Here you can see the report from our latest walk and also some of the pictures that were taken.

Unless otherwise stated, report by Paul Coates and pictures by Keith Bilton.

Thursday 23rd. April 2009

Rudda Road, Moorland House, Beacon Windmill, Ravenscar, Cleveland Way, Stoupebrow Cottage Farm, Boggle Hole, Beach, Robin Hood's Bay (Ye Dolphin), Middlewood Farm, Old Railway, White House, Allison Head Wood, Browside Farm, Stoupe Brow Farm, Ravenscar, Station Road, Bent Rigg Farm, Bell Hill Farm, Rudda Farm, Rudda Road (11.5 miles).

Hazy sun to start, warm & sunny later.

Paul Craggs, Paul, Keith, Paul 'Sherlock' Holmes, Stu, Dudley, Ray, Jack, Bob.

Paul Holmes, Paul Craggs, Jack.

Our journey north took us over Staxton and through Scarborough with its usual stop/start traffic. We parked up in a lay-by about a mile east of the Falcon Inn.

Actually we had to park alongside it as the lay-by itself appeared to have become a storage area for North Yorkshire County Council's entire quota of road chippings for the next five years.

There was a cool breeze blowing as we made ready for the off so it wasn't too long before we were walking. After a mile or so of field paths we reached the Cleveland Way Path. We were above the cliffs at this point which gave us great views along the coast.

We could see Robin Hood's Bay in the hazy distance prompting Jack to utter phrases like "why it's only a couple of miles away" and "we'll be there by 11". The tide was out so when we reached Boggle Hole we made for the shore and walked to RHB along the beach.

When we got to Robin Hood's Bay Keith decided a group photo would be in order. He attempted to organise our wayward group around some conveniently placed fishing boats. He then tempted fate by asking a passing tourist to snap the required picture.

At one point the happy snapper had the camera upside down as well as passing it to his wife a couple of times for additional instructions as to what to press.

We were not exactly filled with confidence as to his camera skills, fully expecting a shot of the North Sea with only the tops of our heads as proof that we were even there!

However much to Keith's relief the photo turned out OK.

From there it was just a short uphill stroll to the pub. We arrived at 11.45, some 45 minutes later than Jack had predicted. Ye Dolphin was in darkness as we entered but the barman assured us they were open.

Bob was first to the bar buying Keith a shot of Laphroaig malt whiskey for services rendered in the photography department. To Paul's untutored nose the whiskey had the aroma of cough medicine. Indeed Keith never coughed once so there must be something in it.

Affixed to the wall was a strange looking metal contraption which appeared to be a device for transporting small dogs around. It had what looked like a muzzle at one end and a threaded screw with a T shaped grip at the other with a carrying handle in the middle. Just how the dog would have been safely secured to this weird artefact could only be guessed at but it clearly would be a good idea to place the biting end in the muzzle first before attempting to secure the dog with the long screw thread at the tail wagging end.

On the way out of RHB we passed its famous fish & chip shop. We all looked hungrily towards our esteemed treasurer Chancellor Craggs but he managed to avoid any eye contact and feigned deafness whilst pretending to look far out to sea scanning the horizon for shipwrecked sailors. That Jacko trained him well in the devious art of not spending any (of our) money.

It was a steady climb up to Middlewood Farm but once on the old railway it became easy going. Ow'd Bob could remember travelling on the railway between Scarborough and Whitby back in the days when steam was king.

We speculated as to when it was closed (March 1965 as it happens) and according to Keith it was closed by Dr. Beecham. We were certainly surprised to hear that the bloke who produced various cold & flu remedies went around closing railways on his days off. We also wondered if this was where Dr. Beeching had got his ideas from.

We had our afternoon break alongside the long closed railway line while Jack told us fascinating tales of stalking frogs on his allotment. Unknown to him Pam had maliciously placed a froggy ring tone on his mobile phone. When Jack arrived home Pam enquired as to why he hadn't answered her frequent phone calls. He claimed to have never heard the phone ring and anyway he had been busily engaged in looking for an insistent frog that kept taunting him from somewhere deep within his vegetable plot!

Jack enjoying the sea air

At the site of the long silent Ravenscar railway station we spied a shop selling ice cream. By now the weather was warm and sunny so a nice cooling ice cream seemed like a good idea.

The second half of this walk had been much longer than the first and if we do it again, as I'm sure we will, then we must walk it in the opposite direction.

On our homeward journey we decided to avoid gridlocked Scarborough and opted for the more scenic route via Hackness and East Ayton to Seamer. So with pathfinder Craggs in pole position and with the aid of Keith's satnav we had more of a pleasant ride home.