Day 12: Keld to York by way of Hawes.
I slept surprisingly well and dry considering I was in a simple lean-to and it rained straight through the night. However nothing had dried overnight and even though I had new dry socks I had the same wet boots, so I put on wet socks and rain gear then departed at about 7:00 am.
The trail went over several hills and I got quite a workout. I also had some amazing views of verdant, pastoral valleys and rugged hills. I stopped and rotated sox but my feet and legs did not fair well and by the time I reached Hawes I was glad to be done with the hike and looked forward to checking into a hostel and FINALLY DOING SOME LAUNDRY. So imagine my disapointment to discover that the YHA at Hawes was full. The local bus has a stop labeled Asygarth (hostel) so after a brief visit to where wenslydale cheese is made, I caught the bus.
The asygarth hostel has met the same fate as the one at keld, and is now a B&B that has no vacancy this weekend. The bus route I was on goes all the way into the city of North Allerton I had planed to stay in the Dales and explore them a bit on Sunday but the Dales are like tahoe or maybe apple hill, they get busy with little events, that draw a lot of people and fill up on the weekend.
When the bus pulled up at the train station in North Allerton, I decided I'd keep moving. I had intended to visit York, largely based on Tim's recommendation, on the way back to London, so I got a one way ticket on the next Train to York.
I found my first two hours in York very frustrating. At the station I had gotten two addresses for Hostels in the central city, and I walked on sore and tired feet to first one then the other to find both closed and abandoned. A police woman gave me instructions for another which was some way off and also directions to church. I walked to the church and seriously contemplated sleeping in the bushes but, decided that was not appropriate, I had hoped for a sign telling what time wards met but there was no such luck. I saw a grocery down the street and went to keep a promise I had made myself on the trail, to have a pint of a local ice cream that intrigued me when I first saw it. It is a toffee ice cream with bits of honey comb in it. I also used their pay phone to confirm that there was a room available and get directions. When I went back past the church I found elders who told me that wards met at 9:00 and 1:00. Eventually I got to the hostel got checked in and got to bed. I had ment to spend this afternoon and evening idlely wander a country village but instead have spent it crossing the country, stressed and weary. I wonder if more preplanning might have helped.
The trail went over several hills and I got quite a workout. I also had some amazing views of verdant, pastoral valleys and rugged hills. I stopped and rotated sox but my feet and legs did not fair well and by the time I reached Hawes I was glad to be done with the hike and looked forward to checking into a hostel and FINALLY DOING SOME LAUNDRY. So imagine my disapointment to discover that the YHA at Hawes was full. The local bus has a stop labeled Asygarth (hostel) so after a brief visit to where wenslydale cheese is made, I caught the bus.
The asygarth hostel has met the same fate as the one at keld, and is now a B&B that has no vacancy this weekend. The bus route I was on goes all the way into the city of North Allerton I had planed to stay in the Dales and explore them a bit on Sunday but the Dales are like tahoe or maybe apple hill, they get busy with little events, that draw a lot of people and fill up on the weekend.
When the bus pulled up at the train station in North Allerton, I decided I'd keep moving. I had intended to visit York, largely based on Tim's recommendation, on the way back to London, so I got a one way ticket on the next Train to York.
I found my first two hours in York very frustrating. At the station I had gotten two addresses for Hostels in the central city, and I walked on sore and tired feet to first one then the other to find both closed and abandoned. A police woman gave me instructions for another which was some way off and also directions to church. I walked to the church and seriously contemplated sleeping in the bushes but, decided that was not appropriate, I had hoped for a sign telling what time wards met but there was no such luck. I saw a grocery down the street and went to keep a promise I had made myself on the trail, to have a pint of a local ice cream that intrigued me when I first saw it. It is a toffee ice cream with bits of honey comb in it. I also used their pay phone to confirm that there was a room available and get directions. When I went back past the church I found elders who told me that wards met at 9:00 and 1:00. Eventually I got to the hostel got checked in and got to bed. I had ment to spend this afternoon and evening idlely wander a country village but instead have spent it crossing the country, stressed and weary. I wonder if more preplanning might have helped.
posted by a.lost.boy | 8:06 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home