Sunday 11th April, inland to Castleton for lunch

This morning is cool and slightly overcast, there are squirrels running around in front of the caravan.

We drove down the one in three hill into littlebeck and stopped in the Village Hall car park to photograph the village below in the valley

then up the other side through the hairpin bends to rejoin the steep hill out Sleights and the Whitby to Pickering road, diverting right at the hilltop towards Egton. Turning left down the hill we passed a steam train at the station emitting clouds of smoke, but couldn't stop for the traffic (which was a shame)

The next point of interest was just through Egton Bridge where trees line the banks of the winding River Esk and I got this shot.

Then on to the car park by Beggars Bridge for a welcome coffee and biscuits.

The Bridge is associated with a romantic love story from the time of The Spanish Armada

Tom Ferris was the son of a poor sheep farmer and courting a certain Agnes Richardson who's father refused to let him marry her as he was poor. Tom go him to agree to the wedding if he could make his fortune, so he went to sea and returned a rich man.

Apparently when courting he used to wade across the dangerous river against her father's wishes.

He joined the navy and when his orders came to sail against the Armada he went to tell Agnes but the river was in flood and he couldn't cross to see her. He later bought a ship and sailed the caribbean (He was actually a Pirate!)

After marrying Agness he moved to Hull and became Sheriff then lord Mayor, and a year after Agnes died in 1618 he had the Beggars Bridge

built most likely as a memorial to her.(or his dangerous times when fording it!)

Here is a photo of it, only foot traffic goes over it today, and even in it's heyday anything other than either a pack horse or very narrow cart would have had difficulty crossing!

On then to the Castlelon Tea rooms, highly recommended if you are in the area!
And here as proof is Patty enjoying a Latte and an All day Breakfast.
Guisborough was the final outward bound destination to shop in the Morrisons there, and back to camp for an idle afternoon. I looked around for some spring flowers, but up here on the hilltop things are moving much more slowly than down in the valleys and on the coast, there was some lichen on the trees,
And some rather attractive primroses under the beech trees
There were even some daisies with attractive varigated leaves tooOnce again the weather had been kind, we were in a mood to laze around rather than have our usual run out this evening