Coast-to-Coast ***with track***

Georg, who described himself as being from ‘somewhere between Hamburg and Bremen’, was sharing the same dormitory room as me in the hostel at Osmotherley. He was about to start the final stage of the Coast-to-Coast, across the North Yorkshire Moors. He described to me the preceding Coast-to-Coast stage, from Brompton-on-Swale to Osmotherley, as a ‘connection day’. It functions, for Coast-to-Coasters, as a day that links their walking through the Yorkshire Dales with their walking across the North Yorkshire Moors. This stage, at least according to Georg, is far from a thing of beauty in itself. I did that stage today, but in the opposite direction. Georg is absolutely right.

Actually I didn’t follow the exact C2C route. Instead I looped south to go through Northallerton. Why? Simple really! I no longer need my tent, so posting it back to Karen was a sensible idea, one that takes about two kilograms off my shoulders. The only problem was finding a Post Office somewhere – or at least a shop with a Post Office facility – that would be open when I was going by it. I’d hoped originally that there might be one in Osmotherley. No chance! A woman I asked said sadly that Osmotherley did indeed have access to a Post Office facility “but it’s in the Village Hall on Mondays and Tuesdays between 10 and 2.” Not impressive, so Northallerton it had to be.

On days like this I go into autopilot, especially when there’s lots of roadwork to do. The only time I was fully conscious was when I passed through a small village shortly before finishing. Yes, the church there was open and offering tea and coffee. St Mary’s Bolton-on-Swale, just like St Mary’s Newchurch and the Shepherds’ Church at Pyecombe. The same trust and the same feeling of peace.

It was drizzling for the last few kilometres. We’ll see what tomorrow will bring.

St Mary’s Bolton-on-Swale: a magnificent chestnut tree and a pleasant surprise in store

St Mary’s Bolton-on-Swale

Osmotherley to Brompton-on-Swale

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