Sue W’s 40th Birthday Party in Helmsley

It always rains on Sue W’s weekends.

Perhaps now that she’s an old lady, her luck will change.  It certainly did last weekend, when 30 to 40 of her family and friends converged on Helmsley Youth Hostel and other nearby residences to celebrate her coming of an age from whence everything gets a bit harder, slower and stiffer.

Sue (B) and I did different walks on Saturday, and I had the camera – so there are very few ‘group’ photos.  And there were only six of us on our Sunday walk, most people either having gone home or having had to nurse the sunstroke that arose from their failure to wear a sunhat on Saturday.

Nevertheless, a vast array of images is on display here, together with ‘captions of commentary’, for anyone interested.

In brief:

On Saturday everyone walked as far as Rievaulx Abbey, where the massive group splintered into a ‘lollipop walk’ (a loop west of Rievaulx before returning down the Cleveland Way ‘stick’ to Helmsley), and the ‘long hike’ to which five of us gravitated, with others touring the abbey and generally doing their own thing.

The ‘long hike’ proceeded up Rye Dale on this fine, not to say hot, day.

It stopped for lunch on a grassy bank, then proceeded airily (flanks), smartly (2nd left), sunstrokingly (2nd right), and very slowly and sweatily (centre) towards a Big Forest.

At the edge of the Big Forest, wide banks of Wood Anemone beckoned the unwary.  I stumbled in, only to be trapped by a bed of nettles.

We managed to escape the forest, and returned safely to savour the tea and cakes so thoughtfully provided by Sue W at 4 pm.  She also had a very entertaining video that traced her origins, life and times, condensed into a few pictures on a laptop computer.  Very entertaining…

Here’s our route – 20 km, 530 metres ascent, 5 hours plus stops.

After partying long and late, fuelled by a (actually excellent) Youth Hostel meal and a few Black Sheep – we drunk the hostel dry of this – we rose on Sunday to another beautiful day!

Most returned home or bimbled, but six of us walked a short section of the Cleveland Way, along the escarpment from Square Corner, near Osmotherley, to Sutton Bank.

Here we are, near the summit of a local ‘peak’.

I spent my teenage years around here; during which time I developed a life-long love of the Countryside.

There was a constantly lovely view west, as we strolled along, with various parts of the Pennines visible on the distant but very clear horizon.

Sue managed ok this weekend, though she’s a bit sore today.  It was good that she could enjoy a walk in the country on such a lovely day.

Here’s our 16 km, 390 metres ascent, 3.5 hour route. 

There are some fine bike rides around here, as well.  The North Yorks Moors is an area we should visit more often.

As previously noted, there’s a slideshow here, with captions that elucidate further…the above report being a bit brief due to this week being seriously busy.

I’m off to do some decorating.  Bye.