Monday 9th November 2026
Today was the final piece of the North Yorkshire Coastline jigsaw – we just needed to walk from Ravenscar to Scarborough. It would have taken hours by bus from Marske so we drove the car again to Ravenscar where we knew there was free parking and free public toilets (well, these things are most important to us ramblers)! We set off early again and it was quite frosty – but then some heavy fog set in and it was pretty hairy at times – an absolute ‘pea souper’ as they say.
On arrival we made the splendid decision to take the alternative route to the coastal path – this is called the ‘Cinder Track.’ There were several reasons for this (1) being the fog (would have been precarious at the cliff edge (2) this is a straight flat path, slightly more inland, the same mileage but we could potentially save ourselves a good 1-2 hours duration and (3) we wanted to be kind to ourselves!! I don’t need to make excuses as this is a perfectly accepted alternative in the Coastal Path Fraternity, but it still felt naughty. This path was once the Scarborough to Whitby Railway – it was closed for trains in 1965 and this heavenly trail was provided for walkers and cyclists – there are no hills!! I’m sure we missed some spectacular coastal views but we were happy with our decision and enjoyed the countryside views instead.
By the time we were on the track at 9.15am, the frost and fog had left us and we had the most amazing blue skies all day … and it was warm. We had the wonderful autumn colours and crispy fallen leaves to rustle through, but it felt more like Spring in the temperature. As a result, loads of walkers and cyclists out today.
With an easy 9 miles under our belt we took a turn to the left and walked through the outskirts of Scarborough and its residential area, down to the glorious promenade. We still had to walk to the far end of the town but it was an enjoyable stroll along the seafront, soaking up all the seaside vibes. There is a North Bay and a South Bay, quite different. North Bay is quieter, more rugged while South Bay is the main tourist hub, with the harbour, arcades, bars and restaurants etc. Both have stunning sandy beaches. It must be incredibly busy in the summer. At just over 12 miles we reached our destination.
Due to a shortage of buses, we treated ourselves to an Uber back to Ravenscar. We had the delights of a wonderfully chatty Nigerian driver, Ogbonia Anthony, who just couldn’t believe we could have walked that far at our age – he was literally screaming with amazement. When he dropped us off, he got out of the car and shook our hands and said we’d made his day. That was so lovely. And so, at just 1.30pm, we got to sit and have our lunch looking at the fabulous views stretching from Ravenscar to Robin Hoods Bay – life felt good.
And that’s a wrap for this trip, 68 miles walked over 6 days … from Middlesbrough to Scarborough … and an important gap filled. We have now covered the East Coastal Path from Scotland as far as Yarmouth and it’s beginning to feel like we’re getting somewhere.
Tomorrow we say goodbye to Sheldon, the super friendly, playful, lovable cat we’ve been looking after and to our cosy bungalow house-sit in Marske-by-the-Sea. And we are heading to stay with Lynda and Paul for a couple of nights in Kirkymoorside, on the edge of the moors. Could that involve more walking!!?
