Cinderella's shoe(s)

It feels decidedly strange not to wake, pack our bags, eat, and hit the trail.  Instead it's a leisurely start to the morning.  Quite a good thing really as it was a restless night.  Either the spices from The Mango Tree live on or it's hayfever that wakes me up with a start at 4:30am.  We have a relaxed breakfast with a fellow Australian who is continuing with the walk today.  When he picks up his day bag to rejoin the trail, we instead wheel our suitcases across the road to the taxi depot and catch a cab to the station.  We are very early for our train to Leeds but it's a good thing as it gives us time to appreciate the beautiful station architecture.  

Parting view of Kirkby Stephen station

When the train does arrive, we take our seats for the just under 2 hour journey along the scenic Settle-Carlisle Railway.  

At Leeds station we are forced to catch another taxi to the hire care office where we collect our new companion for the next stage of our journey - a navy blue Vauxhall Astra.  We manoeuvre our suitcases into the car and I take up my familiar post as navigator with map in hand!  Fortunately it doesn't take long to drive out of Leeds and we reach Harrogate by 1pm.  Our destination is the Balmoral Hotel which is infinitely luxurious after the humble B+Bs we have been lodging at over the last week.  We are too early to check in to our rooms but the front desk receptionist is so obliging that when we query the location of the nearest laundromat so we can wash our walking gear, she insists that we leave the bag of washing behind.  She kindly washes our clothes in the basement washing machine at no charge and our clean clothes are returned to us later in the afternoon when we settle into our rooms.  We are all incredibly grateful, it is such an unexpected and welcome gesture.

While we wait we walk into the city centre and have a glorious lunch at the paragon to tea, cakes and propriety that is Betty's Tearoom.  It has been many years since Ross and I last indulged in some Betty's goodness but its magic has not diminished - nor have the prices it seems!  

Harrogate city centre

It is a sunny afternoon and perfect to wander around and absorb the sights of the city centre but we are on a mission.  My Dad is still forcing his sore, blistered feet into his hiking boots and he needs a pair of comfortable walking shoes.  Ross struggles to maintain his attention span as we go from one shop to another to find a pair of shoes that is just so.  It takes some time and effort and attempts to engage with a disinterested Gen Y salesperson but finally success!  My Dad slides his feet into a brand new pair of Clark's shoes and it's smiles all round.

We return to the Balmoral to enjoy the comforts of our rooms for a few hours and hang up our wet (but fabulously clean) clothes.  Ah the simple pleasures.  Dinner takes us out for another stroll down the hill, past the wailing sirens and smoke of the burning convention centre(!) to a Thai restaurant.  The wind picks up and the temperature drops by the time we head back up the hill but this only makes it all the nicer to be enveloped by the luxurious warmth of our rooms.