Cleveland Way National Trail, Day 3

Whitby to Boulby

Distance: About 13 Miles.

Time Taken: 5 hours.

Weather: Sunny, then Cold with Hail

The Walk

Having already walked into Whitby yesterday from Scarborough; this morning meant I was able to start the Cleveland Way directly from the front door of Spyglass 1708; the holiday cottage where I'm staying in Whitby during the walk.

A Cold but Sunny Start to the Third Day Towards Staithes.

My plan was to walk the 13-miles from Whitby to Boulby (just North of Staithes) and then catch the bus back into Whitby later in the day.

The buses from Whitby run each way at half-hourly intervals and offer an excellent and regular service to get onto (or back from) any of the coastal sections of the Cleveland Way between between Filey and Saltburn; and even to the inland market town at Guisborough.

Bench with a View at Sandsend!

I found the walk to Staithes to be another easy and generally gentle stroll; but with a few steep up-and-down sections at Sandsend, Runswick Bay and Staithes to test out the leg muscles and lung capacity!

Overall, I've found the walk to have excellent infrastructure with good signage, well made steps on steeper slopes, bridges and/or aggregate on the boggy sections, and plenty of benches at viewing spots!

Way Finding is Easy on the Cleveland Way.

Anyway, setting off at 930am I soon noticed that the tide was out at Whitby far enough to allow the walk along the beach all the way to Sandsend.

This was just a lovely section to be close to the water's edge.

At Sandsend the path climbs up onto the long-abandoned cinder track of the old railway to head North towards Staithes.

Looking into Sandsend Bay from the cliff path I noticed half-a-dozen Surfers catching some great waves.

Surfers Below the Towering Cliffs in Sandsend Bay.

At Goldsborough the railway line heads inside an abandoned tunnel; so the Cleveland Way deviates upwards and follows the cliff edge with magnificent tumbling views into the North Sea.

It is only when you see the tunnel entrance a mile or more further on that you realise the engineering prowess of the Victorian "Navvies" who built the line!

The Cleveland Way path continues to follow the cliff edge past Port Mulgrave and then down into Runswick Bay.

At Port Mulgrave the cold but sunny April weather finally gave out and I was hit by a tremendous 30-minute tempest with 50mph winds and driving hail.  The storm certainly added some weather drama to the walk but I was rewarded for the hike in the wet and cold with the most amazing double rainbow as the storm ended and sunshine returned.

Amazing Double Rainbow Seen on the Cleveland Way.

From the beach at Runswick, there is a steep climb out of the village and then continuing along the cliff path into Staithes.

I opted to walk just a little further; and to end my walk for the day at the gates of Boulby Potash Mine.

As planned; I was soon settled on the bus for the quick 30-minute return journey to Whitby and thoughts of a few rewarding pints of Yorkshire finest tonight!

The Amazing View into Ravenscar Bay with the Village Tucked under the Cliffs.