London to Ilkley

The four of us met at our hotel in London on Saturday afternoon. Chuck and Susy’s nonstop flight on British Airways from LAX had been quite a bit more luxurious than our rather basic trip on Iceland Air, which had a short layover in Reykjavik. But we can now say we’ve been to Iceland, if you’re the kind of person who counts airports (which I am). Finding the hotel in London on foot after getting off our train was a challenge for John and me, and more so for Chuck and Susy, who arrived before we did and spent a frustrating 90+ minutes hauling their bags around the greater King’s Cross station area before finding the hotel. Google Maps does not always live up to its billing. We were all exhausted at dinner last night but happy to be here together.


After a wonderful night of sleep, we boarded the first of three trains today, with the ultimate destination of Ilkley. British trains are a genuine pleasure. We saw a mix of city and countryside and navigated some tight connections on our route and managed to drag our heavy bags up and down some long stairways where lifts were either out of order or nonexistent. The British do not seem to expect a convenient way to navigate in these places. If we weren’t able bodied, it would be difficult to get around. But being on the train and seeing rolling hills in the distance and cow pastures up close, the emotions I associate with our Hadrian’s Wall walk two years ago poured over me—peace and contentment and the knowledge that all the preparation has been worth it.


Our B&B in Ilkley is charming, and we’ll be here two nights before beginning The Dales Way on Tuesday. This evening, we walked over to check out the beginning of the trail, had dinner, and stopped to take a look inside an open Anglican church. This congregation’s history goes back 1400 years, and it was great to see that it’s not just a museum but the current meeting place of a vibrant, mission-minded group of worshipers. Tomorrow morning we’ll catch a train and take a day trip to Thirsk, the actual town where James Herriot/Alf Wight practiced.



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