CW & TH Day 10 - Robin Hood's Bay to Scarborough

Day 10 - Friday 15 June 2018

Robin Hood's Bay to Scarborough (14.2 miles)

As you get older birthdays tend to become one of those occasions that you tolerate rather than enjoy. However it was nice to come down to Breakfast this morning and see that our B&B hosts had decorated the table for the occasion - my 56th year. What was even more impressive was that when my Full English arrived they had even plonked a couple of candles in my Hash Brown - what a start to the day! After card opening and a tuneless rendition of Happy Birthday we gathered up our light packs and headed for the Bus Station to catch the 0950 back to Robin Hood's Bay to walk the 14 miles back here.

Todays walk started with the steep descent down to the harbour followed by a short pull back up to the cliff top. The erosion was quite stark here - large slabs just cast aside as the cliff face crumbled beneath them. We shortly passed the amusingly named Boggle Hole with its Youth Hostel and a few miles later the Alum Works ruins to then arrive in Ravenscar where the lovely cafe on the front was open - birthday cake was on the agenda! Continuing on we arrived at Staintondale near Plane Tree Farm to discover a path diversion because of erosion at Hayburn Wyke - the information on the notice board was extremely easy to understand and the diversion was well signposted. The re-routing probably cost us about half a mile therefore no dramas and we enjoyed a nice chat with the owner of Plane Tree Cottage as well as meeting his 2 lovely dogs. He informed us the diversion was a staircase slip - it should be noted that as of 1 March 2019 the diversion is no longer in place due to the staircase being repaired and is therefore now in full working order.

Rejoining the official route below Hayburn Wyke we now encountered several steep up & downs, particularly in and out of Cloughton Wyke and then had every walkers nightmare - lying mileage signs which made the long walk into Scarborough appear longer than it actually was. The route soon reached the intersection where the Cleveland Way meets the start of the Tabular Hills walk at Scalby Ness and in a few days we would be striding out on this section in order to continue the walk back to Helmsley. Soon we were walking back along the promenade to reach North Bay and then celebrated with a refreshing drink outside. We were to meet up with friends that evening for a meal and drinks over in Cayton Bay and we enjoyed a lovely evening in the company of Maureen, Roger, Pat & Howard before heading back to Scarborough and our rest day tomorrow.

Nice of our B&B to put some bunting up for the Birthday Boy............

.... and to put some candles in his Hash Brown

At the top of the hill at the Millennium Statue in Robin Hood's Bay ready for the off to Scarborough

The extremely steep descent to the harbour in Robin Hood's Bay

The Bay Hotel - the finishing point for Wainwright's Coast to Coast walk

The beach at Robin Hood's Bay - loving the optimism of the Ice Cream Van

Flagstaff Steps leading out of Robin Hood's Bay

... and on no account even think about enjoying yourselves

The erosion along this particular part of the path was clearly evident

Looking back to Robin Hood's Bay

Ooh err Missus

Cafe was open but we passed on through

Have passed by here a few times and have always admired the engraved signage

Another example of the continuing erosion along this stretch

Passing the remains of the Peak Alum Works near Ravenscar
In the 16th-century Alum was essential in the textile industry as a fixative for dyes.

Ravenscar - just under 5 miles in with a fair few to go therefore time for some cake I think

It just so happens that the Ravenscar Tea Rooms were open - last time we were here in the depths of winter it was well & truly shut

Well - it is my birthday!

The ruined remains of the WW2 Ravenscar Radar Station at Bent Rigg.
The remains are under the stewardship of various organisations intent on preserving the buildings.