Walk: 11:15am to 2:45pm - 4.2 miles and 258 feet of ascent
Quiz question: What was the weather like in Whitby today?
Answer: Yet more FOG!
Well today we weren't going to be beaten, we decided that whatever the weather we would do one of the walks that we'd planned to do this week had the weather been a little kinder. Ok, we might not get the benefit of lovely views and crisp bright photographs, but who cares?
Last March when we came here for a the week, one of our walks had taken in Falling Foss Tea Garden so this time around we had planned another one to do the same, albeit approaching from a different direction. We headed inland a few miles and parked near the hamlet of Littlebeck. Thankfully although it was still misty, the thick fog on the coast had abated.
After changing into our walking boots and loading our rucksacks on our backs were were heading downhill to pick up the walk beside Little Beck. The walk itself is shrouded in woodland so views are limited, but there's enough going on in the trees and bushes to keep you interested. About 1.5 miles into the walk we came upon the Hermitage Folly which was built in the 1700's and is effectively a hollowed out rock with a single doorway and stone hewn benches inside. All made from one single large boulder.
At the folly there was a junction, and as I believed from the map that we needed to follow the beck more closely we took the right-hand fork. This took us back downhill, over the beck and then steeply uphill. Whilst it was grey and misty it certainly wasn't cold, and if I'm being honest the walk was becoming less and less enjoyable as I was sweating heavily and constantly having to wipe the sweat from the brow, and my glasses were constantly steam up. Donna wasn't sweating, or perspiring, but she was 'glowing'; well she is a lady you know. The path was also very muddy and you can be wearing £180 walking boots, but when it's this slippy they are little more use than a £10 pair of trainers.
Well we had clearly gone wrong. The beck that we were now following was taking us up through Foss Wood. Ok, it wasn't exactly like being lost in the Siberian Tundra, but it did take us out of our way and we had to find a way back to Falling Foss. As we continued searching out the correct path we first headed down a steep path close to a large drop only to find that it was taking us away from the noise we could hear from the tea-garden, so back up the hill and off in the opposite direction. Thankfully this was the right choice and 5 minutes later we were sat under cover in the tea-garden.
We first ordered a BLT sandwich each, Donna had one last time and the bacon was gorgeous and plentiful with lovely fresh salad. They were accompanied by a bottle of Fentimans to quench our thirst; Dandelion & Burdock for Donna and Curiosity Cola for me. After devouring our food, we let it settle for 15 minutes or so and were then tempted by their scones with raspberry jam and fresh cream, followed coffee and hot chocolate. On route we'd bumped into a couple who were keen bird watchers and we told them about the tea-garden and on arrival they were also dining there, and an American couple doing the coast to coast walk who had also stopped off after we had told them about it.
Our route back took as along the path we were meant to come along on the way here. It meant that the time it took to get back to Littlebeck and therefore the car, was shortened by about 20-30 minutes and quite a lot less ascent and descent which was very welcome. The walk was 2 or 3 miles less than the one that we had originally planned, but it just wouldn't have been that enjoyable in the conditions. Even though the walk had been rather challenging in it's own way, it was one that we will still look back on with fond memories.
Thankfully we only had a 15 or so minute drive back to Whitby, a detour to Sainsbury's for some provisions and then back to the apartment and the best part of the day; A SHOWER. So nice to be clean and comfortable again....
Quiz question: What was the weather like in Whitby today?
Answer: Yet more FOG!
Well today we weren't going to be beaten, we decided that whatever the weather we would do one of the walks that we'd planned to do this week had the weather been a little kinder. Ok, we might not get the benefit of lovely views and crisp bright photographs, but who cares?
Last March when we came here for a the week, one of our walks had taken in Falling Foss Tea Garden so this time around we had planned another one to do the same, albeit approaching from a different direction. We headed inland a few miles and parked near the hamlet of Littlebeck. Thankfully although it was still misty, the thick fog on the coast had abated.
After changing into our walking boots and loading our rucksacks on our backs were were heading downhill to pick up the walk beside Little Beck. The walk itself is shrouded in woodland so views are limited, but there's enough going on in the trees and bushes to keep you interested. About 1.5 miles into the walk we came upon the Hermitage Folly which was built in the 1700's and is effectively a hollowed out rock with a single doorway and stone hewn benches inside. All made from one single large boulder.
At the folly there was a junction, and as I believed from the map that we needed to follow the beck more closely we took the right-hand fork. This took us back downhill, over the beck and then steeply uphill. Whilst it was grey and misty it certainly wasn't cold, and if I'm being honest the walk was becoming less and less enjoyable as I was sweating heavily and constantly having to wipe the sweat from the brow, and my glasses were constantly steam up. Donna wasn't sweating, or perspiring, but she was 'glowing'; well she is a lady you know. The path was also very muddy and you can be wearing £180 walking boots, but when it's this slippy they are little more use than a £10 pair of trainers.
Well we had clearly gone wrong. The beck that we were now following was taking us up through Foss Wood. Ok, it wasn't exactly like being lost in the Siberian Tundra, but it did take us out of our way and we had to find a way back to Falling Foss. As we continued searching out the correct path we first headed down a steep path close to a large drop only to find that it was taking us away from the noise we could hear from the tea-garden, so back up the hill and off in the opposite direction. Thankfully this was the right choice and 5 minutes later we were sat under cover in the tea-garden.
We first ordered a BLT sandwich each, Donna had one last time and the bacon was gorgeous and plentiful with lovely fresh salad. They were accompanied by a bottle of Fentimans to quench our thirst; Dandelion & Burdock for Donna and Curiosity Cola for me. After devouring our food, we let it settle for 15 minutes or so and were then tempted by their scones with raspberry jam and fresh cream, followed coffee and hot chocolate. On route we'd bumped into a couple who were keen bird watchers and we told them about the tea-garden and on arrival they were also dining there, and an American couple doing the coast to coast walk who had also stopped off after we had told them about it.
Our route back took as along the path we were meant to come along on the way here. It meant that the time it took to get back to Littlebeck and therefore the car, was shortened by about 20-30 minutes and quite a lot less ascent and descent which was very welcome. The walk was 2 or 3 miles less than the one that we had originally planned, but it just wouldn't have been that enjoyable in the conditions. Even though the walk had been rather challenging in it's own way, it was one that we will still look back on with fond memories.
Thankfully we only had a 15 or so minute drive back to Whitby, a detour to Sainsbury's for some provisions and then back to the apartment and the best part of the day; A SHOWER. So nice to be clean and comfortable again....
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