WTC Ways Day 5: Ganton to Filey

Distance: 16 miles
Ascent: 450m
Weather: warm and bright, hazy
Bunnies, hares, seagulls, pheasants, loonies in the sea.

Leaving the inn this morning, we saw the people from the room next door packing up their car with buckets and spades. Everyone's going to the seaside today!

We left Ganton, passing the church and stopping in their garden of reflection to reflect, and also so Rob could put some tape on his foot. The route leads right past RAF Saxton Wold with signs warning of danger of fire and explosion, uneven ground and microwaves. Blimey. We walked on a bit further before stopping to get my sunglasses out of my rucksack.

The path led down Cotton Dale Lane before turning a sharp left and a very sharp up, straight up the valleyside, coming out from low trees onto a round open hilltop. We stopped briefly to catch our breath look at a pretty meadow with flowers, bees and a curlew flying around and then saw a lapwing having a go at a crow.

The Way skirted more big fields, banked with birds foot trefoil, and then along a section where the path has been diverted. It contoured around a hillside on an awkward sloped path through a field where we herded some herdwick sheep, before having a sit on a bench and sorting out the plaster on my toe. At the bottom of The Camp wooded dale, there was a signpost with the YWW pointing one way and the Centenary Way pointing the other, the CWers now have to make their own route to Filey - having used ours since Thixendale.

Crossing some cow fields, we came to Muston and had a nice pub lunch at the friendly Ship Inn (Star Light Ale heartily recommended) before coming quickly to Filey. We walked along the cliff tops (bit breezy) to the end of the Yorkshire Wolds Way and its monument - and then back along the beach and seafront, stopping off for afternoon tea and scones at the Bronte Cafe. Apparently Anne Bronte used to live in the house here.