13/04/18 - Day 5 - Inn Way to North Yorkshire Moors - From Rosedale Abbey

Start - Rosedale Abbey
Finish - Hawnby
Distance -  16 Miles
Key Features - Four Ascents, Yorkshire's Oldest House
Geocaches - 1
Pubs - 3 attempted, 0 Successfully
Previous Stages - Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4



This was always going to be the day of terror;

• 16 Miles of Walking
• Climbs in and out of four valleys, giving a total ascent of 2799ft.
• Mist
• Just three pubs, the first I know I will pass before noon
• No other chance of supplies

With hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have attempted it on Friday the 13th.

I leave the wonderful White Horse Farm Inn, making my way along lanes to the tiny hamlet of Thorgill.  A chat with a local reveals ominous tidings.  He points to the ridge that we can see and says most tourists think that is the top, but really its only a third of the way.

Thorgill

Not much to look at when you get to the top - former Mine Workings

Crossing the road at Lower Blakey Moor, I feel a special shout-out should be made to the Lion Inn, a couple of miles further along.   Whenever I mentioned my expedition to locals during the week, they've all insisted that I take in this place, proclaiming it in the most revered tones.  One for future investigation, I think.

My first (unlikely) chance of refreshment is the Feversham Arms in Church Houses, the tiniest of hamlets.  Its only 11am but feeling lucky, I do try the door.  Unsurprisingly, it doesn't budge.

Too early for the pub

What follows is as bleak as the Inn Way gets.  Its a squelch when I am lucky.  When I am unlucky, I disappear up to my knees in Peat.  I work out that the white bits of peat are usually more solid than the dark bits of peat.  There are significant exceptions to this rule.

I also take my one and only tumble on the Inn Way.  I lose my footing on a peat hag and the balance affecting 70l Osprey rucksack does the rest for a slow motion, face slap down in the mud.

I see one other human - a farmer on a quad bike.  We get into a chat and he asks where I am off to.  The Sun Inn I tell him, asking if it will be open.  He insists it should be.   That's all the inspiration I need to get out of this.

Grimness

Its about 2:30pm when I drop down to the pubs door.  There appears to be two buildings that are marked the Sun Inn.  The original 1550 cottage - a pub since 1714 and the newer brick building built 200 years later.

How Pubs used to be!

I don't really need to tell you what is coming, do I?  Yes, both are locked.  I sit in their beer garden - complete with a massive sign for use by pub patrons only - and take stock of my situation.  I stole the bedside water and two ginger nut biscuits from my hotel last night, so I have enough supplies to get me over the next four miles.

I feel I need to share my pain with the members of a facebook community who have also pledged to walk 1000 miles this year.

This is the face they get to laugh at from their warm houses and offices.

Not quite the nadir of the Inn Way

Get a lot of laughs and words of encouragement.  Just think of that first cold pint when you get to the final destination they LOL.  It does pick me up to move on along the Bilsdale Valley Floor and other another climb.

Bilsdale Valley Floor - There are worse places to be with a Ginger Nut

I let the facebook group know that I am nearly done by sharing a photo of the last mile.   Its all tarmac, appears to be down hill and the AA Rosette Starred Inn at Hawnby has been booked and paid for, with a hot meal, bath, bed and beer a-waiting.

After 15 miles, I wouldn't say I had a spring in my step but I was slightly more enthusiastic than the earlier photo.

Hawnby Below for Chez Mappiman

The pub does look in darkness when I arrive.   There isn't a light on but I think to myself that maybe they start at 17:30 and haven't opened up.

The Inn at Hawnby - not quite as welcoming as it should be.

I have a look through the windows.   It bereft of furniture and fixtures and fittings.   Maybe they are just redecorating, I think to myself.

Spartan

Its only when I try the spider web encrusted doorbell and start typing "Inn at Hawnby" into Google on my phone and get the auto complete "Inn at Hawnby Closed?"  I realise I am in trouble.

The owners have done a flit!  With my £79. And my hot meal, bath, bed and beer.

I retire to the bus shelter opposite to consider my options.