Ravenscar - 14th June 2009

The skies were grey as we made our way to Ravenscar. Would the weather forecast prove to be right, needing the wearing of weatherproofs?

As it happens it was dry, however stories of tick bearing Lyme disease soon had legs covered up as we progressed along the old railway track on the first leg of our walk. The sun came out whilst we were under the trees and we even had a brief shower, but nothing to cause and outbreak of coats.

Echos of the railway that used to travel through these parts was in evidence - old platforms, station houses and remnants of signal boxes - you could almost hear the steam and whistle. The story goes that the Ravenscar Estate Company bought this land in the 1890's with a view to building a seaside resort to rival Whitby, but it never happened, hence the nickname 'the town that never was'.

At the end of the railway track, we arrived at the Hayburn Wyke pub for a welcome refreshment quickly followed by lunch on the rocks at the bottom of Hayburn Wyke, whilst watching a couple of springer spaniels playing amongst seaweed and pebbles.

Finishing lunch, we climbed steaply up to the cliff-top some 400ft above sea level with stunning views south towards Scarborough and Flamborough Head - wonderful. However, our path took us north back towards Ravenscar. Before long we had views of the old naval radar station and then Robin Hood's Bay before arrving back at the Ranvenscar tea rooms for a welcome tea and cake.