Robin Hood’s Bay – North Yorkshire

Once a smugglers’ haunt, Robin Hood’s Bay is now a walker’s destination:

Robin Hood’s Bay was once a haunt of smugglers and legend has it that Robin Hood kept his boats here in case he needed to make a quick escape. Seeing the rocky shoreline and landscape, it’s easy to imagine why this is a conducive hideaway.

Robin Hood’s Bay is very popular with visitors who come here to enjoy the views, have picnics or just to have a relaxing time. There are two parts to the village, the upper section is flat and has more of a Victorian composition whereas the lower section resembles an older fishing village with quaint red-roofed cottages tightly perched on the side of the cliff. The narrow village road runs steeply down to the very edge of the rocky shore making the village off limits to motor vehicles, which is a good thing.

At the lower level, intriguing alleyways weave between tightly-packed cottages and houses and as you walk through the narrow cobbled streets you can almost visualize fishermen, sailors, smugglers and gangs roaming these very streets in days gone by.

We stopped at a pub and enjoyed a beer on the terrace with water views. It was very peaceful and how wonderful it is that there’s no loud music blaring. The village has many takeaways, pubs, restaurants, cafes and tea shops catering for the many visitors. There are also general stores and gift shops, a post office and a picnic area.

Robin Hood’s Bay is especially well known amongst walkers. The 190 miles walk from St. Bees in West Cumbria on the shores of the Irish Sea finishes here in Robin Hood’s Bay in North East Yorkshire. You can do the walk in either direction, but the Coast-to-Coast walk was designed by Alfred Wainwright to start from west to east to keep the prevailing wind and rain on walkers’ backs and the evening sun out of their eyes. Weaving its way from west coast to east, the route takes in the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors including Glaisdale, Egton Bridge and Grosmont, before finishing in Robin Hood’s Bay.

Robin Hood’s Bay is a lovely place to end a hard walk as it has all the amenities that walkers need after a 190 mile walk. It’s certainly a place that I would like to return to and spend more time in.

If you’ve been tinkling with the idea of doing the Coast-to-Coast walk but are unsure of how to go about it or what to expect, you can get guidance by doing a course with someone who is a seasoned walker.

Getting there:

By Bus:

There is a regular bus service to and from Whitby and Scarborough.

By Car:

Robin Hood’s Bay is 8 miles south of Whitby off the A171. Follow signs for Robin Hood’s Bay from A171 road between Whitby and Scarborough.

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