Author Topic: Lyke Wake Walk  (Read 1836 times)


Dyffryn Ardudwy

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Re: Lyke Wake Walk
« Reply #1 on: 11:56:41, 20/09/18 »
I wonder if they still sell the very snazzy ties for the people who complete the famous Lyke Wake.
On recollection, it showed a small embroidery of a coffin and burning candle, but as this is going back at least thirty or so years, they have probably stopped making them, as tie wearing is not as fashionable as it used to be.
I can remember a friend of mine, a vetran of many Challenge Walks wearing his, looked rather nice.


At forty miles in length, its a nice challenging distance in fine weather, but i cannot imagine what a hostile weather traverse over the bleakest part of the North Yorkshire Moores would be like.


Nowhere to shelter, driving rain, and cold fingers, with possibly another twenty or so miles to the finish.


Alongside the Coast to Coast, and Pennine Way, this is one of the most famous longer distance challenge walks, and in really bad weather, the forty would feel like a 60miler.
« Last Edit: 12:04:56, 20/09/18 by Dyffryn Ardudwy »

Whitby Mick

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Re: Lyke Wake Walk
« Reply #2 on: 17:40:53, 20/09/18 »

Epitaph to a Lyke Wake Walker
Here lies the body of Charley Cork, who died attempting the Lyke Wake Walk
With his head held high and his shoulders back, he grimly trod the beaten track.
After twenty miles his legs grew tired, his cheeks turned red, his brow perspired.
He walked bow legged, his pack hung low, with blistered feet and swollen toe.
After thirty mile o-er hill and dale, his colour changed to a waxy pale.
We cheered him on, “keep going Pa, just ten more miles to Ravenscar”.
At Thirty five he could do no more, and slowly sank to the muddy floor.
With a wave of his hand and a weary grin, said ”push on boys, I’m packing in”.
Just bury me here in the moorland fog, with my head in the heather and my feet in the bog”.
“Three cheers” he cried “It’s the end of my day”, then quietly, peacefully, he passed away.
So we dug his grave on a hilltop high, where the wide bare moor meets the grey grey sky.
We covered his grave with the moorland moss, and hung his boots on an old stone cross.
Then lest we forget the poor old chap, we marked the place on the Ordnance map.
 The moral of this story can only be, don’t do this walk when your ninety three.
« Last Edit: 17:55:59, 20/09/18 by Whitby Mick »
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andybr

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Re: Lyke Wake Walk
« Reply #3 on: 19:42:55, 20/09/18 »
Like many in North Yorkshire the Lyke Wake was my introduction to walking. I have done it several times and remember meeting Gerry Orchard (the "expert" in the article) at a Lyke Wake club AGM at the Lion Inn which involved epic amounts of beer and a night race through a local bog which he won. Anybody wanting to get a good feel for the experience the walk provides could do worse than read one of my all time favourite trip reports from the New Lyke Wake Club site. :-
http://lykewake.org/reports/?p=26

 

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