Saturday 5th August 2000
( weather: fine & warm )
A Circular Walk from Whitby
( via the old Whitby - Scarborough railway track and the Cleveland Way )
( 8 miles )
Today's walk starts from the 'swing bridge' at Whitby Harbour ( Grid Ref: 899 111 )
Here we look north
across the harbour from the 'swing bridge' - today Whitby was
busy
- next weekend it's the annual Whitby Regatta and you won't be
able to move!
After crossing the
bridge in an easterly direction towards Church Street, follow the
main road round to the right
and then walk alongside it for the
next half mile in a southerly direction
A small jetty just off the road to the right affords good views of the harbour and River Esk both up and downstream (above)
On reaching the
busy A171 Whitby to Scarborough road (Grid Ref: 902 102), go
straight across taking care and
carry on along narrow Larpool
Lane, uphill at first, soon passing this unusual church
After walking along
Larpool Lane for about half a mile you pass under an old brick
railway bridge (Grid Ref: 896 094)
- immediately after passing
under it you'll see a narrow path on your right leading up the
bankside
back up onto the bridge - take
this path and then turn right at the top onto the old Whitby -
Scarborough rail track
If you look to the
left as you get onto the bridge you'll see that the massive old
viaduct
across the River Esk is fenced
off for safety reasons
From on the bridge there's a lovely view north-west over towards Ruswarp and the Esk Valley
You now follow the trackbed for the next 2½ miles in a south-easterly direction
The path is fairly narrow at first but improves further on - it can be popular with other walkers and cyclists
Occasionally you may come across the odd horse and rider as we did (above)
Breaks in the tree lined route offer splendid views west across farmland . . .
. . . and towards the Esk Valley and North York Moors
After a couple of
miles the track passes the old railway station at Hawsker where
bicycles can be hired
and soon after you once again have to carefully cross the busy
A171 - continue along the track on the other side
soon passing under the old bridge (above)
About ¼ of a mile
further on you will arrive at a caravan site on your right
- immediately on reaching the site turn left (Grid Ref: 935 078)
down a narrow surfaced road and soon you will reach
another caravan site - Northcliffe Holiday Park
Follow the yellow
arrow markers and walk down past the rows of caravans gloriously
located
on the bankside overlooking the North Sea which you will see
straight ahead
Some of the caravans have lovely 'window boxes' adorned with flowers
Go all the way to
the bottom of the site and carry on along the path downhill which
soon meets the
coastal section of the long distance Cleveland Way trail at Grid
Ref: 941 083
On reaching the
Cleveland Way path, turn left and follow it north-west for the
next 3½ miles along the cliff tops
where you are rewarded with spectacular cliff top views of the
rugged coastline above Maw Wyke Hole
At times the path
comes perilously close to the cliff-edge and I for one am very
wary having not got much of a head for heights
especially where there is a sheer drop of 200 or 300 feet
involved!
Where the path has
had to be moved inland a few yards my advice is DO NOT go up to
the edge to have a look over
- there are plenty of safe and spectacular viewpoints along the
way as can be seen from these photos
Here we look back south along the Cleveland Way path towards Northcliffe Holiday Park
Even the fog station seems to get closer to the cliff edge year by year
Next into view ahead come Saltwick Nab and the sharp, dark rock of Black Nab
Saltwick Sands are
convenient for the holidaymakers from yet another caravan site
but a steep descent of steps is involved to reach them (top left)
- then, of course, you've got to come back up!
After passing through the caravan site, another view of Saltwick Nab . . .
. . . and then the wonderful ruins of Whitby Abbey silhouetted against the late afternoon sky
Just past the abbey we come to St Mary's Church and the view north-west to Sandsend Ness. . .
. . . and after descending the 199 steps, here looking across to West Cliff, and then walking along Church Street . . .
. . . we arrive back at our starting point - the 'swing bridge' and from nearby enjoy a reward of . . .
. . . Whitby fish & chips complete with 'scraps' !!!
........
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