An account of the trail in northern England, starting in St. Bees on the Irish Sea and ending in Robin Hood's Bay on the North Sea.

 

 

Click on any of the photos to see an enlargement and cutline.

Day Eleven - 21 miles, 3200 feet ascent

Ingleby Cross to Blakey

   After the previous boring day between Richmond and Ingleby, the path from Ingleby to Blakey is a welcome contrast. Here, it joins the Cleveland Way and climbs to high points again. Several times. Paving stones provide a sort of sidewalk in the sky, with wonderful views of the valleys. But all this comes at a price: There is 2,700 feet of ascent crossing five hills in the 12 miles between Ingleby and Clay Bank Top. This would be a good place to stop.
   I continued on another 10 miles to the 400-year-old Lion Inn at Blakey, crossing a desolate moor on a disused railway path before arriving at the inn, tired and footsore.