Volunteer drivers

tackling between 18 and 22 miles each day. Leaving Richmond at about 9.30 am, the Castle looms over the town. We regret we cannot spend longer here. Fortunately the day is fine and sunny. We notice some strange cloud formations, like airships in the sky. With such a flat walk there is little of landscape interest to record.

We arrive in Brompton on the outskirts of Northallerton at 5.30 pm after 18 miles and consider we have done a good job. We are confident that we will complete the walk within our time schedule.

This morning in Brompton, Paul plotted a route which avoided retracing our steps. It gave us some great views. Also an unexpected bonus was a stop at Mount Grace Priory (English Heritage) for coffee and scones and a quick look at the gardens. Pheasant, grouse and partridge abound. We must have put up dozens on our walk down to where we were staying. We joined the Cleveland Way and experienced more up and down, but our short cut at the start of the day saved us a couple of miles.

We are on day 12 and back on route with signs a plenty. We pass the White Cross (Fat Betty) which is a point where you are invited to leave or take a portion of fruit or a snack that has been left by a fellow traveller. Onwards past The Trough House, associated with shooting on the moors we think. As we approached it we had our first view of the North Sea and eventually arrived at The Arncliffe Arms, Glaisdale, our stay for the night.

We commence our last full day by crossing the Beggars Bridge at Glaisdale. The story goes that a young man missed a chance to wed his love because he could not cross the river at Glaisdale. He went on to be rich and famous and eventually returned to claim his bride and to build a bridge so that no other beggars would be stranded again. We visited the oldest Co-op Society store, established 1867 in Grosmont, and steam trains were in operation at the NYMR. As we left the village the trains crossed, and we had the sound of steam trains leaving in both directions. We came upon a Methodist Church offering free tea and coffee to passing walkers. There was a “Men’s Shed” session going on, with men doing wood turning and making walking sticks. We arrived at the farm we were staying at for our last night and discovered that it overlooks the sea.

We walked into Robin Hood Bay to complete our walk and met up with Mary Bailey from Melbourn Parish Church, who had made a special journey to greet us. We also met up with Clemens, our German friend, which was great. We all celebrated together. 192 miles and a bit more by our calculations. Our Coast to Coast adventure completed.

Mary Bailey, All Saints’ Church Sacristan

My thanks to my life-long friend Paul Harris from Royston Methodist Church

Many thanks to all who supported us through prayers and generous giving. I am blessed to advise you that the generosity of the local and church community together with our friends and family has resulted in the raising of £3300 towards the cost of rewiring of All Saints Melbourn. Ron Sutcliffe, ron@thesutcliffes.com, Tel 01763262530.

The Word of God from David Burbridge

The Lord Jesus said, “Oh! Fools and slow of mind to believe all that the prophets have spoken. All things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning Me, Thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” At. Luke, Ch. 24, vs 25, 44, 46 and 47