Blogs from North York Moors, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom, Europe

Myself and Brendan recently completed the Coast to Coast walk which we started last year. Our walk officially began after a visit to Kennedy's Chocolate shop in Orton. We passed the George Hotel where we finished the first few stages from St Bee's exactly one year ago. The first day was planned as an easy introduction to break ourselves in. We carried day packs for the walk to Kirkby Stephen where our tents were already set up at the campsite. our route meandered through well maintained agricultural land. A maze of drystone walls separated the green pastures. Dozens of beautifully built stone barns were dotted across the landscape, generations of animal husbandry. The sun shone, but a chill east wind sapped heat from any exposed skin. We only made one navigation error.it cost us two miles ... read more

Another very long day. Left the Blue Bell Inn after a hearty breakfast at 8.30, with a sign in the pub reminding us that we still had 50.5 miles to go. A big walk today with not only 21 miles (according to the guidebook), but also a combined ascent of over 1,000m with plenty of ups and downs to be expected. A good start already when the Sherpavan man who takes our luggage told us to take it easy with the running over the moors as there’s plenty of tough tracks going up. Yes - he actually mistook us for Fell Runners (not sure if he was blind or just taking the p***); I, of course assured him that we would not be running a single step of the way! So, off past a stately home ... read more

Railways have been much in discussion in the last few weeks. TFB was due to announce the fate of his much vaunted HS2 project. The high speed rail link was part of his plans to "level up" the north and the south of England. The red wall gang waited patiently for the confirmed delivery of the election "promise". It turned out it wasn't really a promise after all. The decision was to bring disappointment to many and anger for others. The northern leg to link to Leeds had been scrapped. The upgrade to connect the Leeds - Bradford - Manchester had similarly been shelved. It is ironic then that I start this blog in proper railway territory, where the early pioneers brought their expertise to play in creating a new mode of transport to serve both ... read more

On a quiet corner of the very edge of the North Yorkshire Moors, a monument stands aloft. It is a simple structure. A large monolith high on the edge of Easby Moor, it gazes out over the farmland below. The stacks and cooling towers of industrial Teesside way in the distance throw out plumes into the atmosphere. The monument is very Yorkshire. Plain and simple. No fuss. It does the job, but not really befitting of a man who hailed from these parts whose achievements arguably changed the course of history. Captain James Cook was born at Marton on the outskirts of Middlesbrough, but moved to the village of Great Ayton aged 8 when his father got work on a local farm. Cook lived here until the desire to seek a seafaring trade took hold and ... read more

After a day of walking round the pretty town of Barnards Castle we headed for our stop for the night . A Holiday Inn near to Scotch Corner . We had never stayed at a Holiday Inn before but chose this as it was a little further away from the busy and under reconstruction A1. We hoped for a quieter night being a little further away. First thoughts - how hard to find the motel. Sally Sat Nav took on a hissy fit as she told us to go off slip roads that were closed and blocked. She yelled at us to turn left up roads that were blocked and in the end we had to give up and rely on our own common sense, the diversion signs and drive round and round untl eventually we ... read more