Boozeless in Boosbeck

A relatively short walk yesterday - just over three miles, to fill in a gap on my map.

Accompanied by Llama (a person, not an actual llama), I got off the bus near the small village of Slapewath, and together we walked along the route of the former Cleveland Railway branch between Guisborough and Brotton.

The trackbed is a footpath nowadays, and, apart from quite a lot of dog poo, is pleasant enough. It's not got hugely exciting scenery, or any dramatic bridges, but there were quite a lot of butterflies flitting around, and a ruined lineside hut to inspect.

Llama relaxing

After a mile or so, the pith widens out into a grassy meadow, followed by the "Pit Play Area". Llama and I spent a good few minutes pratting about on the zipwire, and climbing frames and the like, and admired a very tanned shirtless-chav running by. He looked a bit like a footballer (or I thought he did anyway - Llama was undecided).

The Pit Play Area is followed immediately by the site of Boosbeck railway station, now a house approached by a cul-de-sac with the unlikely name of "Serenity Hollow". The serene illusion rather clashes with the Halal meat-product factory across the road...

Boosbeck

White dog turd !
(sure they used to be bigger though...)

So, with the task completed for the day, we had a wander around Boosbeck village. We saw some council houses, some allotments, a rough-looking pub and an unattractive community centre. I had just commented to Llama that I was having flashbacks to the 1980s again, when the scene was completed with that famous '80s staple - the white dog turd!

Not seen one of those since I was at Birley Middle! 

 

Bovine rape not shown...

With Boosbeck now done and dusted, we headed north towards Skelton (on a better bus route). We crossed the Boos Beck - a scruffy trickle of a stream, after which the village is named - and followed the road up the hill to Skelton Green. 

Passing a compound of VW campers in various states of decay, and the Miners Accident Hospital, the pavement petered out, so we joined the Cleveland Way between fields of cows, and then headed down into Skelton. The next bus wasn't for twenty minutes so we mooched about, had a look in a couple of charity shops and bought some pastry products from Cooplands. 

If anybody is in the area at any time soon - please keep an eye out for Luigi the cat. See below...