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I enjoyed this next section of the walk through the Vale of Mowbray, even though it is not
highly rated by most coasters. I find an irony in their protestations that it is too flat! For sure,
it lacks the drama of the Lake District and the upland Dales, but these were the regions we
had feared in anticipation of the walk. The Vale of Mowbray is lush, fertile country, raising
fine crops and animals. It is gentle and picturesque, yet not the stuff of romanticized calen-
dars of the British countryside. By this day, I had learned to put aside some of my drive, my
need to be challenged, to prove myself. I had learned that for me, that kind of attitude is not
my only path to happiness. On that day, happiness came from inside me and from a lovely
walk in the open air and a bathroom stop scented naturally with nettles. We made good pro-
gress despite a stop in intriguingly named Danby Wiske, a lingering lunch at the fringe of
a farm, and afternoon tea at a transport café. As our destination approached we came in the
shadow of the Cleveland Hills and faced our first climb of the day as we left Ingleby Cross
for our lodging about a mile beyond.
We ate family style that evening, gathered round large pine tables where we discovered TV
presenter Julia Bradbury had also eaten. Our British colleagues had spoken much of the ex-
ploits of Julia, who had filmed a documentary on the Coast to Coast Walk, but to Chris and
me she was an unknown quantity. We discovered too that she needn't remain unknown for
much longer, there was to be a repeat of one of the episodes of her documentary that very
evening. We walked tentatively into breakfast the next morning having fallen asleep before
the episode aired at ten pm. But our companions shared our chagrin; we had all slept early
that night except Irishman Mat, who had had the foresight to take an early evening nap!
Later, we were to enjoy all Julia's Coast to Coast episodes, but for now we had our own
slanting path to follow.
Several of our group opted to ride the bus rather than face a twenty-mile day over roller
coaster countryside that included at least seven steep ascents and corresponding descents.
It was a glorious but challenging day, and I wasn't doing too well. I was by now making a
fashion statement in matching knee support bandages, my grass stained shorts and my egg
yolk Macular Disease Society hat. Anyone bold enough to explore beneath my grubby socks
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