Stage 12 High Force to Dufton

Well this is a pretty geographical feature rich rich day. Staring with High Force on the Tees, on nice easy tracks followings the Tees you think all is going well. But then you hit boulder fields and end up climbing slowly over boulders. This is so hard on the feet and knees, John ended up borrowing my knee support. At last you hit Caldron Snout. If you like waterfalls you will like this, one of the best English waterfalls I have seen. The walk goes up the side, this is a hand and feet climb. Once the top is reached it’s miles of stone track across the moor before turning down the valley. Then the magnificent view of high cup nick. A lady the day before had asked if we were going to “hike up nick”. I had no idea what it was, only when studying the map did I realise I’d misheard her. I’m sure at school you taught about u shaped glaciated valleys, this is the best example I have seen. After high cup nick it’s a long slow descent to Dufton, where we phoned the landlady of the B&B to pick us up. My feet are now unusable at the end of the day and this B&B doesn’t do evening meals so we had to walk into town, ouch. Mind you the landlady took my washing away and tomorrow I should have it back nicely cleaned for just £5.

High Force hotel – this is the dearest hotel we have stopped in, expensive decorations, and a nice feel. Also dirty used paper towels on the en-suite floor! The waiter/ manager left something to be desired in my mind. He didn’t tell us how to get milk on arrival, so we asked, he sent us to the bar, then sauntered through and served us milk. The omelette for breakfast was like rubber, the standard of food was the worst we have had ( still not bad) but by far the dearest. Certainly not a place I’d use again.