15/05/2007 by AOS.

I would like to express, on behalf of the National Board of Trustees of the Apostleship of the Sea in Great Britain, and all our colleagues in the North East Region and indeed all ports around the country, our congratulations and thanks to Veronica and Eddie on the day they have completed this most monumental task of the Coast to Coast Walk.

Naturally, like all charities we hope to benefit from sponsorship monies pledged, but in this case, we have also gained from the significant amount of awareness raised, not only of the plight of seafarers who give so much to keep us supplied with 95% of what we consume, but also of the work being done on a daily basis by this charity.

We extend every good wish to Veronica and Eddie, and of course our heartfelt thanks.

Commodore Chris York
National Director
Apostleship of the Sea “Stella Maris” GB

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15/05/2007 by the walkers.

Grosmont to Robin Hood’s Bay or ‘One more mountain to cross’
by Veronica Yarwood.

We climbed the steep hill out of Grosmont and caught our first sight of the famous Whitby Abbey, and, as if pre-ordained, could see two ships out at sea, one a tanker and one a container ship, there to remind us perhaps of why we had chosen the AOS as our charity to benefit from our now almost competed walk. On the open Sleights Moor, we encountered two sets of standing stones known as Low Bride Stones and High Bride Stones. To the south is the Fylingdales Early Warning Station. We descended to Blue Bank, built in 1759 as the first surfaced road in the Whitby area.

The hamlet of Littlebeck is very charming and is the destination tonight for our fellow walkers from Cheshire who will complete their walk tomorrow. Littlebeck is home to Ventress, (formerly Sgt Ventress the character in the TV series Heartbeat which is filmed in Goathland only a few miles away).

We made our way to a huge boulder known as the Hermitage before coming across the waterfall of Falling Foss. From here we crossed Smeaton Low Moor to gain access to Ruswarp Road. Eventually we reached the A171 Scarborough - Whitby road and forged onwards to our destination Robin Hood’s Bay.

This pituresque resort was once a fishing village used as a smuggler’s cove. It’s houses and shops are perched precariously at the waters edge. Many of it’s red bricked houses are so small and narrow that they have a ‘coffin window’ above the door to enable coffins to be removed. This is a truly magical place.

We were greeted upon arrival at Robin Hood’s Bay by our friends and neighbours John and Margaret who had dropped us off in St Bee’s at the start of the walk and now met us to take us home after a days rest here. We were also delighted to see John and Carole Hodge (AOS volunteers from Darlington) with whom we had dined in Kirkby Stephen, and Jimmy and Ann Christison (AOS volunteers from North Tees & Hartlepool) who had greeted and dined with us at Richmond) together with Tony McAvoy, AOS NE Regional Co-ordinator with whom we have kept in constant touch throughout the walk and who has been so supportive of our efforts.

We walked the mile or so down to the waters edge and at approximately 3.25pm, in the pouring rain, we dipped the toes of our boots in the north sea to symbolically complete the walk and in so doing fulfil an ambition, a dream, and may I say that we were both thoroughly elated with the sense of achievement.

We have so much to savour and enjoy, and while we are so delighted we have achieved our goal, we are sad that it is all coming to an end. We have had a wonderful experience, met some fascinating people, been in some great B&B’s and viewed some awe inspiring scenery.

“These boots were made for walking and they have plodded from sea to sea”. “Mountains and hills praise the Lord”.

I hope that as a result of our efforts, the sponsorship for our most worthy cause, the Aposleship of the Sea, which does so much to assist and serve the seafarers of all nationalities and creeds who visit our shores, and who provide so much of our daily needs, will increase tenfold to enable the work of this most wonderful ministry to continue well into the future.

The blog will continue with highlights of the walk; what have Robin Hood and Captain Cook to do with it…? Don’t miss it!

God Bless and many thanks for all your prayers and support

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