Walk 59 (C2C 10) - 11.8 miles - Total 811.8 miles - To Go 188.2 miles

A Walk for Patsy, Sarah and everyone with MS

Reeth, Marrick, Marske, Applegarth Scar, Whitecliffe Wood and Richmond.



Wainwright

'Richmond is a place unlike others, a place apart, rich in the relics of the past, steeped in a long history that still lingers in the precincts of the castle and the narrow alleys and quaint buildings that huddle in the shelter of the massive Norman keep. The castle, dramatically poised on a high cliff above the River Swale, is the dominating feature but hardly less impressive is the large cobbled market place with ancient church of the Holy Trinity rising from its stones and having a row of shops beneath its north aisle; or the fine tower standing amid the ruins of the friary. Other buildings also have associations with days gone by, notably the restored Georgian Theatre. Many of the streets too have an atmosphere of antiquity, their old names happily preserved, and pictuesque nooks and corners abound'






He says it all so beautifully once again and I am sure Rob's camera will add to it leaving little to the imagination. It is another day walking by the River Swale. The landscape is dotted delicately with trees punctuating a verdant green contrasting the deep blue of the Swale.



Just beyond Marrick we stop to talk to some farmers. Blue the sheep dog (mother was Sky) has been rounding up the stock ready in pens now for the dipping day ahead. They show us the process as the sheep are indelicately dropped in the dip where they frantically swim for their lives before being lifted out. They will appreciate it later with resistance to worms and tics that bother their lives.








This is James Herriot country of All Creatures Great and Small fame. The theme tune music comes to mind and as we walk and look in barns and across the fields great memories of all those stories of births, illnesses and all the other challenges of farming life in the Dales comes to mind.


We pass several miles discussing the current theories suggesting that conscious thought is nothing more than an illusion. Conscious thought nothing more than a post event rationalisation of what occured to put it in a good story form for future quick reference should we need to react quickly to protect ourselves at some future point. The miles pass and Rob tells me he is a determinist anyway so the idea fits with his line of thinking. We consider the social implications of such a theory and it is time to stop off for tea and toasted tea cakes at Eileen's Country Kitchen. Eileen is lovely and answers all our questions about producing beef from calf to butcher. We tell her the names of all the people who will visit today.

As we drop down the hill in to Richmond we walk along with Norman Bell. Norman has lived in Richmond for 66 years and is out planning a walk he is leading in a short while. He knows everything about the area and tells us stories of local celebreties including a hunter who rode his horse over a cliff in a mist, broke both legs, sheltered in the belly of his dead horse until rescued. Both legs were buried but the hunter lived on with some fame for many years more before the rest of his body was put to rest. Norman also blows our mind with stories of his fell running. The most amazing feat being to run the whole 190 miles over hill and dale from coast to coast in under 24 hours. Imaging that. Mind blowing. Brilliant Norman and it was a real pleasure meeting you.

Richmond is as charming as Wainwright describes and Rob's photos illustrate. We settle in to the Black Lion on Finkel Street where as soon as Rob discovers Liverpool are on the box tonight there is no way we are leaving until the morning.