Lyke Wake Walk March 2015

So yes, this is one walk we can't stay away from. March 2015 marked our sixth crossing in approximately 18 months, and somehow I don't think we are showing any signs of slowing down.

This walk saw Claire, Dave and myself do the walk walking west to east, which was definitely a good idea as we had a decent tail wind for the most part on this blustery weekend.

We set off from Cod Beck, having had a chat with some volunteers from the "Osy Toads", AKA the Osmotherley Toad Patrol, whose aim it is to make sure as many toads as possible get safely across the nearby main road and to and from the Reservoir. As we set off, we saw quite a few toads resting on the road and I hope they had a successful onward jouney!

Conditions were great until we reached the ford at Hollin Hill after a couple of miles, when a light drizzle became a more persistent rain - time to get the waterproofs on. The weather calmed down after a while, so we had good conditions which is always nicer when tackling the Cleveland Hills. In January the steep steps down from Carlton Bank and Cringle Moor had been icy and treacherous, so we were grateful for the milder March weather.

We opted to go round the tops of the Wainstones and Hasty Bank using the Broughton Plantation route and this path was much drier than I was expecting, so we made good progress on this section.

The climb up to Urra Moor is always a tough one, but knowing that this is the last big ascent for a long while helps put a spring in your step. By now it was getting a bit colder but after cracking open a couple of handwarmers we soon restored feeling in our hands!

When we hit the track at Bloworth Crossing weather conditions deteriorated rapidly and we were soon battling a howling wind and near-horizontal rain. Not what the weather forecast had told us, and these nasty conditions persisted from roughly 2am through to 5am. Our usual banter dried up whilst our bodies took a lashing, as we put our heads down and rode the storm.

We took the path via Flat Howe and this path is becoming much easier to navigate than it was a year ago. We stopped for a breather when we reached the road, and fortunately the rain started to ease, as I wasn't looking forward to crossing the bog in the wind and driving rain.

The rain stopped and the sun started to rise, making the route much easier to follow. I think this was the first time when crossing the bog that the path itself was apparent. We'd always just muddled our way through this section and more often than not in the dark, but here was an actual path for us to follow - amazing!

With a bit of daylight and better weather our spirits lifted and we were back to babbling our usual nonsense. We had a break for food at Shunner Howe, then headed down the wrong path as usual onto Hamer road, meaning going back up the road a short way to get back on the path through White Moor to Blue Man i'-th'-Moss. Conditions on this section were better than expected and after a quick stop to say hello to the man in blue, we made steady progress alongside the Plantation down to Wheeldale Road.

I love crossing Wheeldale Beck, in particular when the stepping stones are navigable. Despite the steep drop down to the beck, and sharp climb back up, this is a little green oasis after miles and miles of bleakness and a lovely place to rest.

We had another food stop at Simon Howe, with the next section over to Goathland Moor clear in our sights. By now it was apparent that we were making steady progress and we really had a spring in our steps all the way over to Fylingdales and up to Lilla Cross.

I always have a bit of a cheer at Lilla Cross, for a couple of reasons. Firstly the cross itself symbolizes the walk for me. Ancient, steeped in history and mythology, this stone is an indelible mark on the landscape that will outlive us all. Secondly, it also marks the spot where the end of the walk is in sight, so let's hear it for Lilla Cross.

The walk across Fylingdales moor is long and draining and without much variation apart from the cairn at Burn Howe. Surprisingly this wasn't too boggy and before we knew it we were perched atop the drop into Jugger Howe. As always this is a test for tired limbs, but for me the variation in scenery more than makes up for it.

We were still steaming along, straight over the Whitby road and upwards towards the radio mast and Lyke Wake stone, completing in a very respectable 16 hours 30 minutes, and in good time to head to the pub and bed for the night.

Lyke Wake Walk Jan 15

One again the appeal and draw of the North York Moors took hold of us, and a few weeks ago, Claire, Dave, Jimmy and I decided once again to do a Lyke Wake Walk in January. Last January (after an awful walk!) we had more or less agreed to stop these mid-Winter crossings but somehow your mind never stops playing tricks on you and so before we knew it, we were driving up to a very dark mast in Ravenscar in January 2015, ready to meet our partners in crime.

Once again we were crossing unsupported, and I have to be honest, this is the best way I can imagine doing it. I have to stress that we are well equipped, we know what we are capable of and what our limitations, and are aware of how much food and drink we will need. Having done numerous crossings in all weather conditions over the past year we are familiar with the lay of the land too. If you are new to the LWW, or have a larger party then I cannot recommend going it alone - this link is a good guide to some of the preparations that can be done!!

Conditions were pretty favourable - it was cold enough for the ground to have a decent covering of frost, but not uncomfortably so. There was an icy wind on the fell tops, which meant we skipped a couple of traditional snack breaks, but on the whole the weather was OK apart from a brief moment.

We set off towards Coalmire Plantation in fine spirits, looking forward to the night ahead. There is always something magical about night-time walking, and in Winter there is very little chance of anyone else being around so it can be a tranquil experience too.

Fortunately the steep steps up to Live Moor were not fully iced over so the first hurdle was soon overcome. Once we reached the more exposed ground we were hit with freezing blasts of wind, and so we didn't linger at the trig point on Carlton Bank. A quick  walk down and back up saw us warm up with the sharp pull up Cringle Moor. Here again the wind was very cold, but not too strong as the narrow ridge and its sheer drop down to the north can be a bit unnerving.

The next challenge was probably one of the toughest of the walk - the rocky steps down from Cringle Moor were covered in snow and ice and pretty treacherous and made for slow going.

With this in mind we decided to follow the plantation path around the side rather than risking the potentially very slippery Wainstones. This normally very muddy section was cold enough to be pretty solid underfoot and allowed us to make good progress.

The end of the Cleveland hills is a major milestone and a sign that the walk is well underway. The real apex moment here is when you pass the summit of Round Hill, as from here you have a reasonably long section of relatively flat walking over to Bloworth Crossing then along the railway track. On our last walks this has been an enjoyable section, but on this occasion we kept getting hit with icy wind blasts and it got very cold. We were really glad to find the junction which takes us off the railway path up towards Flat Howe. This recently re-opened footpath can be tricky to follow normally, but today the footpath was clearly laid out in the snow and it was actually really simple to follow with just a few muddy sections to navigate around.

Soon enough we were on the roads headed towards the bogs and marshes of Rosedale Moor. At this point the snow started coming in hard and I think all our moods sank a little as visibility was getting poor too. Approaching the bog is always highly anticipated, but with the fog coming in and it was nowhere near getting light, we were quite apprehensive this time round. Soon enough we were in the marsh with the mist swirling around us. Every footstep was tentative as with the powdering of snow there was no way of knowing if the next piece of ground would be solid, liquid or just bog! We made very slow progress through this section, but knowing that the especially bad section is probably only a mile, we eventually made it through and headed up across the moors to Shunner Howe and with daylight fast approaching our spirits were lifting.

Traditionally I have found the section across Hamer Moor past Blue-Man-I-Th'-Moss tough going but this time it was actually pretty straightforward with the path well laid out in the snow. Blue Man himself looked dapper with a dusting of snow on his shoulders. Before we knew it we had made it to Roman road, and would soon find out if we would need to detour should the stepping stones of Wheeldale Beck be under water.

As luck would have it the water was low and we were very pleased to use the stones before heading up towards Simon Howe. Somehow I always forget this section, by now the walk seems to sneak in extra miles here and here when you're not looking! Finally we were starting to get glimpses of sunshine and things were warming up a little.

From here it is a straightforward walk over to Fylingdales, over the NYM Railway line and across the busy Whitby-Pickering road. The section up to Lilla Cross involved the usual stream hopping to get across Little Eller Beck, and sadly along this section the saturated ground won out and I got wet feet. My boots did great up until there though with a couple of full dunkings earlier in the walk - not as bad as Claire who at one point was up to both knees in bog!

From Lilla Cross the route is very straightforward and although we were glad that this clay path was nice and solid for the most part, for me this remains the dullest part of the walk, with a badly eroded path that goes on and on!

Claire's nemesis was up next - Jugger Howe. I personally don't mind this as it engages muscles that have been resting for a while, but it is a tough one at this stage in the game. Dave and Jimmy had pulled ahead here and by the time we caught up with them on the track towards the A171 they seemed quite contented, resting on bales of heather - I think given another five minutes they would have been asleep...

After crossing the road we were all pretty tired but there is that final haul up to the mast and Lyke Wake stone which needs to be done. For me this was a case of putting my head down and waiting for the finish to arrive! Although I do love this section of the moor with the fresh sea air, and the prospect of finishing another Lyke Wake crossing.

We completed in just over 18 hours which was pretty good all things considered and overall I think this was the most blister/ injury free that we as a group have completed the walk. Once again I loved this Winter walk and whilst it's not for everyone, it shows that the North York Moors is a brilliant adventure playground open 12 months of the year!

Lyke Wake Walk September 2014

Well this is becoming a bit of a recurring theme isn't it?! For the third time this year, Claire, Dave and myself found ourselves drawn to this crossing of the North York Moors across land steeped in legend and history.

It would be hard to top the June 2014 crossing where we were treated to perfect conditions, accompanied by a beautiful sunset and sunrise, but this journey once again turned out to be a special one.

It was my second reverse crossing, the first time having been done in atrocious conditions back in January. This time, as we set off, once again in the dark, but with incredibly clear skies and reasonably dry conditions underfoot.

Doing the walk in reverse means that the first ten miles require more navigation than expected - what seems like a straightforward walk during the day from Fylingdales over to Ravenscar becomes a lot more challenging at night. Instead of being one simple track headed towards the mast, paths divert off to the left and right all over the place and you have to keep your wits about you. This time, Fylingdales was completely lit up and looked even more alien at night than it does during the day, but this helped simplify navigation beside Little Eller Beck and along the boundary fence of the RAF territory.

The rest of the night passed almost without incident. Dave couldn't resist the urge to lie down on the few pieces of tarmac crossed to gaze up at the firmament, It has to be said this was possibly the most incredible night sky I had ever seen, and just when I thought it couldn't get any better Claire and I got to see a giant shooting start dart across the skies.

Of course no LWW can be completely trouble-free. The minor incidents this time were getting slightly lost on the trek back up Wheeldale, and a short twenty minute game of hunt-the-GPS-in-the-heather, which Claire won, and for which I will be forever grateful! This happened just as the sun was rising - any earlier and we would never have found it.

With the sun rising in our backs as we hit the railway track, we had the beautiful sight of a mist-filled Farndale accompanying us for the next couple of miles. Rather annoyingly, by this stage I had developed a couple of blisters which slowed me down and make the last twenty miles of walking pretty uncomfortable.

As we headed over Bloworth Crossing up to the heights of Round Hill and Urra Moor we passed the first walkers of the day. Oddly enough we only saw Cleveland Way types, I had been expecting to meet at least one or two other groups of people tackling the LWW from West to East on this beautiful day.

A reverse crossing meant that we got to experience the views and scenery of the Cleveland Hills in the daylight. This means a slow rollercoaster ride over tops like Hasty Bank, with the walk through the Wainstones being a particular highlight. By now the blisters were causing me problems, and I had slowed down a fair bit, but the scenery was more than enough compensation for a bit of discomfort.

We had an additional voice of encouragement when the New Lyke Wake Walk Club general secretary Gerry Orchard gave us a quick call to see how we were getting on, during one of the rare occasions of having a strong phone signal!

The Cleveland Hills were bustling with activities, with plenty of people out enjoying the clear weather and the recently renovated Lord Stones site looks to be very busy which is good news for the National Park.

The last few miles of the walk seem to go on for ever on tired legs, but with a reverse crossing the final stretch crosses a variety of terrain as you come down through woodland after Live Moor, crossing farmland before returning to the wooded Coalmire plantation. The last steps as you exit the plantation have now reached legendary status in our little walking group and they don't fail to disappoint every time - an absolute killer!

All that remained was the last section of tarmac to greet the stone at the start/ end, then back to the car at Cod Beck. Minutes later we were enjoying the welcoming atmosphere in the Queen Catherine hotel at Osmotherley, toasting another fine North Yorkshire Moors experience.

Lyke Wake Walk - a guest post

Today's post comes from our esteemed walking partner and Lyke Wake Walk (LWW) veteran Dave. It is a report of a particularly arduous LWW which for reasons still unknown to me, we decided to do in January 2014, after a period of particular unpleasant weather.

Lyke Wake Walk crossing report
David Allen
January 2014
Departure: LWW stone at Ravenscar mast site, Friday 24/01/14 20:30hrs
Arrival: Sheepwash car park Osmotherley, Saturday 25/01/14 19:00hrs
Present: Claire Chapman, Tom Chapman and David Allen

This was not the first LWW crossing for any of the participants; I had previously completed the challenge on two occasions, in January 2012 and November 2013, both times taking the “traditional” west to east route.  I also have an incomplete attempt on record, with my first ever attempt curtailed at the side of the A171 with the mast at Ravenscar in clear view... my body utterly destroyed by fatigue and wear & tear, unable to tackle the final push.  Tom had also completed the challenge two times previously and this time would actually be Claire’s fifth crossing.

Driving into the Storm
After rendezvousing (is that even a word?) at the Sheepwash car park to leave Claire’s motor behind in Osmotherley, we made our way east in my car to Ravenscar.  The weather was absolutely atrocious; challenging to drive in, never mind walk 42 miles.  I began to fret.  The conditions were so bad that as we drove toward the car park at Ravenscar, we could not see the radio mast at all.
I was feeling extremely daunted at this point; hugely uncertain as to whether we should go ahead with the crossing.

Hands on the Stone
We parked up and gathered ourselves together... inside the car, in order to delay the inevitable battering at the hands of Mother Nature.  Once assembled, we briefly checked in at the LWW stone before getting on our way.
The first stretch from Ravenscar down to the main road was immediately challenging, with nightmarishly strong winds flinging hailstone horizontally into our faces.  Once again, I had serious doubts over the wisdom of persevering.
After crossing the road we made our way toward Jugger Howe, with the conditions showing no sign whatsoever of any relent.  In contrast to the usual miserable experience of Jugger Howe, this was an altogether more pleasant affair.  For one, the descent and ascent came at a time that our legs were still feeling fresh.  Furthermore, the valley actually brought momentary shelter from the blasting wind and rain.
Upon emerging from Jugger Howe the respite from the harsh conditions came to an abrupt end.  Denied any shelter, the conditions seemed to worsen, with the wind, rain and hail now complemented by a thick mist, depleting visibility to only a few feet ahead.

Where is Lilla Cross?
The path over Burn Howe Rigg seemed to take an age to conquer, wading uphill into the strong headwinds through the treacle-like clay.
Farther along, the going underfoot became a little more manageable.  One would ordinarily be able to see the cross on Lilla Howe in the distance but the darkness and foul conditions rendered this impossible.   Frustratingly, a brief check of Tom’s GPS confirmed that we had in fact missed a turning point and had to double back on ourselves to the tune of 500m or so.
Once on the correct path we eventually, quite literally, stumbled upon Lilla Cross.  With poor visibility and our eyes focussed purely on the ground immediately in front of our feet, we very nearly trudged straight past without even noticing it.

Decision Time
Lilla Cross marked something of a point of no return for me.  To this point, I just could not shake the thought of turning around and heading back to the car.  My coping mechanisms were being pushed to the limit.  The weather forecast had predicted the rain would stop around midnight, but I just could not muster any shred of hope that this would be the case.  I couldn’t take another sixteen hours of this.  I asked Claire what she thought; would we be ok?  She seemed happy enough to crack on so I resolved to push the doubts to the back of my mind and get on with it.

Negotiating Eller Beck 
From the cross we were fortunate insofar as we were able to pick up and keep to the path across Lilla Rigg toward Eller Beck.  Ironically, this section had previously proven extremely difficult to navigate in broad daylight, but at night and with terrible visibility we were able to cross it with relative ease.
It is worthy of mention that throughout this whole stretch, we were not able to see Fylingdales early warning station for as much as a single second.
Without pause we crossed the main road at Eller Beck Bridge and made our way towards the North Yorkshire Moors railway crossing.  Sadly, this brought another unplanned deviation from our route, mistakenly taking a side path off to the right, resulting in a yomp straight across the knee-high heather to reconvene with the correct path.
It was sometime around here that the rain eased off.  We stopped just before reaching the railway track to regroup and have a bite to eat.  A sausage roll, Mars bar and bottle of water and I was good to go.  For another 20 minutes or so at least...

Wheeldale's Sunken Stepping Stones
Onward to Simon Howe and over Howl Moor: this section, much like before, was characterised by abject drudgery; heads down with eyes intently fixed on the ground in front, digging deep within to muster the will to continue.  Sadly, things would get far worse before they would were to improve...
Upon arriving at Wheeldale Beck we were confronted by a rather distressing sight; the high rainfall had seen the beck replaced by a raging torrential river, substantially wider than normal, with the stepping stones nowhere to be seen.  I walked south down the bank to seek an alternative crossing point, to no avail.  Tom consulted the map and spied a footbridge to the north, past Wheeldale Lodge and Hunt House Farm; yet another deviation from the route, but at least it meant we would be able to continue without getting soaked in the freezing waters.  By my reckoning, this detour added an additional hour or so to our time.
Using Tom’s GPS (where would we be without it?) we found our way to the Roman Road and then up the bank to Wheeldale Road where we made another brief stop for a bite to eat.

The GPS Incident
Our next port of call was the crossing of Wheeldale Moor: a challenge we were hardly relishing.  The path skirting Bumble Wood proved particularly horrid, with endless rocks and boulders to avoid in the dark, adding insult to the injury of all of the mud and water underfoot.  By this point, Tom’s feet were soaked through so we made a brief stop so that he could wring out his socks.  I took the opportunity to lie back among the heather and munch a vast quantity of Jelly Babies.
On we pushed.  After another mile or so we stopped to consult the GPS when horror of horrors: It was no longer in Tom’s pocket!!!  (Note: At this point my morale was at a low. I decided to leave the camera tucked away where it was and took no pictures on this LWW crossing. The images in this post had been taken on previous crossings/ Tom) Tom and Claire retraced our steps to try to find it.  I opted to sit tight as I was beginning to struggle with fatigue and some rather nasty pain in my right knee.
I immediately began to regret my decision to stay put.  I was alone, sat among the heather in the middle of nowhere.  Tom and Claire’s headlamps vanished from sight, and all of a sudden I felt extremely spooked.  Worse still, sitting still is not a good way to keep warm.  I popped a couple of hand warmers into action, which provided all of 30 seconds of lukewarm respite, before fading into utter uselessness.  I decided to walk slowly back down the path toward Tom and Claire, extremely mindful of the risk of losing my way.  Visibility at this stage was still very poor so I was more than a little relieved to eventually see the headlamps making their way back toward me.  Sadly however, the guys had been unable to find the GPS.  This was a massive concern as it had proven to be damned near essential thus far.  However, we reasoned that the path was relatively easy to follow from this point, and that it would begin to get light very soon, so we should be okay.

Bog, Glorious Bog!
The flaws in this logic were rudely exposed when we obliviously stumbled upon the Blue Man I’ Th’ Moss on our left hand side, meaning we had strayed somewhat from the correct path.
Onward, through the bogs of White Moor...  The nagging pain in my knee was growing more and more troublesome, exacerbated by the constant repetitive lifting of the leg over stones and heather.  Those nagging doubts in my mind grew louder as time passed...
By the time we reached the road at Hamer, daylight had broken.  The pain in my knee was now almost unbearable, with any upward motion of my right leg proving extremely difficult.  Not ideal when facing another yomp through heather, marsh and bogs!  It was time for decisive action: 2 x paracetamol, 1 x codeine and 1 x diclofenac.  The results were almost instantaneous; the pain subsided and free motion was restored, partially at least.
I’d been very worried about the state of the bogs of Rosedale Moor for most of the way.  The majority of the route so far had been boggy enough, which together with the flooding of Wheeldale Beck led me to the conclusion that the notorious traditional bog stretch would be absolutely hellish.  As it turns out, I need not have worried as the terrain was not much worse than usual.  If anything, I have fared worse over these bogs in the past.
It was somewhere along this path that we happened upon three lads who were also doing the LWW, heading towards Ravenscar.  They seemed like a nice bunch so we asked them to keep their eyes peeled for Tom’s GPS along their way.  I gave one of the chaps my mobile number so that he could contact us in the (extremely doubtful) event that they might find it.

Back on Solid Ground
Upon reaching the terra firma of the main road at the end of the bogs I actually dropped to my knees and kissed the tarmac.
The walk in the general direction of the Lion Inn at Blakey seemed to take an age.  We decided to bypass the Inn and take the recently restored footpath by Flat Howe and South Flat Howe.  Considering our prior rotten luck with unplanned detours it was refreshing to redress the balance and take something of a shortcut.

Breezing it to Bloworth
Onto the long and winding disused railway track path toward Bloworth Crossing; this was the first time that I have walked this path during the daytime and the views really are rather pleasant.  The twisting path does grow a little tedious, but by this stage, in broad daylight and with the sun threatening to break from behind the clouds, we were in reasonably high spirits.
We took another rest stop on a bank of heather by the side of the path when a farmer passed on a quad-bike.  He stopped to chat in an accent that sounded more West Country than North Yorkshire.  I barely understood a word he said; a combination of my tiredness and his accent saw the exchange fly over my head.  I’m quite certain, however, that he thought we were mental.  A few steps further on I noticed said quad-bike was leaving a steady trail of two-stroke all along the path.  Nice one mate!

Time for another soaking!
Another fairly straightforward yomp, picking up with the Cleveland Way over Round Hill and Urra Moor.  The heavens opened once again around this time, much to our joy.  Fortunately the downpour didn’t last too long.  The steep steps down to the road and then up again towards the Broughton Plantation played minor havoc with my gammy knee.
The footpath along the perimeter of the Plantation was, once again, a bloody nightmare of unrelenting deep slippery horrible mud.  This was now beginning to get more than a little tiresome.
Very mindful that we were staring down the barrel of an over-20hr crossing we were keen to shave some time.  We were shattered by this point and the idea of additional climbing was not particularly appealing.

The Carlton "dodge"
Tom identified an alternative path on the map which would see us avoid the ascent of Carlton Bank, instead cutting down through adjacent woodland.  This “shortcut” was actually longer in distance than had we followed the Cleveland Way over the top, but avoiding the climb was of paramount importance to our sanity.  We eventually reconvened with the Cleveland Way where we picked up the traditional route to Osmotherley...
With one exception...  Making our way through the Coalmire Plantation we could taste the end of the ordeal.  Yet somehow, we inexplicably conspired to take a path branching away from the Cleveland Way.  In the darkness, we were unable to confirm our location on the map and without Tom’s trusty GPS, we found ourselves well and truly lost.  For a moment, anyway...  Yet another unplanned detour ensued as we made our way up a steep track in the futile hope that we were on the correct path.  Sadly, we were not.  We made our way back to our deviation point to recapture our bearings when we realised that we had turned from the track no more than 50 meters from a point where the correct route would have been abundantly clear.  This latest and final blip was a massive kick in the teeth as we were all feeling immense strain by this point.
A final push up those agonisingly steep steps out of the woods was just about the final act of exertion I could muster, and the final walk along the roadside toward Scarth Wood Moor felt ten miles long.  We were so tired upon arriving that not a single member of our group could muster the motivation to touch in with the LWW stone.  We got back to the car around 7pm – some twenty two and a half hours after departing from Ravenscar!

Osmotherley - the Aftermath
We spent the evening in the Golden Lion in Osmotherley and enjoyed the obligatory deconstruction of the events of the previous 24 hours.  Unfortunately, I grew a little green at the gills and was a little “poorly” after a mere half a pint of ale!  No matter, a switch to soft drinks and a bellyful of burger, fries and sticky toffee pudding had me feeling as right as rain (no pun intended) in no time.
So that was it...  Another LWW under our collective belt.  It felt very strange to complete the walk without once seeing the mast at Ravenscar or the early warning station at Fylingdales – usually fairly constant views on the horizon for long stretches of the walk.  Bewilderingly, I did not pick up as much as a sore toe, let alone the usual crop of savage blisters.  I attribute this to the Meindl boots that kept my feet supported, comfortable and bone-dry throughout.  Honorary mention must also go to the effectiveness of my (very cheap) waterproofs; both trousers and jacket were of the bargain bin pac-a-mac variety and for the most part managed to keep me dry, even in the face of the occasionally brutal weather conditions.
There is not a lot of humorous anecdote in this account; there was precious little to laugh at.  The low points on this occasion far outnumbered the high.  The conditions made this one of the most gruelling physical challenges of my life, and not a one that I am keen to repeat.  It will be quite some time before I tackle another January LWW crossing.  At least not for another 11 months or so...

Epilogue
I received a text message late on the Saturday evening from a lad called Joe, one of the group that we’d bumped into heading in the opposite direction on the walk.  They had found Tom’s GPS!  So Tom was reunited with his trusty friend the very next day, proving that all’s well that ends well.  If you find yourself reading this – thanks Joe!!!

Another Winter Lyke Wake Crossing

And once again the North Yorks odyssey that is the Lyke Wake Walk had drawn us in. This was  my second attempt - the first time ended with me quite clearly thinking (if it’s possible to think clearly after a straight walk through the night for nineteen hours) “never again”! That thought only lasted on night and I remember at breakfast in the bed and breakfast in beautiful Rosedale the next morning how we already started planning the next crossing.

That actually took longer than anticipated, and so a year and a half later, Claire, Dave and myself were joined by Lyke Wake Walk newcomer Jimmy.This time around we were doing the walk without a support vehicle – no-one waiting at strategic spots to cheer us on and welcome us with hot drinks and food. More importantly no chance to bail - once we had set off from Osmotherley, that was it, no turning back.

We met up at the mast in Ravenscar, as we needed to leave a car there. Dave and Jimmy had spent the afternoon driving round the moors, dropping off bags of food and drink on the way so we wouldn’t have to carry too much. At 9:40 pm, we were back at Osmotherley, hands on the Lyke Wake stone for a quick photo, before setting off. And once again it begins...

As with my previous crossing a Winter crossing is bitterly cold, and the first mile was actually really tough going, attempting to walk on slippery asphalt that was like an ice rink. It was good to get off the road and into the countyside proper. For me, this is the moment when the Lyke Wake Walk really comes into its own, as you trudge along through the pitch black with a couple of head torches lighting the way. On some stretches on the moors, we all turned the lights off and could easily navigate my moonlight and this was quite a magical moment.

The next few miles use good woodland paths and cross a couple of fields. Previously we were accompanied by ghostly sheep in these fields but they seem to have been tucked up somewhere warmer on this cold night.

You then the higher ground of the Cleveland Hills, on the long haul up and over Carlton Bank. From here you have a spectacular view of the lights of Middlesbrough down to the north of you, and the sprawling hills around you.

By now we had settled into a decent walking pace, passing the newly opened (but at this time of night very much shut) Lord Stones Cafe and the night was still very much magical. By the time we hit the railway path and Bloworth Crossing we were going at some speed, and it meant that this section flew by and before we knew it, we could see the Lion Inn not far ahead. Here was our first food stash, and Dave and Jimmy had done us proud, providing with a gourmet feast. Home-made cookies, sandwiches, pasties, bananas and bottled water which miraculously had not frozen.

After this break I was nearly frozen solid and it was time to break out the hand-warmers to try and warm up a little as we headed off along road headed away from the Lion. Soon enough we had passed the sign for Fryup and it was time for the dreaded bog section. Except this time, the bog pretty much stretched from here all the way to Ravenscar as it was muddy all the way.

I maintain that the infamous bog isn't as bad as the next section - the bog you anticipate, but for me the next section past Blue Man I'Th' Moss is just as bad, and twice as long!

After a very long trudge, we had slowed right down, but that was to be expected. Eventually we reached the road at Wheeldale, and then headed down into the ravine. Normally we would use the stepping stones to cross the beck, but after recent heavy rains these were underwater and there was no real way of telling how slippery they would be. We weren't keen on completing the walk soaking wet and ice cold, so we walked upstream a little until we found a section we could just about jump across. Jimmy and Dave were once again the heroes here, going over first and helping me and Claire.

Simon Howe was next, and a brisk climb up from the beck was actually enjoyable for me, as it helped me warm up a little. By this point Dave and Jimmy were both suffering a little from bad knees, which is never pleasant. From Simon Howe, the early warning installation at Flyingdales no longer seemed so far away but even here the ground was decidedly boggy underfoot. We watched a train pass by as we reached the North Yorks Railway track, and at this point, we were still very much full of food and laden down with drink, so we left the food drop here intact and picked it up the next day when driving back.

I had been dreading the next section, as the walk along Eller Beck up to Lilla Cross last time was a bit of a nightmare with no discernible path, and a lot of streams to jump across. However this time, the direct footpath has been cleared and is easy to follow which we were very pleased about.

Once we had got up to Lilla Cross we could finally see the mast at Ravenscar. Once again, it seemed incredibly far away and at this point I could see some of our party getting a bit disheartened. I took a slurp of Claire's rather disgusting energy gel and off I went. This was the worst section for me as far as the path was concerned. Thick heavy, wet clay that stuck to your boots like glue and made for heavy going. This is also the point where two miles on the map feel like five miles on the ground - the section to Jugger Howe just feels endless!

Claire was really not looking forward to Jugger Howe, but although I had suffered a bit on the last few miles, Jugger Howe didn't phase me. I love the view as you go down the steep steps, cross the footbridge and back up the other side, knowing that the end is so near.

And yet so far. It's back on the metalled track across Stony Marl Moor rather than soft or boggy ground and this is a killer on the feet! The very last section is another that feels longer than it ought to. However this time round, finishing in daylight was a massive boost to the morale, as you could see the mast getting closer and closer, instead of the dull trudge it is in the dark with nothing there to motivate.

The sun was setting and by the time we reached the mast, the moors behind us looked beautiful and inviting. Beyond the mast we could see the vast expanse of the North Sea, and it was joy all round as we completed the walk at Ravenscar, exactly 18 hours after setting off from Osmotherley.

So that was it, LWW crossing number two completed for me. It felt a lot easier than the first time round. I think this was largely due to knowing what I was facing and being mentally prepared for the duration of each section and the challenges ahead.

Completing the Lyke Wake Walk gives you a real sense of achievement. It isn't impossible, nor is it the sole reserve of extreme walkers, but it does require some planning, patience, determination and a will to complete it. I admire anyone that attempts the walk.

We stayed the night in the excellent Flask Inn on the Whitby road, with its super comfortable beds, and cosy bar. Once again, we had some folk saying "never again" in the bar that evening, and by the next morning plans for the next crossing were being made. The Lyke Wake Walk just gets under your skin.