09/04/18 - Day 1 - Inn Way to North Yorkshire Moors - From Helmsley

Start - Helmsley
Finish - Hutton-le-Hole
Distance -  15 Miles
Key Features - River Rye, Agricultural Landscapes, Kirkdale, Historical Saxon Church
Geocaches - 5
Pubs - 5 Attempted, 2 Successfully

The Inn Ways are a collection of 5 walking guides produced about 20 years ago by Mark Reid.  They combine my favourite activities - investigating new places, good walking in national parks and of course, the anticipation of exceptional beer.  The North Yorkshire Moors is my third one, having previously completed the Yorkshire Dales and the Lake District.

Planning is part of the fun.  Booking happens the first week of the year in January, providing me something to look forward to.  Of course, after 20 years, some things change - so other people's blogs can provide some advice.  And hopefully, so can mine.

Here's two bits of advice for day 1 - Don't start on a Monday (for reasons that will become apparent) and don't start before 10am.   Long Term parking is available at the Castle Car Park in Helmsley but you can only buy a ticket from the visitor centre when it opens.

So, having left Worcester at 5:30am, I have 30 minutes to get my boots on.  A single geocache at the start of the Cleveland Way provides a 2 minute distraction. 

My walk starts almost immediately after the church bells chime 10am and the visitor centre opens.

Helmsley, as lovely looking as you are, will be explored on my return in six days time.

And I'm off - from Helmsley Castle

First stage of the walk is along the River Rye and lanes to the first couple of pubs at Harome and Wombleton.  I always expected to be too early for the gorgeous looking Star Inn but had high hopes for the first pint of the expedition at the Plough Inn. 

The at times precarious path along the River Rye

Pub #1 - Star Inn Harome - 11am but doesn't open on Monday Lunch times at all

Pub #2 - The more functional looking Plough Inn at Wombleton

God Damn it!

So future Inn Wayers.  Don't start on a Monday.

There's no need to be upset though, as the sun is shining and the walking takes a turn for the exceptional.  I find the first Inn Way branded sign post at St Gregory's Minster - a quite special place with the most complete Saxon inscription carving in the world, etched 1000 years ago into the sundial.

Its also a Multi-cache - which means I have to collect some information to point to location of the hidden treasure.

First one of these seen

St Gregory's Minster

Collecting Information for the Geocache

Hopefully the photos will do justice to the quality of the walking as I am taken down to Hold Caldron and Kirk Dale.  I don't even notice the climb out of the valley.

This is why I am here

The climbing is to the twin villages of Fadmoor and Gillamoor.  Fadmoor, eerily quiet with not a living being around.  Feels a bit 28 days later and there's no chance of a drink at the Plough Inn on any day of the week anymore.

Show me a sadder sight than a dead pub.

But Gillamoor provides.  The Royal Oak is open and I feel it could be especially for me.  I am the only punter in my 1 hour, 2 pint stop.

I've seen some pretty sights today, but this is surely the prettiest of them all

Black Sheep - Pint #1 on the Inn Way

Just Add Punters

The author enthuses about the views from Gillamoor.  The OS Map has a view point marked and this is why.

The Bleak and Lonely Moors 

A drop down Broom Hill for a soggy and muddy arrival at Hutton-le-Hole.   This is described by Mark as possibly the prettiest village in the country and he might be right.   Sheep, roaming free, greet my arrival.

Hutton-le-Hole

Entertainment wise, it has an ice cream parlour, Ryedale Folk Museum, the Barn Tea Rooms (my bed for the night) and as long as you come on a Monday after Spring, a fully functional pub.

Ryedale Folk Museum

Or Alternative Entertainment

Three real ales on in the Crown and many couples dining.  The food is very good but all the seats are wooden dining chairs and after an early start and 15 miles walking, I am needing a little bit of comfort.

I head back to the Barn and fall instantly asleep, only to be awoken by the most incredible sounding snoring you have ever heard.

It was me.