Day 11 Ingleby Cross to Great Broughton via the Wainstones. GPS 168 miles

What a great days walking. For most the day it was dry and warm with sunny spells, but there were a few showers so the coats were going on and off all day. The first task for the day was, as we have come accustomed to over the past 10 days, to climb the steep but steady track through the woods overlooking Ingleby.

The trail does a few hairpin bends and passes a few streams. With Kirsty's knee still painful she tried to avoid downward steps as often as possible.

As you climb out of the woods the trail meets the Cleveland way and we follow this the entire way to Clay Bank top making navigation very easy and an absolute pleasure to walk. We soon joined the ridge of the hill and a world of mighty panoramic views across a huge distance

We could see for miles and miles, from the fells of the Yorkshire Dales, through to the industrial conurbation of Middlesborough. The Cleveland Way is easy under foot mainly paved, but a massive amount of effort is required for this section.This is the finest section since the Lakes and it was good to get in the hills again after yesterdays flat trudge across the vale. There are basically three moors on this stretch to Urra and that means climbing up, quite steeply, and going down, equally steeply many, many times. A real cardio workout. The first 'down'  arrived at at place known as Lord Stones where a cafe sits buried in the hillside.

Here we stopped for lunch and bumped into Andy and Janine who where to walk with us for the rest of the day, it is a pleasure to walk with A&J and they seem to be enjoying the walk as much as us.

As we continued to walk the views kept amazing us and we could often see the next down and up.

After this valley we got to the top and we could see the rocky crag called the Wain Stones.

This was our final climb for the day. From a distance this looks like a ruin but as you approach nearer it becomes obvious it is just an outcrop.

The views from the Wainstones were wonderful

            The view South

And sunshine and showers to the North. 

We now travel on a flat landscape to Clay Bank top an awkward spot , a few mies from any villages and we now have to drop down to the road and travel down the road for two and a half miles to Gt. Broughton for our nights accommodation. 

Todays walk has been one of, many hard climbs and declines but a fanastic, most enjoyable walk with breathtaking views of hill sides covered in purple heather and green ferns.

Today has put us in great spirits for the last two long days.

The route we have taken across England so far has been a challenge and we will be doing more than 200 miles but the generousity to our charity Cancer Research has been overwhelming and again today we had a Donation while walking, from the American Daphne who is walking with Ellen, who has already donated. These pair are also good company but are finding the walk very much harder than they expected.

We are not quite sure of the exact amount raised now as we have lost count of what is in the donation can from this walk, but we do know we will have raised over £5,000 WOW! incredible THANK YOU ALL for your support.

Jane and Kirsty both felt that there injuries were slightly improving today.

So with a good rest tonight lets hope tomorrows 20 miles is not too uncomfortable.