Terry Smith's Photo Walks

Today's Walk 25th May 2008: Gribdale Gate (GR 593110) to Saltburn-By-The-Sea (GR667215), 12.0 miles with
1,275 feet of ascent.

Map: Explorer OL26 North York Moors, Western Area.

Weather: A dry day with some sunshine.

Today is our final day starting on the moors and by the end of it we'll be dipping our boots into the north sea. From
Gribdale Gate we walk along a well trodden path until we reach the gate on Newton Moor. Here we need to decide
whether or not to include the optional detour to include the summit of Roseberry Topping. In reality there is no
decision to make as the walk wouldn't be complete without including it.

I suppose part of today's walk can best be described as the link between the high moors and the coastal section. We
reluctantly leave the high moors behind and we excitedly look forward to the coastal views ahead. We've now reached that
area and although the views are not as good as on the main sections (in fact we walk through a housing estate at one
point) there are still things of interest around us.

A butterfly or is it a moth on the flowers of a hawthorn bush? Can't tell the difference? Well has it got knobs on and how does it hold
it's wings!!? The difference between butterflies and moths. Easy when you know :-)

My regular walking pal Robin makes fun of me taking photos of fungi. He reckons nobody would want to look at them.
And I keep throwing my toys out of the pram and say," Well I do and it's my web site, so hard luck". So here's another
one especially for him.

Soon we're getting the smell of sea air in our nostrils aaaah. Is there anything more delicious?........................

We were taking a break now and returning in July to complete the rest of the walk. We'd walked 59 miles and I was keen to get
home to see how much weight I'd lost. At home I got onto the scales and .. and I'd put on 4 lbs. You read correctly I'd gained
weight, it didn't seem possible, then it came to me in a flash. It was obvious really, I now had blisters on my feet and they must be
very, very heavy. I explained my reasoning to Christopher, he looked at me in disbelief as sons sometimes look in disbelief at fathers
and said," We had a full cooked breakfast each morning and for dinner we had chips (fries) with everything. It was the food we ate".

I'd bought postcards on the way around to send to different people but had forgotten to post them, one was for my other son Kevin.
I rang him up instead to tell him about the trip and explained my theory about the blisters. He works for the National Health Service
so I expected he'd agree with me. But he say's, " What were you eating when you were away Dad"? Kids eh - what do they know
anyway. You believe me blisters are heavy.