Day 9 - Reeth to Richmond: The Shock of Noise

10 1/2 miles, 3 hours, 1 very mistaken map
Accommodation: Emmanuel Guest House

This morning the B&B kitten came to explore the breakfast room and was shooed out. "That one's a hooligan," said Ann, "If he doesn't watch out we'll serve him on toast someday." She went on to praise her past mellow cats and tell how the current one doesn't mind being sprayed with water when he's misbehaving.
After breakfast we set out again - this time it was a short, pleasant trek through farmland and forest and finally the suburbs of Richmond. It was actually quite a miserable shock to be in such a big town. We had tea upstairs in a teashop overlooking the market square and everything felt morose, with all the crowds and cars. I don't know what getting back to the States will be like!
But then Richmond Castle was a lot of fun. We went to see the exhibit 1st (as Steddy wisely told us to do). One display was very moving - the graffiti ofthe Conscientious Dissenters of WWI who were garrisoned in the castle. They suffered prison and forced labor for over a decade because of their conviction. "Thou shalt not kill," they wrote on the walls. There was also an interesting numismatics display with an "opposition medallion" minted against the Walpole tariff. We wondered if it was part of an alternate exchange system being set up as this would be intriguing and possibly useful for D's studies.
The castle was great - clambering up old stone towers and peering over battlements, imagining the Keep during feast days, and all the stuff of adventure and childlike fascination. I liked being able to climb all over the place - inside, especially, and enter back rooms and staircases.
Then to Emmanuel Guest House - Stedman led us wrong (we haunted the same intersection for about 20 minutes, looking for the place) so we had to call the hostess and she met us halfway to walk us to the house. Apparently she had notified Sherpa about this (though this did not benefit us at all) and hopefully Stedman will revise his book for the next edition. The place is nice, though we'll have to miss breakfast the next day - leaving at 7 for Osmotherly!
Nap & shower and then to dinner at a Taste of Thailand. Really great Thai food, actually, and the place is run by Thais. We had Pad Thai (I think of it as the litmus test for any Thai restaurant) and duck and banana fritters/bananas in coconut milk. Mmmmm. So nice for a change of pace. On the way home we stocked up on provisions - Lucozaide (of course), chocolate, and crisps. The lunch of champion walkers!
Back here we're preparing to sleep soon for our early start. Tomorrow: 9 1/2 hours for walking and over 23 miles to Osmotherly. Frightening, but we're hoping for the best!

Outer wall and battlements of Richmond Castle