DAY 16 : ENGLAND : GLAISDALE to LITTLEBECK - 12 kms - 3 hours

We knew that today was going to be a short day's walk so when Jean, our hostess at Glaisdale, suggested we take the train to Whitby en route to our next night's accommodation, we jumped at the chance to investigate another town in the area.

We set off about 9 on another historic path - this one was through woodland with 'trods', ancient paving stones, which were used for pannier ponies , which traded between villages.




Walking on 'trods'

Stepping stones across the River Esk

We crossed the River Esk on stepping stones and came to the village of Egton. During the reign of Henry V111, the village church of St Hedda's, a Roman Catholic church, was overlooked when other buildings were desecrated and it became known, as 'the village the Reformation forgot'. But unfortunately, in 1679, in another wave of anti-Catholic hysteria the parish priest was executed on the grounds that he was plotting to overthrow the Protestant monarch - it was the last occasion in Britain that Catholics were put to death for their faith.




St Hedda's, Egton

We arrived in Grosmont about 10.30am when a steam engine pulled into the station. Not any steam engine, the exact train used in the Harry Potter movies as The Hogwart's Express.

All aboard the Hogwart's Express

 Unfortunately this was not our train, which was diesel and took us and many holiday-makers to the delights of the Whitby Regatta - a festival day. There were people everywhere enjoying the celebrations in this charming port town.

The port town of Whitby

Dancing

Whitby Abbey and St Mary the Virgin Church overlooking Whitby

Remembering Whitby's shipbuilding past

Special display by The Red Arrows

Home of Captain James Cook

At 4 we caught a train back to Grosmont, not aware that the final leg of the day was going to be so strenuous. We climbed 230m in a kilometre.

An unexpected climb

Then we walked across Sleights Moor, with a view of Whitby in the distance, to our farmstay.

Whitby in the distance from Sleights Moor

 A big welcome from Judith and her husband, Robert, a cattle farmer. Judith cooked a wholesome meal, which we enjoyed , before retiring, exhausted.

Nearing our destination of Intake Farm

M&M

PS We have found out today that it costs $10,000 per day to go grouse shooting. Yesterday the CEO of Sothebys was accidentally shot in the face whilst  participating. Is it really worth it?