Whitby, North Yorkshire

From the bus station in Whitby (NZ897108), walk down towards the river, cross the bridge and take the second road on the left, signed for ‘St Mary’s Church, Whitby Abbey and 199 Steps’. Whitby’s bustling harbour and streets can be quite a distraction, but with a long walk ahead of you, try not to get sidetracked! Climb the aforementioned famous steps. Glance back to enjoy the splendid views over the harbour. At the top it’s worth a quick look inside the church to see its unusual interior (Georgian era box pews and triple decker pulpit). Follow the road past the abbey a very short distance, then turn off left, signed ‘Cleveland Way - Robin Hood’s Bay 6½ miles’. (A) A visit to the abbey will need to be left for another time (unless you’re doing this walk over two days). The skeletal remains perched high on the cliff above the town are an impressive sight.

The surfaced path leads you along the high cliff-top to a caravan park above Saltwick Bay and Nab (the prominent headland). (B) As elsewhere along this coastline, Saltwick was transformed by shale quarrying for alum production (alum is used for fixing dye). A path leads down to the bay but you stay on the high ground. About a mile on you pass the old fog horn, now a private house, and the lighthouse. Continue on round Ness Point (or North Cheek). There are now fine views towards Robin Hood’s Bay and across the bay towards the Ravenscar headland. A surfaced path leads past the front of houses to a road; continue ahead to the main road.

Turn left down the road to the car park and continue down the steep lane to the old village. (C) It’s not known how this picturesque and popular old village got its name of Robin's Hood Bay, though it’s known locally as Bay. The Coast to Coast route finishes here. A couple of hours or so either side of low tide you can walk along the beach from here to Stoupe Beck. The ledges of rock curving out to sea are known as scaurs, where many fossils are to be found. When the tide doesn’t allow, climb the steps behind the Old Coastguard Station, bear left down some other steps, then right up more steps on to the cliff path. You have to descend and climb back up again to cross the becks at Boggle Hole and Stoupe Beck. Thereafter, it’s a steady climb all the way up to Ravenscar. (D) Ravenscar is known as the town that never was (roads were planned but the enterprise failed).

It’s now fairly easy walking along the level and gently downhill, but there’s a sting in the tail at Hayburn Wyke – a steep valley to be crossed (don’t miss the waterfall above the beach).

At Cloughton Wyke, turn inland along the lane to Cloughton village.