Day 9 - Brantingham to by Kilnwick Percy

9 April (0750-1600)
Distance: 20 miles (Tot: 160)
Fitbit steps: 45500
Weather: dry, some sun this afternoon
Number of significant errors found on my itinerarararary spreadsheet: 1

Even though we sought out the most exposed spot in the field last night, the death of the wind overnight, combined with a clear sky, created, once again, perfect condensation conditions.

The wind soon picked up once the sun was back up, and the clouds which also formed created pretty good walking conditions. It was a bit parky when walking into the wind, but a nice temperature when sheltered.

It wasn't just the weather that was nice; today's walk was absolutely lovely as we passed through green, rolling countryside. And roll, we did. After days of barely any up, there was no gentle introduction to the ascent. None of the hills was big, but there were many of them, with quite a few steep bits.

The ups gave us some views too, with the morning allowing us to look down on the Humber, whereas this afternoon saw us looking down over the vast Vale of York. So much flatness below us meant that even though we weren't high, the views were extensive, albeit hazy.

Having lunched at a picnic bench in a layby beside a main road (where we talked about how much we'd like a cup of tea, not knowing (until we set back off) that there was a cafe only 150 yards away), the first part of the afternoon was through the parklands of the Londesborough Estate. There we met a chap with whom we chatted for quite a while. It's unusual to meet other long-distance backpackers when out on a walk like this, but this chap was just at the end of a 450-mile jaunt which has seen him leave his home in Beverley, and take various local Ways to join up the Dales Way, Coast to Coast and Wolds Way to form a big triangle back to his front door.

He still had 10 miles to go of his monster 28-mile day; we had just 5 of our more modest distance, although even then we broke those few miles up with a pause on a bench outside a village church.

Our day ended at Low Warrendale, where the price of camping has doubled since we were last here, but £6 is still quite a bargain, in my opinion.

It was shortly after we arrived, whilst looking at the map for tomorrow, that I realised that I made an error on the itinerary spreadsheet. I've put the location of the next shop a line higher than it should be. That means that when I bought food yesterday, I bought 1 day's-worth less than we need. We're not going to starve, but plain oatcakes are not going to make a nice lunch, and there's a severe lack of chocolate in our remaining supplies. We don't go through anywhere of size tomorrow, but hopefully there will be a pub open at lunchtime in Leavening, and hopefully it will serve food (or at least have some chocolate or crisps).

(Sorry it's a bit of a dull photo - it doesn't illustrate the splendor of the day at all.)

(Martin: there was nothing careless about the webbing of our feet! The choice of airy footwear was considered and intentional. It doesn't stop me moaning about putting on wet socks in a morning, though (which I did again this morning, but this time because I'd washed them and they'd not dried in time).
JJ: We're not going via Wharram Percy, as we're veering off the Wolds Way tomorrow. We'll be passing through Osmotherley on Saturday.
Conrad: I'll be interested to know your prediction as to our route - particularly for the bits where I was torn as to which way to go.
Louise: sorry for the lack of photographic evidence. Mick was still snuggled down in the quilt when I fell out of the tent, and I was too busy laughing when Mick tried to get out, but fell back in!)

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