A WALK AROUND RUNSWICK BAY AND STAITHES
On one of the warmest late October days on record we went on a walk which is described thus by our guidebook:
"In different ways, both Runswick Bay and Staithes are highly individual coastal villages: the former a picturesque jumble of cottages above a fine sandy beach, the latter an old harbour beside a steep sided inlet, still with a strong Victorian atmosphere. The first half of the walk goes inland, following an attractive route across fields, by farms, and through woodlands. The return journey is along a memorable stretch of the North Sea coast."
The walk is around 7½ miles, but we extended it by around a mile by walking along the beach at Runswick Bay. On the way back to the cottage there was one of those serendipitous photographic moments - by a bus stop on the A174 an evocative sunset across the moors.
This set of images captures the highlights of this splendid walk on a glorious day.
We set off from the car park just above the beach at the village of Runswick Bay where pan-tiled cottages jostle down to the sea.
Soon after leaving the village our route takes to field paths to the west of Hinderwell. The hedgerows are full of autumn fruits and small birds darting hither and thither.
Some of the fields have been left to stubble, others have been planted with winter wheat, already showing through and making neat patterns in the field when at this height.
After the fields we take a quiet country lane to the hamlet of Newton Mulgrave, passing through this ford at one point. Although there has recently been a lot of heavy rain, thankfully we are not six feet deep in water at this point!
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A feature of this walk is the amount of fruits still in the hedgerows despite it being nearly November.
Beyond the hamlet we follow more field paths and drop into Oakrigg Wood, a nature reserve, and with the sun striking though the autumn leaves, a very colourful spot.
The path begins to drop down towards Dalehouse.
Some leaves are turning, others are still bright green.
Bright gleams of sunshine penetrate the canopy along the path.
Emerging from the woods, the eastern bank of the valley has been planted with various native shrubs, the leaves and berries of which are incredibly colourful picked out by the bright sunshine and framed by the golden bracken.
Past Dalehouse we cross the Whitby to Teeside road. An old rowing boat has made an excellent planter.
We drop down into the old fishing village at Staithes. Would it ever be possible to photograph this street without a line of parked cars?
Like many of these North Yorkshire coastal villages, there are alleyways leading to courts behind the houses on the main streets.
Lower down the village there are thankfully no cars obscuring the street views.
Staithes - Captain Cook was apprentice to a draper here, but the house, like many in Staithes, has been swept away by North Sea storms at some time in the past.
The view north along the coast from Staithes.
The end of the breakwater at Staithes, with, presumably, some sort of navigational device.
Staithes Beck flows out to the sea.
Breakwaters guard the harbour. People are fishing, and, it being half term week, lots of children are crabbing off the walls.
The pub by the sea. Storms have caused this to be rebuilt several times over the years, the most recent occasion being in 1953. There is a sign on the door saying that the rear entrance must be used when the sea is rough.
Leaving the village we join the route of the Cleveland Way to follow the cliff top path back to Runswick Bay.
It wouldn't be a BLUETIGER sequence without fence posts! But look at the patterns made by the path, posts, and gates as we climb up to the top of the cliffs.
Finger post and gate at the high point on the cliffs.
A wide path on the top of the cliffs takes us back south.
There are views to the headland at Kettleness.
We went through the cottages at Port Mulgrave, where there are the remains of a harbour down by the sea. It was constructed in the 19th century for the export of iron ore, but the venture never paid off and the harbour lapsed into disuse except by the local fishermen.
Beyond Port Mulgrave the path narrows to a muddy slit between the cliff edge and the field boundary. The grass has been bleached to pale gold and gleams with a yellow fire in the afternoon sun.
Approaching Runswick Bay we can look back to see our route traversing the cliff top.
The view from the point where the path turns inland.
Another view of Runswick Bay, this time illuminated by the late afternoon sun.
Zooming in on the cottage by the seashore.
We set off to walk along Runswick Sands as far we could.
The view to Kettleness from the furthest point we reached.
Driving back to our cottage we stopped in a lay-by to make a phone call. The sun was setting over the moors in a fitting end to this memorable day.