A windy, muddy, cold and damp walk along the coast from Whitby to Runswick Bay. We chose this walk today mainly because it was one of the only places in the North that was forecast to be dry and it rung true apart from a very short shower, well more of a thick mist really but it was precipitous all the same.
We arrived in Whitby and parked up at the harbour, changed into walking boots and headed out towards the harbour wall and left and then down onto the beach.
The first part of the walk took us along the sand towards Sandsend. It was bracing to say the least but pleasant enough. Dogs yapping broke the sound of the waves crashing into shore and we could see a few surfers out on the swell who were brave chaps indeed but the waves were big enough that they had a surf or two whilst we walked by.
At Sandsend we climbed the steps up onto the harbour wall and walked inland slightly to cross the bridge and then followed the coast around the headland.
We were following the Cleveland way and soon we were on a path that was thick with mud and very much on our own. Not another soul around and we had to quicken our step as it was getting later in the afternoon and walking through all this mud was hard going.
Around a couple more headlands and Runswick Bay came into view. We made our way down the wooden steps towards the beach but got a surprise when the path had been completely washed away and a temporary bridge put in place but still it was tricky going as everything was slippy and one false step could mean we landed in the sandy gushing water. Yuk!
Down onto the beach we were met with what we thought would be our last challenge of the day and that was the fact that the tide was coming in and we had to get over the rocks towards Runswick Bay before that happened and we'd be cut off. Moving as fast as we could we literally just made it before the tide made its way fully on shore. There was a family along the shore behind us and I'm not sure they made it back to Runswick without a bit of a paddle. The sky was pink with the setting of the sun that made for spectacular views. Stunning.
It was 4pm and we were happy at the thought of catching the 4.10pm bus back to Whitby. On asking a kind lady in a car where the bus stop was she said oh its at the top of this hill, I'll take you up and instead of dropping us there she took us along to the next one convinced that the 4.10 bus still had to arrive.....WRONG!.... After checking in the local pub at 4.30pm they told me that that only time that the bus was on time was at the beginning of its journey, the rest of the time it was a bit hit or miss. So we waited, in the cold, dancing on the spot, willing the bus to come round the corner. Too muddy to go into the pub and anyway what if we'd missed the bus.
Finally about 5.15pm a bus arrived and whisked us back to Whitby where after a quick change in the car we headed to Threshers for a slap up fish supper and several pots of tea.
A smashing end to a fab day out.
