Cleveland Way Walk, Fall 2022 – I’m at the sea!

September 16, 2022

Hello friends and family. As many of you know, I am in the U.K. in order to walk the Cleveland Way which is a 175 kilometre National Trail that begins in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, crosses the North York moors, and then continues down the North York coast from Saltburn to Filey, passing through Whitby, Robin Hoods Bay and Scarborough. I have booked and had to cancel this walk twice before, once because of Covid and then again last Fall because of foot pain, but I am finally here! Actually, I’m more than here and am already halfway done having passed the midpoint of the walk sometime this morning!

I have made several attempts in the past week to get started on my posts but was hampered at various points by a somewhat foggy brain (from extended jet lag), and a lack of either energy or internet (it seemed to be that when I had one I did not have the other!). But today, having arrived at the blustery seaside town of Saltburn, I am determined to make a start even if it means that I am “starting in the middle”. I’m sorry but you will just have to wait for photos of the glorious North York moors – what a week of walking I have had!

Here, I’m on the clifftop at the Victorian-era seaside resort town of Saltburn on a bright sunny day with strong (and cold), wake-you-up winds coming from the northwest and gusting up to 50 km per hour! This is the view looking north of the wide sandy beach which stretches towards Redcar.

And here is the view looking south. I will be walking along those cliffs in the distance tomorrow as I continue my Cleveland Way walk south down the coast.

This is a zoomed in view of Saltburn’s pier which was 1500 feet long when it was first built between 1867 and 1869. Today the pier is 681 feet in length, having been damaged multiple times over the years by storms. It is the last remaining pleasure pier on the North East and Yorkshire coasts.

I descended part of the way down the cliff on a zigzag of stairs and stopped to take these photos of the colourful beach huts arranged in a cheerful line facing the sea.

A few brave souls had rented two of the first three cabins and were sitting rigidly in their camp chairs, all bundled up against the wind, determined to have their day at the seaside.

I stepped onto the lovely beach of golden sand and walked north for a good distance.

I stopped often to look out at the waves and at the puffs of sea foam that were being hurtled across the water and sand by the wind.

Then I turned south and walked back towards the pier.

What a beautiful structure!

I walked beneath the pier,

and then up and around to its entrance building which was filled with arcade games (there were a surprising number of adults trying to win small teddy bears and other toys with grapple hooks).

It was so exciting to step out onto the pier!

And as I approached the end…

a young couple were sharing kisses.

This was the exhilarating view to the south,

then out to sea,

and then to the north. What a day!

Brrrr! I made my way back down the pier and decided that the perfect finale to my afternoon would be to ride the funicular up the cliff to the town. After all, “fun” is in its name!

Opened in 1884, this “Lift to Town” is the oldest operating water-balanced funicular in Britain, and one of only three that remain in the country.

Here is the view looking down from the tram window as we rose up (while the second tram descended), and the ride was indeed fun.

Back on the clifftop, I explored Saltburn which was developed as a resort town in the late 1800s by an entrepreneur, Henry Pease, who was involved in the local ironstone mining industry and associated railways. The town still retains its Victorian-era character and charm with grand homes and buildings such as the Queen Hotel which was built in 1875 (top left).

My accommodation, however, is much more modest – a small studio suite that will be my cozy home-out-of-the-wind for three nights (yes, that’s a silhouette of a backpacker painted on the window). I will use Saltburn as a base from which to walk down the coast on the Cleveland Way and return each day by bus.

Well, it’s almost time for bed here in the U.K. so I’ll say goodnight. Thank you very much for joining me on the Yorkshire coast on this windy, blustery, fabulous day!