A week in Sunny Scarborough
A week in Sunny Scarborough, from Saturday 27th August to Saturday 3rd September. Bung the word 'sunny' in front of a British place name and it sounds somewhat exaggerated or, at the very least, hopeful. But it was – a sunny week, that is. And not only sunny, but warm if not hot, too. Except for the Saturdays travelling up and back, where it was a little, or a little more, overcast and wet, and a bit showery at times on the Sunday.
I travelled by car with Lynne, viewing the gannets from Bempton Cliffs on the way and watching an amazing performing weasel on the cliff-edge, and meeting Eileen, Val, Fozi, Jinan and Dave at Eileen's brother's house in Scarborough.
Scarborough Harbour - fishing boats and the 'Hispaniola'On Sunday 28th we had a look round Scarborough with Fozi, Jinan, Lynne, Dave and myself negotiating the High Street (and charity shops) on the way to the sea front and the South Bay with its amusement arcades, gift-tat shops, open-top buses, beach and harbour. The harbour, particularly, for me was a joy. A proper harbour, with a goodly number of fishing boats as well as yachts, rib-boats, speedboats, pleasure boats and trips-round-the-bay boats. We walked up to the beginning of the headland-esplanade leading to the North Bay, then back along the front heading towards the outstanding Grand Hotel. And it really is outstanding, occupying a prime cliff-top site and visible from almost everywhere on that bay. It was beginning to rain a bit as we walked up the steep cliff-side path to the hotel, so going inside for a coffee and sit-down was a welcome opportunity. When it was completed in 1867 it was one of the largest hotels in the world. It has an interesting interior design concept: there are 12 floors, 52 chimneys and originally there were 365 bedrooms. Work that one out.
Lynne, Fozi, Jinan and Dave - after visiting the Grand HotelOn Monday 29th the Sun was out and we set-car for the North Yorkshire Moors, to negotiate the Hole of Horcum. A gloriously hot day – if you like it so – and beginning with an easy-enough tramp around part of the rim of a once-volcano. Nicely moorland, but easy underfoot along an ancient cart-track for a couple of miles until we reached the top of the scarp above Newton Dale. There the track dropped sharply for 200 or so feet, and the way was narrow and rutted, and not easy. As things levelled out we walked parallel to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and sat and snacked overlooking the line until a steam train went past, because we wanted to wave. Then upwards again, and again, to reach Levisham village where the pub provided welcome liquid refreshment. On, and then down, with the footpath paralleling a dark and narrow tree-lined gorge which dropped away from us until we regained it to cross over for the final leg. We had been warned – Eileen and Val had walked this way before – and as we were now in Horcum Hole rather than above it (where the car park is), this necessitated a long and arduous – albeit well-surfaced – track up. And up, and up. The ice cream van at the car park was welcome after our 8.5 mile walk.
Grosmont Station on the North Yorkshire Moors RailwayTuesday 30th was a return visit to the moors, for we went to Pickering to catch the N.Y.M. Railway to Whitby. This is one of the greatest of Britain's preserved railway lines, and has been featured in television series and films for its 50's and 60's flavour. Thus it was we used our return tickets to get off first at Levisham just to amble around the quiet country station, then at Goathland to wallow in visitors to Aidensfield, and then Grosmont, where we took in a bit more of the railway itself, with the locomotive depot and probably the world's oldest railway tunnel – which we walked through. Finally, Whitby.
WhitbyWe had plenty of time at Whitby – thronging with Bank-Holiday visitors – for some of us to climb the 199 steps to the abbey (I made it 198), and to have a meal at The Magpie -a well-known fishandchip restaurant. Some of us walked to the end of the jetty, one of us paddled, and we all met up at the station for the last train to Pickering.
On Wednesday, Lynne, Val and Fozi had to leave, so we spent the day around Scarborough in preparation for Ken to arrive. Highlight of the day, perhaps was a voyage on the pirate-ship Hispaniola – more under-engine than under-sail, but a fun trip “round the bay” nevertheless. Another good fish and chip meal at a really good price in a cafe/restaurant overlooking the beach and sea, and all in all a good sea-sidey flavour to the day.
Eileen, Dave, Ken and Jinan looking at beach toys
Thursday 1st September, and to celebrate the new month and to give Ken something to do, Eileen organised a walk from our accomodation to Filey. Once we'd descended the cliffs by means of the cliff railway, the walk was just about all by the coast and mostly along a cliff-top path. Not particularly hard going, but we had to drop down into one or two bays – and then drop up again, of course. Mind you, dropping down to a convenient beach cafe with the usual good Yorkshire tea – and equivalent coffee, I hope – and snacks available at reasonable prices instead of take-on ones, and hula-hoops to play with and buckets and spades to buy, that is not a bay too far. We had a lovely tea in a pretty Victorian-style tea-shop in Filey before catching a bus back to Scarborough. That walk was our longest, at 9.5 miles.
On our last full day, Friday 2nd, Eileen and Ken decided to walk part of the “Cinder Trail” - the route of the old Scarborough to Whitby Railway and now a cycle/pedestrian path. Jinan, Dave and myself wanted a slightly shorter walk, and to look at Scarborough's North Bay. We began the walk all together for a couple of miles along the track, and then left it, all together, just before Newby.
Ken and Eileen had decided to join us. The North Bay is quieter than the south – a long sandy beach with rock pools and lovely views including Scarborough Castle on the headland that separates the two bays. There is a 2ft gauge miniature railway that runs along the coast for nearly a mile here, and we watched a couple of the trains go past as we stopped for a drink at a beach-side cafe. The sun was still shining as we entered the award-winning Peasholm Park, which has a Japanese theme, complete with a pagoda on an island, with dragon boats patrolling – pedalled by visitors.
The sculpture of Freddie Gilmore on Scarborough's seafront
It is a mile-long walk around the headland to get back to the busy part of Scarborough, and on the way we encountered the sculpture 'Freddie Gilmore and the Belsen Stragglers'. This larger-than-life figure of Freddie sits on a sea-front bench, looking downcast and sad. Freddie was a retired miner who was one of the first soldiers to relieve the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp at the end of World War II. The memory of it never left him. On the bench a plaque reads:
'They said for king and country
we should do as we were bid,
They said old soldiers never die
but plenty young ones did.’
Regaining the hustle of the South Bay, we revisited the very-good-value fish and chip cafe, with still a walk back to our accomodation to complete, so our “shorter walk” turned into a 7 mile one. That was offset by a nice meal at a pub/hotel in the evening – again at remarkably low prices for a carvery meal.
Just as on the day we had travelled up, Saturday was rainy – but more so – for the return journey. Eileen was staying on, Ken going by train, and myself and Jinan travelling in Dave's car. Such a shame that on the last day of a wonderful week the car broke down twice on the way back. This meant an 11 hour journey, including a couple of 30 minutes in-the-rain roadside waits for assistance.
That aside, I can confidentally say that I – and I suspect everyone else, had a grand time.
Thanks to Eileen for organising the holiday, and to her and Lynne, Jinan, Val, Fozi, Dave and Ken for the company.
Some of the group in the Scarborough Cliff Railway
Jinan resting on the train to Whitby
Paul Ferris, 4th September 2016