DAY 10 ... BOLTON-ON-SWALE TO INGLEBY CROSS ...16 MILES
Nice breakfast, but its a cloudy day, rain forecast.
I find that Dorothy has only been here a few years.
Her long time partner passed on three months ago, he
raised goats, so she is having a hard time
adjusting. Previously, they took care of Cam house
for ten years which must have been quite a
challenge. She drops me off at St. Mary's Church in
Bolton so I can see the monument to Henry Jenkins
who reputedly lived from 1500 to 1670. That's right,
170 years. There are court records. He was called to
court when he was about 160 years old to testify on
old land disputes. He was the only person old enough
to remember the circumstances.
St. Mary's Church in Bolton
Henry Jenkins Memorial In The Churchyard
I set off across flat fields, then it starts raining
and I put the Duck's Back on my pack. It's
miserable, gray weather, a "pay your dues" day,
traditionally the most boring day on the C2C, just
plod on ahead. Not much to see even with good
weather. At Danby Wiske, I see the White Swan Inn is
closed and for sale. A nearby b&b seems to be
benefiting from the closure.
Tip Toe Through the Mud and Slog Ahead
White Swan Inn in Danby Wiske
Guarding the Stile
Ahead, I can see the Cleveland Hills where I will be
climbing tomorrow. Meanwhile, there is a lot of
tarmac walking today. Just before Ingleby Arncliffe
I come to the dreaded A19, a dual carriageway with
unrelenting fast traffic and huge trucks whipping up
the rain. I take a piss in the hedge before
approaching so I won't pee in my pants while
crossing. Whew, made it!
At Ingleby Cross, I check into the Blue Bell Inn, a
small basic room but at least it has a TV so I can
check the weather. Had a short talk with Cathryn on
my cell phone before the minutes got used up. The
van group is here drinking beer but are staying at a
youth hostel. They have a unique system of two
walking in one direction and three walking in the
opposite direction. At end of day, the van sweeps
them up and they stay at the nearest hostel. It
seems like a lot of driving to me.
After cleaning up and drying out my clothes, I go
for dinner in the pub. Its a lively Friday night. I
see several groups of walkers and sit with Bill and
Katie. They have walked all the way from Richmond
today and are staying at nearby Estervale B&B. Also
sat with Nate and Jill, a lively couple from London
on their first long distance walk. They seemed to
think I was the most interesting thing they had met
on the trip and insisted on buying me a pint. I
tried John Smith Magnet Ale, almost a stout, their
top of the line and very hard to find, absolutely
outstanding. Veggie soup, salad, and a leek quiche
were all extremely good. I reluctantly passed on the
hot sticky toffee pudding, but this was some of the
best pub food on the C2C. The Blue Bell owner,
David, does a superb job of running this old place.