Walking with my sister

Good morning, it's an in and out day today. The plan is take Ben a short walk this morning, he is going to be on his own for a lot longer on a Thursday now, due to his owner starting college, so I need to look after him so he doesn't feel lonely. Then I take my friends to the railway station to get a train to London, they are flying to Canada for their hols. While I am in town I will pick up my paper cup creation from the Arts Centre, remember that, with the squiggly straws coming out of the top? The exhibition has finished now, I can also see what the new exhibition is like. Then I will pick Ben up again and bring him back here with me. He can mooch around while I am pottering in the garden.

Right, what was I up to on Tuesday? I met my sister and her hubby at their caravan near Stokesley North Yorkshire. After a cuppa we went off for a short walk. The weather forecast said rain, but they got it wrong again, I don't believe them at all now! We picked up the Cleveland Way long distance footpath, at Clay Bank, and walked, quite a steep climb in places, to here on the top of Round Hill, just under two miles away. The sun was lovely but it was a bit breezy so we didn't stop there very long, then we retraced our steps and went back to the car.

Time for a hot drink, so we went to the Lord Stones coffee shop at Carlton Bank. My sister treated me to a hot chocolate, which was yummy, but at £2 I thought it was a rip off, even with marshmallows on the top.

Then we had another short walk along the top of Carlton Bank. This is a popular place for hang gliding, and model aircraft flying. Bryn builds his own model aircraft and often comes here to meet up with members of a local club. The views are spectacular. You can see Teeside in the distance, and the blip on the horizon is another famous peak, Roseberry Topping.

There are several benches that have been installed as memorials, for people that have lost their lives on this hill. Mountain biking is also popular here and a young lad lost control and went over the edge. This bench has a little garden round it.

Back at the caravan we sat outside in the sun for a while, this is my sister Anna Maria, we are not at all alike, in looks or lifestyles. She takes after mums side of the family, and I am a bit like my dad, but more like dad's brother, Uncle Stan.

A tasty pub meal finished the day off nicely, and I drove through horrendous rain to Helmsley Youth Hostel, 19 miles away. It was just like driving through a river, thank goodness it came at night. Upon arrival at the hostel I found I have a room to myself again, fantastic. Part two later, got to go out now.