The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 2.11 miles (3.4km)
Time to walk: Only 1 hour, which involved a coffee stop, but you could take longer by admiring the views & maybe having a bite in the village
Difficulty: There’s a mixture of surfaces on this walk. Initially it’s flat, easy walking, followed by cliff paths & finishing with a steep climb back up through the village. There are no stiles
Parking: Public car park at the old station, where this walk starts
Public toilets: In the car park at the start & end of the walk & also halfway up the hill in the village
Map of the route:
Built on a fissure between two steep cliffs, Robin Hood’s Bay is a small fishing village & bay located in the North York Moors National Park, 6 miles south of Whitby & 15 miles north of Scarborough on the coast of North Yorkshire. It’s well know amongst the walking community for being the traditional end of the Coast to Coast long distance footpath
The origin of the name is uncertain, although it’s thought to have some connection with Robin Hood. An English ballad & legend tell a story of Robin Hood encountering French pirates who came to pillage the fishermen’s boats along the northeast coast. The pirates surrendered & Robin Hood returned the loot to the poor people in the village that is now called Robin Hood’s Bay
The village, which consists of a maze of tiny streets, has a tradition of smuggling, & there is reputed to be a network of subterranean passageways linking the houses. During the late 18th century smuggling was rife on the Yorkshire coast. Vessels from the continent brought contraband which was distributed by contacts on land & the operations were financed by syndicates who made profits without the risks taken by the seamen & the villagers. Tea, gin, rum, brandy & tobacco were among the contraband smuggled into Yorkshire from the Netherlands & France to avoid the duty
In 1773 two excise cutters, the ‘Mermaid’ & the ‘Eagle’, were outgunned & chased out of the bay by three smuggling vessels. A pitched battle between smugglers & excise men took place in the dock over 200 casks of brandy & geneva (gin) & 15 bags of tea in 1779
Let’s Walk!
1. Our walk today starts from the car park of the former railway station which closed in 1965. Luckily today it’s a walking & cycle path
Walk away from the village end of the car park past Fylingdales Village Hall…
…& then continue along the narrow footpath
2. At the bottom of the hill the lane reaches a junction with the main road. Cross diagonally right & keep going along the ‘Cinder Track’
The ‘Cinder Track’ runs for 21 miles along the rugged coastline between Whitby & Scarborough
3. Across to the left, the views of the headland are already spectacular…
…as the track dips in & out of the trees
4. After a short while the path arrives at a double gate, where a number of footpaths head off in different directions…
Our route lies straight ahead in the same direction. The track now becomes narrower & less even
5. Pass the caravan park on your right…
…to eventually arrive at a lane. The ‘Cinder Track’ continues on the other side of the lane, however our route is left & then left again along Mark Lane
6. Mark Lane is very quiet as it leads to a dead end. Please be careful though & observe the Highway Code for Walkers. On arriving at the junction with the white gate, bear left…
The path goes through the gap to the left of the next gate in the picture below
7. There’s a sign telling you you’re walking through a stud farm & to be careful not to disturb the horses…
Continue along the narrow path, which opens up & is clearly signposted…
8. The path is now heading directly towards the sea & in particular towards some rocks know as Dabs Dumps…
Shortly you arrive at a fingerpost indicating you’re now on the Cleveland Way…
The Cleveland Way is a National Trail in the historic area of Cleveland in North Yorkshire. It runs for 110 miles between Helmsley & the Brigg at Filey, skirting the North York Moors National Park
The trail was officially opened in 1969 & was the second official National Trail to be opened
9. Take the left fork where the path narrows & eventually, there in front of you are Dabs Dumps…
The next part of this short walk is the most spectacular as the cliff-edge path heads straight towards the village…
Please be careful as you can see the erosion to the right of the path
10. The route now descends the cliff via some very steep steps so take your time, especially after rain when they might be slippery…
On reaching the esplanade, there’s a good cafe & benches just to the right
11. Suitably refreshed, the final part of this walk is through the village & it’s all uphill from now to the end. Begin by climbing the steps…
…& then descend the other side into the street
12. Here you’ll find the Bay Hotel, which is the traditional end to the ‘Coast to Coast’ long distance path & dates back to 1828…
The bottom bar of the Bay Hotel was renamed Wainwright’s Bar in Alfred’s memory
13. The climb up the main street is steep, so take your time as it will get even steeper…
…as the picture below shows
14. Have a few rests & don’t forget to turn round to admire the view behind you…
Look out for the memorial & plaque on the left commemorating the bravery of the lifeboat crew
15. The path eventually flattens out somewhat & passes some public toiles on the left. As the road bends right bear left into the car park where this walk started
So that’s the end of our short walk around this beautiful area. And it has a bit of everything packed into such a small distance, including some serious cardio work
It’s fab so…
Go Walk!