6/26/06:  Danby Wishke to Ingleby Arncliffe.

 

A fast, level 9 mile walk with a great  weather.  Ann & I are staying at the Blue Bell Inn, while the rest of the gang are lodging in someone's personal residence with suites extending from the back.  Their hostess was more personal than ours, but ours obviously had more tenants.  The ETC rated the Blue Bell 2 stars, which just about fits, as we had stayed a a couple of the 4-star to compare it with. 

 

At dinner, the dinning area was not really separated from the pub & there was a large number of smokers inthe pub.  This doesn't really bother me, but most in our party didn't care for it. 

 

My baby toe on my right  foot had been giving me a lot of grief since the blister broke.  Tonight, I was getting out of the shower and caught it on the sliding metal door.  It hurts like hell now and I'm in bed with no socks or shoes to aggrivate itt.  Tomorrow's hike will be on difficult terrain for 12.5 miles.  I'm sure I'll be hurting, but I'll find some creative way of patching the toe, and the beautiful English countryside takes one's mind off such trivial wounds.

 

 

 

 

Richmond to Danby Wiske

6/25/06

 

Today was 14 miles of relatively flat hiking with drizzling rain as an accompanyment.

 

Bothe the Ordinance Survey and the Cannon Guide played down Danby Wiske as a place to be passed-by.  Not so!  We are staying at the Old School B&B.  It's basically a couple of rooms converted in someone's home, and it's beautiful.  

 

The only pub, The White Swan, has a very friendly staff.  I walked in at about half-time of the England-vs-Equador World Cup quarter final.  The place was full of locals.  The "widescreen TV" was a sheet with a projector shining on it.  Yet, as low-tech as it may seem, the had internet access there.  The let everyone in our group log-in free-of-charge (although we were having dinner there).  All 5 of my companions took advantage to do a little e-mailing home, but I wasn't in the mood & preferred to work on a Guiness or 3 while watching "football".  England won with a goal in the second half.  It was a very friendly & festive atmosphere.