said "that is nothing - my father was the youngest of 19. All children survived. All were single births. Only 2 were girls. All looked exactly alike".
Beverly's dogs are Tibetan Terriers. Not really related to other terriers, but when the Europeans first saw the dogs in Tibet they called them that. Actually the real name is Tsang Apso. The dogs do Not shed their hair. Have Very large feet with lots of hair between their toes - the better for mountain climbing or shoe shoeing across the Himalayan peaks.
Talking with Beverly I told her about my stay at Ingleby House Farm and the wedding procession seen up the little farm lane next to my shepherd hut where the tractor was involved. She said there was another wedding that day on the other side of the mountain near Northhallerton at Thimblebe Estates. The owners of the Great Hall are the owners of one of the large grocery stores in England - Morrisons.
That wedding was for their granddaughter and Beverly said it was Over-The-Top. A wedding better suited for Royalty. Everything amazing. Ended with fireworks.
I asked if she had visited Thimbleby Hall. No, but she had seen it from a distance. But she had gone to something at the Carriage House and that "house" was IMMENSE. Couldn't imagine what the Big house would be like. I looked up photos but couldn't copy them, the place looks sort of like the setting for Downton Abbey.
All that remains of Gray Friars Tower above ground. Below there are still foundations. The Franciscan Friary was founded in 1258. The original church was built of wood timbers, and later rebuilt with stone. The Friary Was dissolved in January 1539 - Henry VIII again. 14 brethren were sent off on their merry way, or rather their very sad way.
My driver arrived, trekking poles and backpack stuffed in the boot (trunk). Climb in front seat. Spend one hour chatting with this man who delivered me right to the market square. He didn't really know Richmond, but I did. Told him where to drop me off and I would find my way. Good Bye taxi driver. Good Bye 40 pounds.
Driver had a cough. He took these. Offered me one. Burned this person's throat, and didn't stop the driver's cough. Wasn't sure if they should be called fisherman's friend, taxi driver's friend, or useless friend.
Asked taxi driver if he had always driven. No, just for the last 15 years and just part time. What did he do before? I couldn't quite understand with his North Yorkshire accent but he was either involved in mortgages or in mortuaries. Didn't want to ask for clarification.
Arrived in Richmond where it was cold, blowing, and rainy. Walked about trying to look at the city as when I was here a while back could hardly walk because if the knee pain.
All the young men wear black skinny jeans. Have not seen any blue jeans, and certainly not any loose, baggy, or hanging below their butts, jeans.
Richmond Castle seen from the Castle Walk path.
River Swale below the castle.
So thankful I was able to bypass today's walk across those flat rolling farmlands that basically look like central Wisconsin.
Did miss seeing the monument to Henry Jenkins a man who supposedly lived to 168 years in Bolton-on-Swale. But I saw it on the previous visit.
Have hope for getting back down to the business of walking the C2C tomorrow. With the knee braces on I can walk, with limited issues. Without can hardly get the body to move about the room. Will stick to the braces.
Veggie pasty from local bakery.
In Richmond the first priority was to try to return the little box with the roll up blue tape I had bought with the idea of "taping" up my leg about a week and a half ago. Never opened it. Took care to not damage the box. But had not saved the receipt.
Went back to the same Boots chemist shop, and the same lady was working who had helped me before. Explained what I wanted to do. She was understanding. Exchanged the bandage for a large box of ibuprofen and a small toothpaste. Good deal!
Tonight's B&B is located on Hurgill Road and about 2 blocks from the central market square. Hurgill Road was the main road between the lead mines in Swaledale and Richmond, which was used to transport the lead goods further south.
Hurgill is an ancient Norse name meaning "rugged ravine".
Cordilleras House, where currently the legs are reclining on a huge lovely white bed, was built in 1801. At that time it was considered very much a 'gentry' house in the country, but near enough (2 blocks) to Richmond to benefit from the facilities of a Fashionable town.
Cover of a book in my room which was partly about this house and partly about the history of Richmond.
In 2012 the property was purchased by the present owners Gez and Liz for 370,000 pounds (read all that in the book about the house in my room).
"Richmond was very fashionable and rivaled York in the early tourist trade. Here was the most important race course in the north. It had a theatre, assembly rooms, and walks with promenades. By 1820 in Richmond there were gas street lights, one of the first in Europe."
My bed, shower, and shower complete with Shower (it was lovely!)
Center of Richmond market square
Modern bathroom fixtures. The top rectangle is for "light" colors. The bottom rectaniis for "dark" colors.
Taste of Thailand. Had planned on getting take-away, 10% less, but as it was blowing and raining, decided to not take it away. The server seemed surprised that I wanted no rice or noodles or meat (now called Protein in fancy places in the U.S.). I just wanted Veggies and no deep fried Anythings. And I wanted it hot and spicy. 🌶. She told the cook but it was very very mild. This business of catering to bland British tastes!!!
Reflecting on that getting lost business the day before reminds me again why I don't like walking under trees - Can Not See Where I Am, or Where I Have Been. A person can keep going in a circle until breaking away, and then spin off in the incorrect direction.
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