OH! I DO LIKE TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE!

Well not quite! We are camped 3 miles out of Whitby at Long Leas Farm, Hawsker for a few days and unbelievably, we seem to have good weather again!

First day Monday 12^th September, we did a 6 mile round trip along the Cleveland Way the coastal path to Robin Hoods Bay then back along the Cinder Trail, the old railway, which both of us can remember going on!

Its years since we've been to Robin Hoods Bay, its our old stomping ground when we were in our 20s. The pubs are still there that we frequented, The Dolphin and The Bay Hotel – lovely memories of camping at Boggle Hole and walking along the beach, cliff path if tide was in, to the pub then staggering back at closing time!

We've just bought a porch awning for the van so when we got back we attempted to put it up in quite windy conditions, its up but its certainly not a quick job by the time you've fastened it down securely!

ROYS NEW HUGE WATER CONTAINER!

ROBIN HOODS BAY FROM THE CLEVELAND WAY

THE DOLPHIN PUB - OUR OLD HAUNT!

ANOTHER PUB FAVOURITE OF THE 60'S

                                     

Tuesday and we drove to Stoupe Beck and hiked along the Cinder trail railway to Ravenscar and back along the Cleveland Way, about 6 miles again. Reminiscing time as we parked at Stoupe Beck then walked along the track we used to drive along to get to the field where the Boggle Hole gang camped many times in the late 60's and early 70's. Field was unchanged and the trails we took to Boggle Hole and Robin Hoods Bay were still there. Such happy memories! Such a hot day today, amazing for September! Ended a lovely day by have a ride down to Robin Hoods By to listen to Steve Phillips and the Rough Diamonds in the pub.

Stoupe Beck

peacocks on a farm

Cleveland Way towards Ravenscar

Ravenscar Hotel

Love this cloud!

Robin Hoods Bay

hoping to walk round to Boggle Hole on the beach but tide still in!

Boggle Hole YHA

coffee and cake at Boggle Hole

Boggle Hole

the new awning is up!

From the sublime to the ridiculous! The sea fret came in last night and we spent this morning working out how to use the heating system in the van. Its cosy and warm now and we still can't see across the field for mist!

We spent the afternoon having a drive to find the sun, down narrow country lanes, we found it at the top of the Hole of Horcum. On to Wykeham to check out some mature hawthorn hedging we plan to buy then back into the mist to visit a friend in Whitby. Then took fish and chips back to the van! What an idle day!

Our last day, we drove to Goathland to escape the mist, found the sun at the top of Blue Bank and did a pretty 5 mile hike taking in the old railway, sun dappled woods, moor tops and a scramble along slippy rocks to Mallyan Spout. Back to the site and with the mist lifting slightly, we drove to the Abbey to see it in the mist with the sun in the background looking like the moon, quite atmospheric and Dracula like!

Time to leave on Friday as the black clouds rolled in bringing rain and wind, hope this isn’t the end of summer.

Another wonderful time in the van!

Goathland Station

Mallyan Spout

Whitby Abbey in the sun!....and a bit of mist

RELAXING ROSEDALE

This is the first August Bank holiday we have spent in the UK since 2007, so we opted out of going anywhere until the Monday, when hopefully everyone will be coming home!

Grabbed another few days of sun at Low Bell End Farm in Rosedale Abbey,  this place is so remote the phone won't even work...but we do have TV!

On Tuesday we hiked from the campsite up on to the moor top and along the old tramway track to Rosedale chimney, although the chimney is no longer there, we both remember it from our childhood. The old kilns still standing were used for roasting the iron ore. Across Spaunton Moor past Ana Cross then back into the valley along tracks to Rosedale Abbey then the campsite – about 7 miles. We had to spend about half an hour picking blueberries – I've never seen so many on the moors before, its a tedious job but so much better than bought ones.

VIEW FROM OUR VAN

LOOKING DOWN ON CAMPSITE, OUR VAN AND THE GLAMPING TEEPEES TO THE LEFT

                                           UP ON THE OLD IRON ORE TRAMWAY

IRON ORE KILNS AT TOP OF ROSEDALE CHIMNEY

ANA CROSS AND ANI

ROY THE BBQ EXPERT!

Rosedale Church - there has never has been an Abbey at Rosedale. There was a priory which used to be on the site of this church

Wednesday – back on Spaunton Moor, this time we took the car to the top of Rosedale Chimney and started a circular walk opposite to yesterday. We were supposed to get to Hutton le Hole after skirting Lastingham but my intrepid map reader mis read the directions and we got into Lastingham, missed out Hutton le Hole and hiked back past Ana Cross to see where we should have walked...... a beautiful 7 mile hike with miles of fragrant heather, did you know that the North York Moors have the largest continuous area of heather in England?

Lunch in Lastingham and a look round the unusual church which was surprisingly open.

BLOWING A BIT ON TOP OF THE MOOR!

LASTINGHAM CHURCH

THE ALTAR IN THE CRYPT

THE BELLS! THE BELLS!

BACK TO ANA CROSS BY MISTAKE!

 

Last day – gorgeous weather – not so great hike! Well I am sure Roy enjoyed it but I was not in the best mood, there was steep downhill mud trails, long stretches in the woods and a steep climb up to the moor below the hole of Horcum. However we did see the steam train of the North Yorks Moors Railway and the pretty ruins of Skeleton Tower overlooking Newtondale and the lovely heather and endless sheep!

Another fab mini break!

SKELETON TOWER