Reeth to Richmond (17.5km)

Day 3 - Reeth to Richmond

We were spoilt at breakfast being the only guests at the small 2-room Springfield House B+B.  Our hosts, Denise and Bob demonstrated great Yorkshire hospitality – good food, interesting conversation, and even a few jokes from Bob who has lived in the area his whole life and whose accent was so thick subtitles would have been helpful at times!

Setting off a little later than usual at 9am our day started sedately by following the river before joining a country lane past some farms and Marrick Priory.   Here we spotted the Marrick Beast – a worthy competitor to last year’s Beast of Sunbiggin (see 5 September 2012).

The Marrick Beast

The Nun’s Causeway then saw us climb through Steps Wood – purportedly 375 stone steps constructed by the priory nuns to reach the abbey in the village of Marrick. 

Ascending through Steps Wood

The rest of the morning saw us walking across meadows and fields dotted with sheep and cows, thus awakening my cow phobia which had so far been dormant. Summary as follows:

• Sheep are docile and beautiful animals which bleat a bit and move out of the way as you walk through their field = my friends.
• Cows give you a death stare as soon as you enter their field and you can see the little cogs and wheels in their heads spelling out ‘ex-ter-mi-nate’.  Cows with calves = trouble.  Cows with calves which start bellowing at you and herding = get out of there fast.

Fortunately no adverse run-ins with livestock today although Ross did notice that I picked up speed every time we had to cross a field with cows.

We stopped for elevenses on a park bench considerately placed just outside the pretty village of Marske by the local Women’s Institute (thank you) before traipsing across more fields to the limestone outcrop of Applegarth Scar.

Outside Marske

A steep climb was rewarded with views over beautiful rolling green hills.  The chill wind and light rain which followed us as we began our walk this morning all but disappeared and the sun started breaking through cloud.  By the time we reached Richmond, it was a warm sunny Sunday afternoon.

View from Applegarth Scar

As we approached Richmond we passed a local spot of great significance near Whitcliffe Scar. 

“Robert Willance was a Richmond draper who got so carried away in a hunt in 1606 that he followed his quarry over the lip of the scar, killing his horse but miraculously emerging with only a broken leg.  This had to be amputated, but Willance was so grateful for still being alive that he donated a silver chalice to Richmond, which still has it, and erected three stones at the site of the catastrophe, engraved with the date… Willance had his leg solemnly buried at St Mary’s churchyard and was eventually reunited with its remains after a long and useful life.”  

(M. Wainwright (2012).  The Coast to Coast Walk, p127)

The aura of greatness around Willance is well deserved if indeed he:

“…survived the fall but with a broken leg.  Realising he would not be rescued until the fog lifted, he used his hunting knife to slit open the horse’s belly and inserted into it his fractured leg.  This probably saved his life as the extra warmth would delay the onset of gangrene.” 

(Willance House (2012))

Definitely a man's man - they don't make 'em like that any more (unless you're Bear Grylls).

On the descent into Richmond, we were both complaining of sore feet (we’re definitely not Willance material) when lo and behold – another strategically placed bench overlooking the town became the perfect spot for lunch. 

Ross enjoying the views of Richmond

We reached Richmond at 2pm and were ushered to our room at Willance House, a Grade II listed building, believed to be the oldest house in Richmond and once the home of the great man himself, Robert Willance.  This is where he had his unfortunate leg amputated, where he lived in the years after when he became Alderman of Richmond, and where he eventually died.  He is buried in the churchyard just over the garden wall.  The place just oozes history.  Never mind that, for our purposes, it oozed comfort.  A nice roomy space with a gorgeous bay window overlooking an ivy clad stone wall, pocket sized garden and the surrounding green hills.

Our room in the beautiful Willance House

Since we reached our destination so early, there was opportunity to rest for a few hours and conduct blister first aid on my poor little feet.  We walked the short distance into the town centre and were duly impressed with the market square and steep cobbled streets around Richmond Castle.

Richmond Market Square

Castle Way

We were less impressed however that we couldn’t find anywhere to grab an evening meal.  Although a sizeable town with hundreds of pubs, being a Sunday, we discovered that most pubs had served Sunday dinner up to 4pm and then stopped serving food.  Using the last of our energy, we circumnavigated the market square and surrounding streets before happening upon a hidden gem – The Black Lion.  

Fed and happy it was back to the old house of the great man of Richmond to rest our feet in readiness for the 23km trek tomorrow – eek!