Coastal Walking – Secret Scarborough

For anyone who knows me well will know that I am bit of a wanabee Yorkshire’man’. Though I may have grown up between Lincolnshire and Derbyshire and currently reside in London, really all I want is to enjoy the ‘raight naice towns and country  t’up norf’. I love strolling the streets of York, partying the night away in Leeds and walking along the sea front in Scarborough … all to the sound of that blissful northern accent.

You think I am joking?! Nope North in my books is most definitely best… however for now my work and friends keep me down in the big city and I have to suffice with the occasional weekend escape to my little home in Scarborough.

This weekend I have been walking, running, eating, sleeping, reading and generally full on relaxing in this true British beach town and I have bloody loved it.

Hopefully the next couple of blogs will go some way to persuade you southern fairies that making a trip ‘t’up Yeerrkshire way‘ will be worth every minute on that long long train journey.

I love to walk… I particularly love to walk in the countryside, up mountains and between pubs. However one of the best places to walk that will leave you feeling refreshed and alive is along the coast.

The walk from Robin Hoods Bay to Scarborough is approximately 15 miles and for the average walker can easily be achieved in a day… Here are a few things to consider when undertaking the walk…

• The earlier you leave the better, there are buses that leave at 7.30am and 8.10am from Scarborough station to Robin Hoods Bay (http://getdown.org.uk/bus/bus/93-summer.shtml), I recommend you bite the bullet and get one of those… or you could always stay in Robin Hoods Bay.
• It is likely to take from 5 – 8 hours depending on speed and the number of breaks to take in the beautiful sea views.
• Take plenty of water, food and supplies… this isn’t a pub hop walk! You will find little more than beautiful sea views, the occasional farm house and many a sheep living on the cliff edges.
• This isn’t an easy walk, but neither is it really difficult, there are lots of ups and downs and you have to keep a steady pace to make decent time so don’t expect an easy ride … by the end of it you will be tired… but you will also feel brilliant and aliiivvee 🙂
• Though you are generally following the path along the sea front, there are a couple of points you need to briefly detour inland… I would recommend taking a proper ordinance survey map to keep a track of where you are, in any open countryside it is easy to get lost.
• I don’t need to tell you the obvious like keep your phone charged, tell someone where you are going. This isn’t a stroll through town, but a fair walk along a breezy cliff edge… be careful!

I have done this walk three times and will no doubt undertake it many more times on future trips to Scarborough, I highly recommend … and don’t forget to treat yourself to an ice cream once you make it back to town 🙂

Can you recommend any good coastal walks across Britain … or further afield?