Day 4: Ampleforth Abbey to Osmotherley

Well, a beautiful morning greeted us as we set out from Ampleforth - an early start in order to reach the pub for lunch - and our first encounters with real moors. Although shorter than Day 3, this day had twice the climbing!

As we approached Rievaulx Abbey (though on the opposite side of the river) a stream proved a welcome relief from the heat of the day.

Out in the hills we were looking for Hawnby and lunch.

After lunch, the cruellest thing - a hill (this is Brewster Hill)

Then up to Thimbleby Moor, where we prayed among the purple heather.

We then dropped down into Osmotherley Village. This is where we lost the keys to the van - major disaster - and had to make emergency arrangements. As I recall, we had to hire a local van for a day until Tates could send through a spare set of keys. Several days later the keys turned up - in a jug in one of the catering trays.