This was the day that we were waiting for. We set out to do this walk in memory of our friend Duncan who lost his battle with cancer at the age of 18. We had met with family on the evening in Reeth and set off in high spirits knowing. We were meeting friends and family in Richmond and stopping of for a ceremonial pint in the Buck Inn on Newbiggin. We were so focussed on the task in hand that we took very few photos.
I mention this as the brass band fired up on this drizzly morning as we approached the Nine Standards Rigg. They were playing loudly serenading those weary walkers beginning there next day. The moorland was boggy, difficult to navigate and indistinct.This was the kind of territory where you could very easily go up to your knee in stagnant bog water and have to change your socks. Nuff said!
Focused is also a way of saying we didnt talk very much. This was, without doubt, the hardest physical challenge either of us had done and it was really pushing us to the limits both physically and socially!
Once we got through Richmond with a diversion via Easby Abbey where Duncan was buried we took a diversion through Brompton on Swale to Scorton. The walk was just flat and as such became quite monotonous. The positivity of the morning soon disappeared it I (Mick) found this day particularly difficult. As we neared Danby Wiske the plan was to finish in Osmotherley but I just couldn’t get back into gear and we stopped early.
The plan was to have a good rest and set off early knowing that we had a long walk ahead.
