12/04/16 - Day 2 Yorkshire Dales Inn Way - Cray to Askrigg

Previous day on the Inn Way - Day 1
Distance - 13 Miles
Geocaches - 1
Pubs - 5

“Work is the curse of the drinking classes - Oscar Wilde"

Overnight In Cray

I left you yesterday with the two intrepid explorers slumped into a Chesterfield in the White Lion at Cray.  Feel I have to say a few words about the place.

It was shut down and has only just re-opened.  On booking, I was a little concerned by reports of people who had made arrangements only to find out on arrival the place had gone.  I double checked during my phone call and was assured that everything was fine now, and the place had undergone a full refit.

Our stay was simply wonderful.  From the comfort of our plush leather sofa we were treated to waitress service of Black Sheep.  The game pie is currently the winner of pie of the week - although to be fair, it is early days and we have vowed to ourselves that no matter what, we are not having daily pie.

The icing on the cake was on retiring to the room - and dealing with facebook jibes on our sleeping status - we found a fully loaded jar of complimentary maltesers.  It's little touches like this that stand out.

Hats off to the White Lion in Cray.

How our friends and families are imagining our sleeping arrangements on the Inn Way

The Walk




The guidebook suggests that old Roman road from Cray over Stake Moss and into Bainbridge is one of the most spectacular in all of England.

We have two choices - take his word for it or come back and have another look.

The Most Spectacular Path in all of England

On plotting the route, I notice the high number of Shake and Swallow Holes marked on the map.  Neil points out a particularly fine example of one which is mere metres from the path.  It's about 20 foot deep and just wide enough that if I would have strayed from the path, the 10 TC Rucksack would have simply had me wedged in there for all eternity.

With no views to speak of, we pass the time by working out how or if someone would have ever made an escape.

The good news is that the fog lifts as we reach Stalling Busk, to be replaced by heavy rain.  We avoid the temptation of a guided tour of the Raydale Preserve Visitors Centre and head for a mooch around the ruined church.

The church was built in 1603 and the last burial in 1982.  But it looks like they may have night crawlers.

The Undead of Stalling Busk Church

Semer Water is a rarity in these parts - only 1 of 3 natural bodies of large water in Yorkshire.  There is the only geocache of the day and evidence of massive flooding from earlier in the year.

Semer Water - Rain replaces Fog

The River Bain becomes our handrail into Bainbridge.  GPS and Maps can be put in out of harms way and we trudge into town, looking forward to the first pub of the day.  We arrive at the Rose and Crown at 1pm.  A sign on the building shows that this place has been offering refuge to weary travellers since 1445.

Dropping into Bainbridge

Pies Galore

Our Favourite Fire Place

We're in no hurry to head out into the elements again - so its a couple of black sheep and a sandwich.  We look at the map and talk with the landlord about where our journey will take us.

The direct route would have us in Askrigg in a couple of miles but the directions want to take us on a detour to Worton to check out the Victoria Arms.

The landlord gives us two pieces of advice - "Don't touch the Lager" and "Wipe your feet on the way out".

We redress, check out the Roman Fort of Virosidvm (think grassy knoll) and trudge along Brough Scar in the rain to reach our destination.

On top of Brough Scar

The diversion proves to be 3 miles and around 200 years.  The Victoria Arms turns out to be a rare example of a parlour pub - where smallholding farm is the main source of income and beer is sold from the landlords living room to make a bit of extra.

Neil heads in first and finds our host hoovering with the Henry.  He asks if they are open and is met with "We can be!"

And so we go in, sit in their front room and play a game of I Spy, with the object being the most unusual item hanging on the wall.

Handy Directions - left over from the Tour de Yorkshire

The Back Room - Stag and Nudie Pics

The Front Room 

The Fireplace and Bar

I think I am going to win with the 8lb Otter's Head (middle animal above the fire place) but Neil pips me to the post with a fox's arse (above right hand side of bar).

The landlord engages us in conversation on various things including food, keeping busy and machines to tell the weather.

This pub is a real highlight and a conversation starter with many people we meet on the rest of the trail.  We felt honoured to have been there and cannot help but think that places like this will not be with us for much longer.

Off we must go again and we are told of the short cut to Askrigg, but of course, we want to do things properly - so we follow the guide around Nappa Hall.  This is a 1450 fortified farm house that once hosted James I and Mary Queen of Scots.  There is little to look at but we are being watched by the rather intrusive CCTV camera bolted on the side.

Nappa Hall

A mile to go along the top of Newbiggin Beck and we are in Askrigg.  A positive metropolis of three pubs - if we include the White Rose Hotel - where we stop.  We have made up the missing pub from yesterday.

We check in and I ask if they have the football on.  I get into a long conversation with the receptionist who claims to know nothing about football but it comes up positive.  This gives us some entertainment, should we run out of conversation during the evening.

Our Home for the Night.  BT Sports on Request.

What follows is a mission of kit drying.  Every radiator in the room is loaded with wet walking gear.  This drys your clothes but leaves a very interesting fuggy smell which we discover on our return.

We have Askrigg to explore.

First thing to note is the there is a mico brewery in town.  The Yorkshire Dales Brewing Company.

Quite rightly, the town is very proud of it and all three hostelries have two different ales on.  You would think that this means the brewery has 6 different ales in total but later on, in another confusing conversation with Yorkshire folk, we are corrected that they have 10.

Advice is given by a local in the Kings Head, where a Geoffrey Boycott soundalike puts Neil's reluctance to try the darker Drovers Ale right by suggesting that "you don't drink with your eyes, lad".

All brews were superb and its with some regret that we don't bring some bottles back with us.

This one was called Butter Tubs

Top of Town - The Crown Inn

The Kings Head 

Evening meal was taken in the Kings Head - where, you've guessed it, it was Pie Night.  The Steak and Ale moved into pole position in the pie charts.  Superb.

After food, we head back to our hotel just as the game is ending.

The receptionist tells us off.  She had put on the football especially for us.