The New Lyke Wake Club
Sixty at Sixty by Mike Chatten
I am writing to report a successful crossing undertaken on Friday 22 May 2026.
I retired in 2024 and moved back to Yorkshire. Having completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge with an old friend unsupported in sweltering conditions in 2025, I was looking for an even bigger challenge for my 60th birthday and begun to read up about the LWW. 60km at 60 sounded ideal!
Over the preceding 2-3 months, from my home base within the National Park, I scouted out the ‘moorland’ section of the walk from the Ravenscar Mast to Bloworth Crossing. The main purpose was to try to avoid navigational ‘errors’. I also wanted to understand the sort of walking pace possible so that I could give my support accurate check point rendezvous times.
The crossing was a family affair with my son Jonathan agreeing to walk with me and my wife Julia driving the support car. He doesn’t do lots of walking, but he used to compete at national level in triathlon and still maintains a good level of fitness.
I decided to do a crossing from East to West, mainly because I knew that we could get to Ravenscar a lot quicker than to Osmotherly and could enjoy a bit longer in bed! Experience also suggested that the prevailing wind was more likely to be behind us going west.
My pacing practice suggested that we could achieve a time between 13 and 14 hours. We began our walk from the Mast a little before 6am with a projected finishing time somewhere between 7 and 8pm. To save time and to avoid (me) cramping up by stopping, we planned to eat and drink on the move and to travel as light as possible getting resupplied at 3 points along the way.
Around 1 mile from the start on Howdale Moor, about 50 yards away, we saw a small herd of fallow deer, comprising of a stag with 4 does and a couple of fawns. This was easily the most deer I have seen together on the Moors; they usually seem to be in pairs.
After c.11miles we arrived at 9:30 for our 1st rendezvous with our support vehicle on Wheeldale Road, 15 minutes up on schedule. After taking onboard fluids and food we set off once again with the boggy bits around White Moor and through the fords on Rosedale Moor to ‘look forward to’.
My son took a great photo of us both at Blue Man-I-Th-Moss but then managed to leave behind his borrowed walking pole which we only discovered as we hit the 1st boggy bit a few hundred yards later and balance became a thing!. He offered to go back but I said no, not wanting to add additional distance to the walk.
The next section from Smiths Lane to Knott Road was hard going due to the amount of rain in the days preceding our walk; these notorious boggy bits were indeed boggy! The highlight of the section was coming across an adder on the path enjoying the sunshine. I hadn’t seen one on the Moors until then.
By the time we arrived at our 2nd rendezvous at the Flat Howe (Marjory) exit from Blakey Ridge it was almost 1pm. We had lost the previous time gain and were now pretty much bang on schedule for a time of just over 13 hours.
At this halt, as well as taking more food and drink,I had a complete change of kit (ex-underpants). I had been wearing long trousers to avoid getting my calves torn to ribbons by heather crossing the moorland and was now bathed in sweat and had wet feet from the bogs. I changed into a pair of shorts, put on a new T shirt and socks and changed my boots for walking shoes. This obviously cost some time but gave a mental boost.
Annoyingly, I managed to lose the sketchy track over Flat Howe and the last couple of hundred yards to the railway track were over rough ground and the ditch. In fairness, I had only been over it in reverse and west/east is easier to follow.
Our march down the railway track to Bloworth Crossing was predictably joy sapping, particularly in the relatively high afternoon temperatures. My son had a minor sense of humour failure when I managed to get my ‘bends’ wrong and told him that we would be able to ‘see the Crossing around the next bend’ and then we couldn’t. Also, it was along this stretch that we started to feel ‘discomfort’ in our feet and at the Crossing decided to break open the ibuprofen to ease the pain.
In joining the Cleveland Way shortly after, we entered unknown territory as I hadn’t scouted this out given that the path is easy to follow. I have to say that the scenery on the way into our 3rd rendezvous at Clay Bank was stunning in the afternoon sunshine!
We descended to the B1257 and arrived at our rendezvous at 4pm which was around 20 minutes behind my schedule. By now the painkillers had made us less foot sore and, after a brief to stop to refill water bottles and food boxes we began our steep climb up Hasty Bank in good spirits, knowing that we now would now finish.
We crossed the Cleveland hills taking the climbs steadily sticking to the Cleveland Way and ignoring the low-level options. By the time we got to Huthwaite Green, however, we were tired and ‘keen’ to see the finish line. My son then suggested that we stay on the road via Swainby back to the reservoir rather than go via Clain Wood. He thought that this would be easier and I was too weary to think properly about the change of plan!
The diversion however added 1.5 miles to our journey and Coalmire Lane eventually gets very steep slowing us down further. We arrived at the LWW stone adjacent to the Quarry Lane Car Park just before 8pm meaning that we crossed walking only in almost exactly 14 hours for the 38.25 miles.
I wouldn’t have been able to maintain the required pace without logistical support keeping rucksack weight down. I have had problems with severe thigh cramp in hot weather in the past and drunk 12 pints of diluted juice on this walk, (half with added electrolytes). When I weighed myself the next morning, I was 3lbs lighter than usual (hooray!) which seems to have been due to fluid loss given that I was (boo!) back to ‘normal’ 24 hours later. So still dehydrated despite all the juice!
My wife had a long and arduous day too. As well as the 3 pit stops, she was up early to deliver us to the start and was also there at the end to pick us up. In all she drove a total of 230 miles and we were grateful for it.
I had my “never again” moment the next morning due to blistering, but now, a few days later with reduced swelling, am thinking about the next challenge!
The Return of Gerry Orchard
Crossing report Gerry Orchard
Thursday 09th April 2026
Those of you who know me will understand my feelings of a condemned man being reprieved.
For several years, I have been “medically stuffed” and unable to walk any meaningful distance and a walk of only a few miles left me barely able to get around the house for a few days. Well, thanks to James Stanley and his wonderful team at York Hospital, I was given a second chance ………………. OK, I am now an “old git” of over 70 years physically, however, mentally, I am still a teenager!
09th April saw me undertake the Lyke Wake walk for the first time in many years supported by my stressed and concerned partner, Julie. The first part of the walk went surprisingly well and the first issue arose on Wheeldale Moor where I completely forgot the route and ended up heather bashing for ¼ mile! Jugger Howe beck was a real landmark. I required 2 rests ascending the Eastern side and my Garmin had my body battery as flat lining ………………. I kind of felt that way. Luckily, I was saved by Julie, who had walked out to meet me and provided me with nutritious “stodge”.
Blimey, I was tired at the end. 14Hours and 49 minutes total time. Only one other person was encountered on the route – a lady walking two dogs near Clay Bank who was far too cheery for such a sombre occasion.
Will I do it again? Well, a sane person would retire…………………….
