Cleveland Way 2010

[PMG]

Yorks fish and chips sounds like a very good reason for doing this - I know the size of their portions ....... my mouth is watering in remembrance (I can't eat battered fish anymore - well I can and very occasionally do but pay for it later but sometimes I can't resist ) Have a good trip matey don;t think the weather is going to be so bad - cold tho ...........

[SpikyPhasmid]

Good luck!

[foxy mars]

Returned from the 3 day walk on the Cleveland Way, from Guisborough to Scarborough, had a lot of showers along the Yorkshire Coast. Took a lot of photos and will tell you all about the adventure me and mate had on the walk.

Never got the chance to have fish and chips, only bacon butties

Give me a day or two to get photos sorted and the write-up.

[Farplace]

Glad you are back safe foxy. I look forward to hearing about your adventure.

[foxy mars]

Cleveland Way.

Day one...Guisbrough to Runswick Bay.

21 miles

Weather: Fine on the morning, turning to showers on the afternoon.

Got early at 6:00am, bus to Middlesbrough, had breakfast in one of the centre pubs, then bus to Guisborough.

The weather was fine and mild, got to Highcliff Nab via Guisborough Woods, bit of a climb, but worth it for the views.

Met my mate, Ian, who is walking all of the Cleveland Way. He has plenty to talk about from the last 2 days and we head for Slapewath via the Guisborough Woods, which is pleasant to walk through with hardly any mud.

Had a coffee in the Fox and Hounds in Slapewath, then continue uphill to Airy Hill for Skelton and to Saltburn, we are making good time. Did some shopping for tonight's camp in Runswick Bay, took photos. We headed down to Old Saltburn and back up to the cliffs for the coastal path.

The weather is changing and can see dark clouds moving in and this was pattern for the remainder of the walk, the clouds were mainly heavy showers, which cleared up and started again. There was hail in the showers, but no snow as yet.

We were well wrapped in our winter gear and were hoping to get to Runswick Bay by 4:00pm. Continued on the coast path to Skinningrove and on to Cowbar, then to Staithes, which by now, it was getting dark. We put on our head torches to reach Port Mulgrave and decided to head inland for Hinderwell and down the road to Runswick Bay.

We came to the campsite and enquired about a one night pitch and the owner said the site was closed for the winter, according to CW accommodation guide, it was open to CW walkers all year round. With no where else to camp and Runswick Bay being a fairly built up area, we decided on bed and breakfast. The pub said it was full up, which I don't believe. There was a guest house who was shut for the winter, next one was a mile down hill in the Bay. We asked at the Fair Mount hotel and got a room each, not cheap, but it was lovely. We had a super meal and a couple of beers each.

The day walking was hard going, esq down the coast, the showers did make it hard going. The campsite was a bit of a let down and if I did the Cleveland Way again, I would head for Hinderwell. Nevertheless, the day's walking was great and felt good to get out walking again.

Guisborough

Riftswood Valley

Saltburn Pier

Huntcliff

The North Sea #1

The North Sea#2

[foxy mars]

Cleveland Way.

Day one...Runswick Bay to Ravenscar.

18 miles

Weather: Showers on & off, most of the day.

Woke up 7:00am, for breakfast. Set off down the road to the bay and headed along the beach to Hob Holes, where there was plenty of water rushing down. Got to the top, then to Kettleness with some fine weather to bring us to Sandsend. Most of the path now was getting wet and muddy and needed to take care in places, esq along these cliffs, a long drop on one side in places.

After Sandsend, there was a 2.5 miles stretch of road to Whitby. Once into Whitby, me and Ian dropped into one of Harbour side cafes for a bacon buttie and mug of tea for an half a hour break. I needed to get a new pair of overtrousers from the outdoor gear shop and we continued again up the 199 steps to the Abbey.

More showers were coming over the North Sea and again was like yesterday, but it was milder. We soon reached Robin Hood's Bay by 3:00pm and we needed to get to Ravenscar by 4:00pm before total darkness, but the weather and the condition of the path slowed us down quite a bit.

Ravenscar is about 800' above sea level and there was a thin covering of snow. We arrived at Ravenscar in total darkness and had to find Bent Rigg Farm, which is not normally open for campers this time of the year. Anyway, we asked at this house for some drinking water and the lady kindly filled our water bottles and thanked her. She said, if we were walking the Cleveland Way, yes, we said and continued in the dark to find the farm.

We went up the lane to Bent Rigg with our head torches switched on and entered the rather water logged farmyard and the farmer who saw us, came over. We explained that we were walking the Cleveland Way and needed a pitch for the night. He said, that there were closed for the winter and also the fields were waterlogged. But, he said, that we could use his hay barn for the night, which was ideal. We paid £2.50 each and set about making our makeshift camp in the barn.

The temperature must of dropped quite a bit, I guess about -5c, seeing my breath in the air. Later on, we cooked our food and by 8:00pm, we were in our sleeping bags and set our alarm clocks for 6:00am.

For most of the night and early morning, it was lashing down with rain and pretty heavy too. Thank goodness, we were in the barn and not the field.

Runswick Bay

Kettleness

East Cliff, Whitby

Whitby Harbour

Maw Wyke Hole, Hawkser Bottoms

Water spraying back from the cliffs

[foxy mars]

Cleveland Way.

Day three...Ravenscar to Scarborough.

14 miles

Weather: Fine on the morning, turning to wintry showers in the afternoon.

We woke up 6:00am and ate our breakfast, very cold morning too. We looked outside and there was snow. The farmer came in and said morning lads and took his tractor out to do his work.

By 6:30am, we were almost ready and by 6:45am, we were set on walking before the cows were due in for their winter feed. We walked up the lane in the dark and I said to Ian, there is a dis-used railway track which is part of the Whitby to Scarborough rail trail and would be better to walk on than the wet and muddy cliff path. He agreed to this and we would re-pick up the Cleveland Way path at Hun Dale near Cloughton.

After a hour, it became light and the weather was much better now with some sunshine too, that was real boost for us. The track was good to walk on and soon we turned off to regain the coast path again and very muddy it was.

After half a hour, the weather was changing again to more showers, with hail too. Anyway, not too far to Scarborough, with Ian having to continue to Filey, another 10 miles from Scarborough. We soon reached Scarborough and walked around the headland to the harbour.

This was the end of the walk for me and Ian would have to carry on to Filey. But, we stopped for half a hour for a mug of tea and a bacon buttie.

I said, farewell to Ian and I would catch my bus to Teesside.

The walk was most enjoyable, if not a bit wet and windy at times. But guessing that is November and I would of expected that too. We never got to camp, Ian only camped once in the 5 days.

We chatted to a lot of people, along the way who were nice and friendly and I had one blister.

The weather was a mixed bag and if we had left it 2 days late, we were of been in the snow, so pretty lucky to escape the worst of the weather at that.

Bent Rigg Lane, early morning hours.

Cliffs near Hun Dale near Cloughton.

Headland, Scarborough

Sea Huts, Scarborough South.

Scarborough Castle.

Scarborough Harbour.

[pammosley]

Hi Foxy, glad you are home safe. I think I would have prefered a roof over my head in those conditions as well! Thankyou for sharing your walk with us, much appreciated

[Farplace]

Hi Foxy, Glad you had a good walk. Sounds brilliant (if a little cold!)

[PMG]

Originally Posted by foxy mars

Returned from the 3 day walk on the Cleveland Way, from Guisborough to Scarborough, had a lot of showers along the Yorkshire Coast. Took a lot of photos and will tell you all about the adventure me and mate had on the walk.

Never got the chance to have fish and chips, only bacon butties

Give me a day or two to get photos sorted and the write-up.

Will have a proper read in a day or two - I keep getting punched off wab usually when I'm right in the middle of doing something - its so annoying and not happening on other websites ........ anyhow I digress - glad you're back safe and enjoyed it - you only just beat the snow I reckon - not that could have been unpleasant - a tent in snow ...........