Choosing the Cleveland Way

Have you ever?…… When choosing a summer holiday destination, we did.

While watching a reportage on morning TV we decided, that sounds like a great idea, let’s do it, it should be a lot of fun.

We were watching a reportage on the Cleveland Way; a nature hike, we swallowed it hook line and sinker. Walk along the seaside cliffs in Yorkshire, enjoy the view, drop in for lunch at a gastro pub, enjoy the local pubs all competing for the best fish and chips along the Cleveland Way, what could go possibly wrong, plus we’ve already got backpacks that we’ve never used in the garage they should be ok still?

So, we decided then and there to tackle the stretch a per the breakfast TV lady, she was so convincing. About a 30km hike, starting in Scarborough and finishing in Whitbey, a piece of cake, so to say.

We spent hours planning dates, train timetables and discussing the pitfalls to be avoided, making lists in preparation and breaking in the new walking boots. As our departure date came closer, we were packing and repacking the back packs with only the essentials and wondering why a backpack needs so many straps, what do they all do and connect to. And so off we hustled with the excess straps tied in knots. Taking the train from Kings Cross to Scarborough was simple enough, British rail has a good and clear seat reservation system.

Scarborough by the sea.

We checked in to our digs, a B&B above one of the local pubs, 3 o’clock check in they said? every place we stayed in had 3 o’clock check in, isn’t that a bit late or am I out of touch? It must be one of the changes GB bought in after Brexit. Scarborough is built on a headland separated by two residential areas and two long beaches. The headland is dominated by the ruins of Scarborough Castle built in 1150. The Northern side with a surf break, brightly painted beach huts and marine centre is somewhat more peaceful than its southern side. The southern side featuring a broad seaside promenade, an active fishing harbour and Ferris wheel. The beach promenade is dotted with fish-and-chip restaurants, souvenir stalls, doughnuts, pizza and bars.

Spatzerande tourists and family groups are still enjoying Scarbrough’s seaside as in its glory days. Looking closely though the glory days seem to belong to a forgone era. The amusement arcades are still ablaze with flickering lights and chimes, rows of machines, mechanical games, penny falls, and slot machines. The children still fed coins into the machines while their parents and grandparents watch on, reminiscing and remembering how it was when a summer seaside holiday was such an integral part of their own childhood.

The traffic is tight winding its way along the foreshore revving motorcycles, modern day street rods and daytime cruisers all intent on showing of their wares and flash in for the footpath gawkers, “if you’ve got it flaunt it”.

Up the hill from away from the flashing lights is downtown Scarborough with ample empty shops, peeling facades, betting shops, bars and nicknack shops. There doesn’t seem to be much of interest happening here.

Along the Cleveland Way

Day one of our first ever hike started with a full English as one does and would expect to do.

Then we meandered along the north beach promenade and got straight into the Cleveland Way with a 200-step climb. The weather was fantastic nice and sunny but as the day progressed so did the temperature, England was in the grip of a very hot summer which became progressively challenging as it reached 30C. There were only mad dogs and Englishmen are out in the midday sun.

And on we battled, along the costal cliffs, on one side of the walking track was the dried-out farms and the other was a cliff and 200 meters of free fall into the ocean.

The Cleveland Way shows off spectacular costal scenery and history, and on we battled, up and down the hills, then down into gorges to sea level and back up to the cliff tops again. We took a break and ate our emergency rations “a couple of snickers bars” and a mouthful of our already rationed water supply, “we told ourselves that experienced hikers always ration their water” deep down we knew that experienced hikers more than often take enough water with them.

And on we battled, gullies and gorges, up and down, cursing our back packs as we went. Occasionally we came across other hikers and even the occasional joggers they were all better equipped than us, they had sunhats.

And on we battled, taking in the scenery and ignoring the pain, we came across shaded areas in the gullies before having to climb out into the furnace again, there were even signposts that could tell us how we were progressing, but they all said 5 miles to the next stop. They must’ve got a discounted price if they all said the same thing.

The turning point:

By afternoon gripped by hunger and thirst we eventually came to the 20km point and a little tea house in Ravenscar, it was almost an oasis illusion experience, we averted our eyes as we staggered pass the local children’s gymkhana and crashed down under a tree, feeling elated we stocked up on cold drinks, sausage rolls and ice cream.

Laughing at each other in an all-conquering way we eventually said what was on our minds. Let’s take the bus.

But to our disappointment there was no bus service in Ravenscar, so we called a taxi for the rest of the planned hike to Robin Hood Bay, even though we took the taxi we were pretty god dammed proud of our accomplishment.

Robin Hood Bay:

Our taxi driver dropped us at out accommodation in Robin Hood Bay, a small fisherman’s cottage down a little narrow path in the centre of town.

Robin Hood Bay doesn’t really have a centre its situated at the bottom of one of these gullies we’d struggled with earlier. The town is built from the seaside up, both the houses and shops follow a winding narrow street back up to the top of the costal cliffs, at the top of the cliffs there is a more modern town built on level ground. From the sea Robin Hood Bay is only reachable by a boat ramp, at low tide the beach in front of the town stretches out along the coastline.

The local pubs;

We tried three of the local pubs in town.

The Bay Hotel- built right into the sea wall next to the boat ramp, there’s an outside sitting here area as well. The pub’s latest refurbishment probably took away some of its old charm, but great ocean views if you can get a window seat.

The Smugglers Inn- also down by the boat ramp, serving large pizzas. The Smugglers Inn have chosen a pirate theme with a little heavy metal and Halloween thrown in for good measure, for me a smugglers theme “which from what we heard runs deep in old Robin Hood Bay” would’ve been more interesting than a pirate theme.

The Laurel Inn- is situated a little way up the hill, a small quaint pub full of local character, the bar was so small they served drinks out through the window for the punters drinking on the footpath. Here time stands still the atmosphere in the pub is just as filling as a pint of the local.

Beer and Ales:

All the pubs along the Cleavland way have big selections of beer and ales making it almost impossible to choose, I don’t think we had the same ale twice.

On to Whitby:

The next day feeling refreshed our hike continued, we hiked up the Hill at Robin Hood Bay and took the bus to Whitby our last stop on the Cleveland Way.

Whitby has a rich past in ship building and whaling and is a busy seaside town with a decent harbour, large fishing fleet and many pleasure boats.

Whitby also has two claims to fame.

Captain Cook:

Captain Cook was apprenticed here for nine years to a local ship builder, here he learnt his trade as a seaman and worked his way up through the ships hierarchy before commanding his own ship sailing out of Whitby and then moving on to the royal navy where he became one of his times most legendary explorers, the rest being history.

His museum is in the home of the shp owner he worked for and where he lived during his apprentership. It gives a good insight into his background, life and facts about his voyages.

Bram Stoker:

There is also well documented links to Bram Stoker he used Whitby’s locations in his Dracula novel, the gothic abbey ruins overlooking the town, St Mary’s church and its extensive graveyard and the 199 steps leading up to these two iconic landmarks. These two destination magnets ensure that Whitby has a thriving tourist industry. I have to read the book now.

Ticking of the Cleavland Way:

Book accommodation in advance as there are many tourists here, choose and book a dinner restaurant in advance as almost every place we tried was either fully booked, closed at dinner time or was a complete disaster area in unwelcoming total disarray.

So, Cleveland Way was a great hike which you can walk, drive, take the bus or even take a taxi. We had many laughs, at ourselves mainly and enjoyed the scenery and friendly locals. One should probably avoid the school holidays if you want to avoid the maddening crowds.

We've even started discussing our next Hike!!!