Thursday, 26 July 2012

Day 30 begins


20/7/2012
Day 30 begins




I went to the bathroom to shower and to wash away the dreariness of the day that was promised. The sun actually came out almost immediately I thought this, and continued throughout the morning. I couldn't find my shower bag which I had left in the bathrooms as I had been the only man on the site yesterday. One of the guys from the pub last evening was in the bathroom and he said he would ask his mate. Darren came back a few minutes later with the bag, his friend Alan had handed it in, thinking someone had lost it. I thanked them, and Joanne, Daz's fiance, who was using the bathrooms began to ask me where I was going and what I was doing and said that she would make me a cup of tea if I came over to their tent. I thought this a nice offer, and you know how I love my tea of a morning... 


I came over to their grand tent and met the Guys again and Becky who was also with them. Joanne made me a lovely large cup of tea but everyone else were drinking beer already. I heard tales of drunken walks across the village and not being able to find the tent in the dark and getting lost on the campsite, despite it being a small place. The guys laughed at the girls story and went off to buy a football to play as the sun was really hotting up. I had told them that I was due to set off towards Boulby head today and later Middlesborough. They thought it a bit of a task to walk up with such a huge bag, but I have done worse. Alan said that one of their friends was going to be coming later on so if I wanted he would arrange a lift for me to save me the climb. As you know I often say that although I want to walk the entire United kingdom, I also don't miss opportunities to meet people, and sometimes that might come in this form. I accepted the offer and spent a few hours watching them all getting merry and enjoying the day. I make no judgements as you know about people and their choices, but I didn't feel like getting inebriated myself. I had some very good conversation with each of the youngsters individually during the day, and hope that I represent them well in my descriptions of each of them. 


Joanne was engaged recently to Daz (Darren) and Becky was a family friend who needed a break from her routines, and came along to share the camping trip. She had children who were with her family for the three days away. Joanne had sadly miscarried two children during pregnancy, but was a very devoted aunt to Alan's children. Alan had four children, but all of the group were unemployed and told me that the prospects of work soon, was dismal in South Bank where they lived. I saw a lot of kindness in them though as they offered me a bacon sandwich as my breakfast.

Later, Alan's friend who had not arrived, said that she wasn't coming and unbeknown to me he had arranged yet another lift with a man who he had met earlier on the campsite. 


I had things to do and places to go, so couldn't stay around all night drinking and chatting though it was offered. I thanked the group for their hospitality and set off with another Alan.

Alan, the driver of the van was from nearer to Newcastle, and he was down here for work but had incorporated the camping into his visit. He had set up their trailer tent left his wife to finish off and now took me, kindly to Saltburn as he had an engagement there. I was sad in one way to be missing climbing Boulby head but glad to be having the random experience of meeting someone else who could share valuable details about being British and the way of life in this part of the United Kingdom. Alan chatted away as he drove and I enjoyed watching Loftus go by and the huge Cliff I hadn't had to assault disappearing in the rear view mirrors....Wahey... He dropped me at the seafront in Saltburn and I climbed the much less severe slope to the town above. The views back towards Boulby were relaxing now that I had been spared, though maybe I was grieving a little not having done it. 




I didn't get the feeling that I had to be in Saltburn for any reason, so set off to get some walking done and part of the way into Middlesborough. By early evening I was in a place called Kirkleatham and I found a very nice spot in the corner of a field on land that used to belong to William Turner. I believe the estate is quite large and yet I couldn't see any reason why not to set up here for the night, as only dog walkers used the field and it being so late now they had all gone home for night. I took a walk around the park first and surveyed the whole area, a building akin to a huge stables or a barracks was deserted now but securely locked from intruders, as to a couple of the nearby houses were boarded with metal meshing and grills, which seemed odd as the area oozed a more affluent aire about it. The sun was still on the horizon as my tent came to life in the late hour, and I didn't regret missing either Redcar or the Boulby head now. I ate my rations and settled down for some good old rest. Though I had started late in the day, I had covered about 8 miles I guess, and was feeling a little sleepy.

And now day 30, over a month of walking had come to an end here.





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