We got into Littlebeck about 4:00 and it started raining as we were walking up another steep hill to the Intake Farm, where we were staying. We were lucky that the rain stopped by the time we got there so we could set up our tents.
Tonight is our last night on the trail. It is a beautiful night out. The animal noises I hear sound like "The Night of the Living Dead". We have been extremely lucky for weather when "camping". It has been a great walk. Tomorrow we get to step in the North Sea.
July 10, 2003
I was up at 6:15. We wanted to leave early because at the end of the hike we need to take a bus to Scarborough (pronounced Scarbra).
We started walking about 7:30. We had a great walk. Some through woods, a bit on the road and the rest along the cliffs by the sea. The view by the sea was brilliant. Another word the Enlish use alot. We had a perfect day for our last day.
We got into Robin Hood Bay about lunch time. We went directly to the sea to put our feet in. Pete wasn't going to take his shoes off, being the proper Englishman, but we got him to! I asked some people to take our picture. I had Pete hold the Wainwright's book, Richard, the map and compass, Laurie the binoculars, and I held the Paul Hannin book with my boots slung over my back. We used all of those things to get us to Robin Hood Bay, also with lots of help from Pete, Stuart, Paul, and Mike. It was so nice having them to hike with. Meeting them made the whole hike. That is what it is really all about.
We had a drink at Wainwright's hotel. If I haven't mentioned who Wainwright is, he is the person who made this trail in 1972/1973. It is not a National Trail. Most people know it as Wainwright's trail and not the Coast to Coast. He is the only one who had a book on it for the longest time.
We stopped for lunch. My lunch was ice cream, while the others had quiche.
We walked to Hook House Farm to get our packs. They weren't there yet so we sat and enjoyed the beautiful view of farm land, cliffs, and sea.
The packs came about 2:00. We walked down to catch the 2:24 bus to Scarborough. We arrived in Scarborough about 3:00. This was the biggest place we have been in over two weeks.
We said our final good-bye to Pete. He was taking the train back to York, where he lives. We walked to the information office to find out where our accommodations were and about the bus we needed tomorrow. The woman was not very helpful. This is the first time that I met someone who didn't go out of their way to help. Everyone I have met has been so helpful. We had to call up the place to see where it was and I asked a taxi driver about the bus
We checked into the room and promptly took showers. We wanted to get our dirty clothes washed. I gathered all the dirty clothes in a large green trash bag and walked down the street to find the laundromat. I found it after asking a few people. When I went there the woman told me that I was too late. They were closing soon and I wouldn't have time to finish. I didn't relish the idea of sorting the dirty laundry and putting my dirty laundry back in the pack. I had to hurry and take my fleece out of the bag, so it wouldn't smell as bad as my socks.
The woman at the B & B gave us a recommendation for a fish and chips place to eat called Arther's Hubbards. We just got there in time. When we were eating they started to close and it was only 7:00. I was happy to see that Burger King was still open so I could get my Diet Coke. I have noticed that places don't give out a lot of ice. Even when I ask for extra ice, it still is not enough. We went back to the room and I tried to read. I say tried because I wasn't successful. My eyes closed and that was the end of me.
We completed 12 miles that day and the whole 191 miles.
July 11, 2003
Today was just a travel day. We caught the 8:05 bus to London after breakfast. It was a seven hour bus ride. We could have taken the train which would have been quicker but about 30 pounds more.
The bus ride really wasn't too bad. I got sore from sitting. I have been so use to walking all the time. Time went by pretty quick. The ride itself was like being on a ride at the amusement park. I think the bus company hires ex-amusement ride operators. They go fast, come real close to the vehicles next to us, drive over curbs, and jerk the bus to a stop. It was especially bad in London. If I was prone to car sickness I think I would have been sick.
We arrived at the Victoria bus station and took the tube to Kevin's. Kevin wasn't home. We were able to spread tents and everything out to dry, air out, and clean. We picked up a pizza for dinner and that was about it.
July 12, 2003
Today was a busy day for errands. We needed to do wash. The laundrette near Kevin's was not open on Saturday. We tried to find one somewhere near where we were going. I found one, so about 9:00 we headed out on the tube with our green trash bag filled with smelly clothes. I don't think anyone would come near us. We found the laundrette and it was near ASDA where we needed to stop. Richard stayed with the clothes and Laurie and I went shopping.
When everything was "sorted" (an English term for things being done or taken care of), we went back to Kevin's to put things away. We had lunch and then set out to do other errands. Richard set out on his own to find information about his bus to Wales.
Laurie and I went to find this restaurant that was one Kevin liked. We wanted to get him a gift certificate. It was quite a ways out by tube and then we had to walk about 20 minutes--really more because we couldn't find it. Once we got there, we found out that we have to call the office during office hours, which isn't until Monday. It figures. We should have let our figures do the walking and used the Yellow Pages! In the meantime I got my glasses fixed. They charged me 3 pounds 50 oence to put nose pieces on! Then they didn't even clean them! Most places do small repairs like that.
