Between Pennines and Yorkshire Dales

Hi al

I am in Harrogate.

After leaving the library in Holmfirth I just walked an extra 30 min. to the camping. The field, although nosy had very nice views of just trees around it. Shower, washing up, and usual pub and pints for diary updating.

Met the locals, and really had problems to understand the guy talking to me; really dificult accent up here!

More feet pictures: this is what happend if you walk in the Pennine moors with "waterproof" shoes.

It would take me two days to reach Harrogate on wednesday. On the first day on tuesday I would go to Pudsey. The walk run first on country lanes and then through the suburbs of Leeds and Hurddesfield. The area is quite nice with beautiful hills and contours, but very populated and heavily industrialised.

The banner, as said before, does not stop giving me happy moments. This time a guy driving a boilers and heating repairs van stopped. As he did not have any money, he gave an a box with no one, no two, no three, but four double chocolate muffins. I loved the guy! Which takes me to comment my addiction problem with chocolate since I began the walk. There is no day without chocolate.. lots of it! The is no chocolate bar that survives the day, and chocolate biscuits packets (the whole of it) are like light snacks.... before a proper lunch or dinner...

And maybe this is why my mum says she does not see me losing any weight, but the other way round...

When I got to Pudsey, I decided to continue to walk to a camping near Leeds Int. airport. By this time the sun was shining, and as the feet were ok, I made to the camping by nine. Just before arriving I walked by a cricket game going on. Shame that I did not have time to stop. I hope to be able to see one, one of these days.

Although my feet have improved significantly (my new "1000 miles" double layer socks have a lot to do with it), I have a sore back now, and a small part of it at the top near the neck is a bit numb, so I guess there must be a pinched nerve somewhere in spine. I will worry when I can't feel my arse...

Thanks to the long walk on tuesday, I only had to walk for 4 hours yesterday, wednesday. The walk this time run mainly in pleasent footpaths. The day was quite gloomy in the morning but by the time I arrived to Harrogate it was nice and sunny, but a bit windy.

The caravan park where I am staying has the worst shower so far, but the place is not far from the town centre. Harrogate is full of expensive design shops, and people carrying bags from them. Something that called my attention was that I found difficult to find a pub in the town centre... I was about to ask. "excuse me, U know where can I find a pub???" ... in England...

A touch of yesterday in today's country lanes.

After the daily cleaning duties I had a huge lunch by the Harrogate war memorial (tripple choc muffin included, and chocolate biscuits packet), and updated my diary. Then last night, I had the best sleep in the tent so far.

A railway bridge near Harrogate

This morning had my breakfast in the tent, it was raining, and went for a swim. My back does not ache any more, but it is still numb.

After leaving the library I'll go for tea at Betty's (I'll give tea one more try; the last and first one was in Oxford, almost 6 years ago...), and then read the newspaper in a pub, if I find one...

Tonight, early to "bed". Tomorrow walk to Ripon, where at last I will meet Will, Paco, Djeison and Liz's family. Looking forward to the weekend

That is all for now.

I hope you are all well

Carlos