Runswick Bay to Robin Hood's Bay

Monday 16th June 2008

15 miles on Cleveland Way

Click here for all our photographs taken today

It was rather a grey morning, but we only had a few spots of rain all day. Breakfast at The Firs was a bit disappointing, but you couldn't fault Mandy Shackleton's care - she insisted on checking the tide times for us. It was low tide at 9.30am and we stepped onto the beach at 9.35am, so no problems caused by the lack of an alternative if the beach is impassable at high tide. We walked along the beach for half a mile or so, past the wooden buildings of Runswick Bay Sailing Club and past the caves known as Hob Holes (reputed to be where the resident hobgoblin could cure whooping cough). There was a break in the cliffs where a small stream came down to the sea and we turned away from the beach here, first walking along the bed of the stream then climbing steeply to the top of High Cliff. 

The path went through Kettleness (another village that has had to be rebuilt further from the cliff edge) and then followed the cliff until Deepgrove Wyke where there was a very steep descent (with wooden staircases in places) through pretty woodland to the disused railway line below. The walk along the railway track through the 'extensive spoil heaps of the former Sandsend Alum Quarries' was easy going. It was also a much more pleasant approach to Sandsend than I had imagined it would be, with pretty wildflowers covering the spoil heaps and heather just coming into flower. 

Sandsend itself (actually two settlements; Sandsend and East Row) was also more attractive than I'd expected. Sampson's implication that Sandsend is simply the settlement at the end of Whitby Sands doesn't quite do it justice. We decided to walk along the beach until after the golf course, rather than following the official route along the road. The beach was pleasant, with dog walkers (despite the 'no dogs' signs) and a school party.

 After leaving the beach we followed a tarmac path along the cliff edge into Whitby. Sampson is right to say that there were colourful beach huts below, with views to the West Pier and Abbey beyond; he is not right to say that these were our first views of Whitby - we had been admiring the Abbey, harbour and a cruise ship out at sea for several miles. We passed the statue of Captain Cook then went through the famous whalebone jaw and down the road (known as the Khyber Pass) to the quayside, thronging with people, amusement arcades and fish and chip shops. Richard correctly remembered the location of the HSBC Bank, then we crossed the swing bridge and I correctly remembered the location of the nice cafe we've been to before - Sanders Yard. We had an extremely pleasant lunch (I had crab pate, toast and salad). Then we continued up the narrow lane, looking at the jet jewellery in the shop windows (jet is a fossilised wood and came to prominence when Queen Victoria wore masses of jet jewellery in mourning for Prince Albert). We came to the famous 199 steps and climbed them; amazingly all the people seemed to have disappeared and we had the steps just about to ourseleves. We passed Caedmon's Cross and St Mary's Church and went into Whitby Abbey's visitor centre for just long enough to have our passports stamped. Sadly we didn't feel we had long enough to do justice to a proper visit. 

We left Whitby by way of the Coastguard Station, then there was some attractive walking, with good views behind us to Whitby and in front of us to Saltwick Nab. It started to rain as we reached a caravan park, and walked through the middle of it, but the rain didn't come to much. As we re-entered the National Park (Whitby is excluded) we met two workers building new steps on the path. We followed the coast past the former fog signal station and lighthouse, with seagulls nesting all over the cliffs. Sampson doesn't say a great deal about the next section of the path and you can see why - it was simply excellent coastal walking with spectacular cliffs, seabirds and occasional descents to wykes (streams). Between Oakham Beck and Robin Hood's Bay the route of the Coast to Coast again joins the Cleveland Way. After rounding Ness Point you have clear views across to Ravenscar, but Robin Hood's Bay itself remains hidden until the last minute. 

Lee-Side was easy to find on Mount Pleasant South (before the steep descent into the village) and we were welcomed by Margaret Dawson. The house was built by a local sea captain for his retirement and has a lovely spacious feel. We didn't actually have an ensuite, but given that our private bathroom had a roll top bath I wasn't complaining. After I'd enjoyed the bath, we walked down the slope to the old part of the village, and we had a lovely meal at The Bay Hotel, right on the seafront. We were entertained by a local character and by the steady stream of walkers celebrating their completion of the Coast to Coast walk. I'd still like to do this walk at some stage, but I'd prefer it to be less of a motorway!

Following day