Ganton to Wolds Way Camping: E2 Day 71

 A short day walking in very wet weather.

After a hearty breakfast, which I ate while admiring the garden of the Bed & Breakfast and the Vale of Pickering beyond, I began my walk, following the main road for the few kilometres back to Ganton. The rain began shortly after I started and did not stop. Not heavy, but continuous, it did little to improve my journey. 

As the distance I planned to walk today was relatively short, I did not hurry, turning off the road towards Ganton church. In front of the building was a "Garden of Reflection", as the centre piece was a pond, I thought this maybe a play on words. Marsh Marigolds around the edge in bright, yellow flower brightened up the dull day and it looked like there would be a good display of irises later in the year. Surrounded by gravestones with fading inscriptions the church itself was locked. Leaving the village of white painted, red tiled houses I continued on the Yorkshire Wolds Way. The owner of the Bed & Breakfast at Willerby said to look out for the white pheasants, a colouration I had not known possible for these birds. Although I saw lots of pheasants they were all of the normal colours, maybe a few were a whitish brown but no pure white ones. A farmer on a Quad bike stopped to say hello, I thought afterwards I should have asked him.

Although the path does not enter Sherburn, it passes close so I detoured into the village. My reward was a coffee and large chocolate flapjack sitting out of the rain in the general store. I felt guilty for not buying a healthy sandwich. After Sherburn the path climbed up the escarpment through fields and copses of trees, looking stark and bare in the mist and rain. On a fine day there would have been extensive views over the Vale of Pickering, the low ground between the Wolds and the Cleveland hills, but today the visibility through the falling rain was poor. Two other people were walking the Yorkshire Wolds Way, I met them as they walked towards me through the rain, somehow it felt better not being the only person on the trail.

Misty views.

Not sure of the purpose of the rabbit warning.

After a section of daffodil lined woodland I turned off to the Wolds Way campsite. As the person in charge was busy with calving cows I had a little trouble paying. Fortunately the lady cleaning the toilet block was helpful. Unfortunately the recent mowing of the field, combined with the wet weather, meant her work was soon undone as clumps of cut grass were brought in on peoples' footwear.

Now I am sitting listening to the rain beating down on my tent's flysheet and the bellowing of cows, at a wide variety of pitches, presumably in the throws of labour in the nearby farm buildings.