Robin Hood’s Bay

Posted on November 16, 2020

by Cool Places Britain

Between Whitby and Scarborough, on the Yorkshire Coast, you will find Robin Hood’s Bay.

This picturesque old fishing village on the Heritage Coast of the North York Moors is an extremely popular tourist attraction.

In the 18^th century most of the population were actively involved in smuggling.

There were tunnels linking cellars, secret passages and hidey holes for both people and contraband.

Nowadays you can experience a sense of its rich history and heritage by wandering around and discovering its maze of narrow streets.

After parking the car at the small car park just before the steep hill to the old village, we followed the narrow winding road that descends from the cliff top down.

We wandered up and down the many ginnels, cobbled streets and windy alleyways on both sides of the main street as we tried to make our way to the Dock.

Where the road meets the sea, you will find the National Trust’s Old Coastguard Station on your right.

This visitor centre has fun, interactive displays and information on fossils, sea life and tales of smugglers.

From here you can enjoy stunning panoramic sea views across the entire Bay from Ness Point to Ravenscar.

Walking

The surrounding area of Robin Hood’s Bay offers a multitude of beauty spots to explore.

A short 1,5-mile walk will take you from the Dock along the beach towards Boggle Hole.

It used to be a place where smugglers landed their illegal contraband.

A route along the clifftops will lead you back to Robin Hood’s Bay.

Or you can follow the cliffs north of Robin Hood’s Bay.

This 6-mile circular walk to Maw Wyke passes Ness Point, one of the most dangerous headlands along this coastline.

Maw Wyke is a sheltered inlet which has become a regular nesting site for a colony of kittiwakes

But if you are really up for a challenge then head for Ravenscar.

Cleveland Way

From the craggy heights of Ravenscar, a 11-mile route runs across Howdale Moor for some classic moorland scenery before dropping down to the old Scarborough-to-Whitby railway line and along to Robin Hood’s Bay.

You can pick up this trail at Robin Hood’s Bay and follow the exhilarating clifftop stretch of the Cleveland Way National Trail towards Ravenscar and back again.

Unfortunately, as with much of the British Coastline, Robin Hood’s Bay is suffering from coastal erosion.

The cliffs around the bay are very unstable and are eroding away quite quickly.

So please be careful and don’t walk too close to the cliffs and please stay away from the cliff edge when walking.

Heading inland you can explore the beautiful Sneaton Forest.

A 2-mile trail through the trees passes an idyllic woodland tea garden and the 30-foot Falling Foss waterfall.