Day 9: 14 July - Live Moor to Clay Bank - 6 miles

I had originally hoped to get to Clay Bank last night where Shaun was to collect me and take me to his house at RAF Leeming for lunch, dinner and a good night's sleep (and I expect, a few beers too....). However, as Shaun was not now picking me up until midday today I was now in no rush; I had left myself only about 6 miles to do this morning.

I awoke in mist, unable to see the few hundred yards across the Coll which I needed to traverse. But the path was well defined and I had map, compass and an insanely detailed guide book (it included where things like benches were along the route) so I had no fear of getting lost. So after packing I set off.

It is amazing how a night's rest - even a not too brilliant one - revives the body. My walk weary feet no longer had the tenderness on the soles that a whole day's walking induces and I stepped out with confidence again along the paths.

There is not a lot to say of the route. It went up and down a hell of a lot to the point I thought I must have been transported back to the Lake District. It was hot work, even in the morning haze. On the map it looked dramatic, high points with likely scenic views and long parts along craggy ridges, but in reality I saw none of this because of the thick mist. After a steep descent I made the road where Shaun would collect me, a high point in the middle of nowhere that cut across the route. I had 4 hours to kill.

Now although Clay Ridge is an end point for a day's walking there is nowhere to stay there; it is just a high point on a road. So people tend to get picked up here by their Bed and Breakfast or hotel and dropped off again in the morning. After an hour here, by which time the sun was coming out and I was laid out in the lay-by, my rucksack as a pillow, (my mum would be so embarrassed) the cars and minibuses filled with walkers began to appear. People were dropped off in their ones and twos and in one case a dozen Australians. It has come as a surprise to me not only the huge number of people doing the walk but the international flavour of those people. I met a group of Australians on my first day (a different group to this) for whom the focus of their trip to the country was to do the walk. There are large numbers of Americans too; the whole thing is much more popular than I had realised, thinking before I started that it was the objective of the occasional idiot like me.

I passed a friendly word with the groups as they passed and in between dozed in the warmth of the sun. As well as coast to coasters a couple of families set off and an older woman who told me of the delights of geocaching. She was off to find packages hidden in the hills I had just left. She was back an hour later, her success written upon her face. Shortly after Shaun appeared as promised and I was taken the few miles to his house at RAF Leeming. Sitting in the car I had a noticeable sense of how nice – and how strange - it was to move around without the use of my feet.

Shaun, Suzie and myself spent time in the garden sunning ourselves in the warm weather and drinking cider which was followed by a superb and welcome roast pork lunch. In my tired and weary state, especially after the drinks in the heat, it was nice to be with friends who place no demands upon you and simply allow you to relax. It was a memorably pleasant day, I had my washing done (a blessing for me as my limited amount of clothing had become quite dank from continued wearing in hot weather, and also a blessing for whoever I ended up sitting next to on the way home in the next couple of days). The evening was rounded off with red wine and dinner until finally I took my clean and tired body off to a fresh and comfortable bed in readiness for tomorrow and the rest of the walk.